HWCA project workshop in Delft

On July 9-19 2024, the Delft Institute for Water Education (the Netherlands) organised training seminar for academics of leading European and Central Asian universities. The workshop was targeted on the professional development of HWCA (Water Governance in Central Asia for Climate Resilience and Safety) project participants in the field of water management and water diplomacy, as well as on establishing the basis for international cooperation in the field of higher education related to water resources management.

The diversity of the project participants (12 partner universities) contributed to the productive discussion of issues, exchange of opinions and establishment of multilateral and useful contacts. The seminar was attended by the representatives of К. Dikambayev Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan (HWCA project Coordinator), Kazakhstan-German University (Kazakhstan), the University of World Economy and Diplomacy of Uzbekistan, specialists from the University of Bergamo (Italy) and the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne (France).

For Turkmen project partners – Guvanch Garyadyev and Serdar Khudainazarov (Turkmen State University), Babageldi Kurbanov and Agamyrat Akyev (Turkmen Agricultural Institute, Dashoguz) the Deft visit provided an excellent opportunity to communicate with colleagues and get their professional advice, learn new approaches on the key topics, and share ideas and examples of good practice.

The most discussed topics of the seminar were the issues of sustainable water resources management in the Central Asia countries, which have topical and strategic importance for all project members, the EU experts’ recommendations for the development of innovative curricula and the concept of their implementation in the teaching process.

Project partners discussed the principle ways for developing cooperation between academic institutions and international organizations in the water sector and determined future joint research developments. As a result, the university cooperation platform, established in Delft, would serve as a basis for future educational initiatives and implementation of innovative teaching methods.

In addition to the rich seminar program, the participants visited the most interesting sights of Holland. A visit to Maeslantkering became the most exciting - one of the country’s top attractions and the world's largest movable dam, which protects Rotterdam from floods.

A trip to the famous Kinderdijk windmills provided an opportunity to see how the Dutch have historically dealt with water control and land conservation, and inspired using these technologies in modern professional activities.

Guvanch Garyadyev, project member, Magtymguly Turkmen State University