The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established on 8 December 1985 with the formal adoption of its Charter by the Heads  of States or Governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan became the eight member of the Association on 3 April 2007.

Genesis of the SHRDC

The Heads of the States and Governments of SAARC Member Countries emphasized the need to progressively carry out the SAARC activities with a broad framework of a long term perspective and to harmonize their effects to ensure tangible benefits to the people of the SAARC region. Towards this end, they recognized that  Human Resource Development (HRD ) is one of the means of realizing the SAARC objectives. At  the Fourth SAARC Summit of 29-31 December 1988, the Heads of States and Governments of the Member Countries agreed to established SAARC Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC)  in Islamabad, Pakistan with the objective to developm knowledge and skills by undertaking research, imparting  trainings, disseminating informatin on HRD issues and advise the Member States on HRD related issues and advise the Member States on HRD related policies and strategies.

The Twelfth SAARC Summit held in Islamabad on 4-6 January 2004, while recognizing the importance of HRD, expressed  in the "Islamabad Declaration"  that "Investment in human resources is critical for future development of South Asia. It is, therefore, essential to establish a Network of Centres of Higher Learning, Training and Skill Development Institutes (SDI) across South Asia. In this context, the role of the SAARC Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC) is important."

To strengthen the HRD activities,  the Thirty-Fourth Session of the Standing Committee held in New Delhi on 5-6  December 2007 shifted the mandate of  Technical Committee on Human Resource Development (TCHRDC) relating to education and skills development to SAARC Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC).