Unesco-IHE starts development of global campus network to give more water education at regional level

The Governing Board of Unesco-IHE Institute for Water Education approved the plans to start preparation activities for the Global Campus for Water & Development. The decision was made unanimously at the Board’s annual meeting held on 22 November.

The Unesco-IHE Global Campus for Water & Development will be a set of interconnected campuses around the world for the training of a new generation of water leaders in an interdisciplinary environment.

The development of the independent regional institutes will be demand-driven, focussing on education, research and capacity building.


Quicker respond to requests from local partners
The Global Campus comprises two major elements. Firstly, the geographical coverage of the Institute is to be expanded with interconnected elements in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Not only do most water challenges exist in these regions, but the Global Campus enables Unesco-IHE to better understand local needs and react more swiftly to requests coming from local partners and stakeholders.

Secondly, expanding the programmes with issues of water governance and extending our disciplinary fields including social sciences, will enable the Institute to cover all principles relating to current and future water challenges.

Critical importance of drinking water
Professor András Szöllösi-Nagy, Rector of Unesco-IHE, explains: "The Global Campus enables Unesco-IHE to better understand local needs and react more swiftly to requests coming from local partners and stakeholders. Water is closely linked to a number of key global challenges. It acknowledges the importance of integrating water in sustainable development and underlines the critical importance of safe drinking water, sanitation and sustainable water use. This is the future we want to contribute to."

Setting the global research and innovation agendas
Business Director, Greet Vink elaborates: "Unesco-IHE is taking the lead in setting the global research and innovation agendas on water and starting up a Global Graduate School on Water & Development. With high performance standards, excellent academic quality, high impact research and education, maximum international exposure and shared scientific interests, but also by sharing business opportunities in the global education, capacity development and research market for water and environment the Institute aims to extend its outreach and enhance its impact."

The Executive Board of UNESCO commissioned a comprehensive study for the establishment of a Unesco-IHE Global Campus in 2013. From 2014 onwards a phased implementation of related activities will be realized aiming at a fully operational Unesco-IHE Global Graduate School on Water & Development in 2018.

About Unesco-IHE
Unesco-IHE is the largest international postgraduate water education facility in the world and is based in Delft, the Netherlands. The Institute confers fully accredited MSc degrees, and PhD degrees in collaboration with partners in the Netherlands. Since 1957 the Institute has provided postgraduate water education to more than 14,500 water professionals from over 160 countries.

Unesco-IHE is part of the UN Water family and is owned by all Umesco member states. The Institute is established as a Unesco 'Category I Institute' jointly by Unesco and the Government of the Netherlands.

This news item was originally published on the website of Unesco-IHE.

More information
Unesco-IHE
Delft, the Netherlands
+31 15 215 1715
www.unesco-ihe.org