In May 2023, at the 19th World Meteorological Congress held in Geneva, Switzerland, IHE Delft and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) renewed their long-term commitment to collaborate with each other. IHE Delft Rector Eddy Moors and Stefan Uhlenbrook, Director of Hydrology and Cryosphere at WMO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their partnership for the next 5 years.
WMO will support students to study the MSc in Water and Sustainable Development at IHE Delft by offering fellowships. IHE Delft will participate in WMO’s Drought and Flood Management Helpdesks, facilitating interaction between scientists, flood and drought management practitioners and decision-makers interact.
WMO and IHE Delft have a history of successful collaboration in the field of hydrology, water resources, floods and droughts. To build upon this success, WMO will support water professionals in advancing their career by providing them with the opportunity to study a Master of Science at IHE Delft. The research topics to be developed by the fellows will be in line with the interest of WMO and support the WMO Hydrological Research Strategy. Additionally, WMO and IHE Delft will jointly analyse and determine capacity development gaps, as well as jointly organize tailor made trainings on relevant areas, innovations and topics.
Both parties look forward to working together to supporting the WMO Helpdesks on Integrated Flood and Drought Management, as well as promoting technical knowledge and policy through capacity development.
The Helpdesks aim to:
- Provide quick access to relevant flood and drought management information;
- Offer guidance and impetus for reform, encouraging the development of long-term flood and drought management policies, strategies, and institutional arrangements in countries or river basins.
- Serve as a link between flood and drought management practitioners, decision-makers, and multi-disciplinary scientific expertise; facilitating the exchange of best practice in various fields;
- Provide continuous and sustainable capacity development mechanisms to support the implementation of flood and drought management.