Welcome from Professor Geoffrey D. Gooch, Centre Director
It is a great honor to have been appointed Director of the IHP-HELP Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science (under the auspices of UNESCO) at the University of Dundee, Scotland. The Dundee IHP-HELP Centre is the only UNESCO Category 2 Centre in the UK and its competence in water law, policy and science is recognized as a vital resource by numerous countries and organisations around the world. Globally, many regions are facing water shortages, problems with water quality and issues of water security. Many countries and regions are also trying to address the challenges of developing efficient and equitable water governance systems. The IHP-HELP Centre in Dundee can, together with local and global partners, contribute to solving these problems.
The IHP-HELP Centre was recently evaluated by UNESCO and its UNESCO Category 2 status successfully renewed after the first five years of activities. The considerable strengths of the Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science were identified in the evaluation as well as a number of activities which could be improved. It is my goal to consolidate and develop the Centre’s strengths while implementing strategies that accomplish these tactical improvements. During the coming years the Centre will play a stronger role within the IHP-HELP family, fulfilling its obligations to act as regional coordinator of IHP-HELP activities in Europe as well as contributing to activities on a global scale. It will act as a hub for a global community of scholars, researchers and practitioners working in water law, policy and science. At a national level, the Centre will assist the Scottish government in its ambition to become a ‘Hydro Nation’.
The leading role of the Centre in water law has already been established. During the next five years the Centre will add to this by continuing to advance expertise in policy analysis and by developing closer cooperation with water science, especially hydrology. It will become a true interdisciplinary centre for research, teaching and practitioner training in water law, policy and science and will develop and increase ways to disseminate research results to a wider audience.
I extend a warm welcome to all existing partners to continue to cooperate and work with the Dundee Centre, and to all potential partners around the world I say - Welcome to Dundee and the IHP-HELP Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science. Together we can make a difference!
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