Associates programme for the Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science
Become part of our community to showcase water related research, teaching and work.
The Centre seeks to create an active community of water researchers from across the University and Scotland more broadly and collectively raise awareness of the priority areas for the Centre such as water security, sustainability, development, climate change and water education. Under the auspices of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrology Programme (IHP) the Centre is the only Category II water Centre in the UK and unique in the UNESCO ‘Water Family’ in its focus on water law, and its relationship to the science and policy interface.
Background
The UNESCO Centre was established in 2008 by an agreement between UNESCO and the UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Government and the University of Dundee. The Centre seeks to create an active community of water researchers from across the University and Scotland more broadly and collectively raise awareness of the priority areas for the Centre such as water security, sustainability, development, climate change and water education. Under the auspices of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrology Programme (IHP), the Centre is the only Category II water Centre in the UK and unique in the UNESCO ‘Water Family’ in its focus on water law and its relationship to the science and policy interface.
The Centre exists as a facilitative network with some enabling funds to support activities that will deliver on the priority areas. We aim to emphasise networking and through lectures, workshops, and symposia, foster a sense of collective identity – with successes in terms of, new collaborative grants, co-supervision of PhDs and wider public engagement.
Over the next few years, the Centre will continue to build its profile as a centre of excellence in water through the quality of our research; our innovative interdisciplinary approaches spanning water law, policy and science; building capacity through innovative teaching; and generating impact through engagement with government and civil society to make effective contributions and help people understand the challenges we face.
UNESCO Associate - what is it and why important?
To best showcase our collective strengths we feel it is important that we can legitimately capture the research, impact and indeed teaching successes of all those affiliated to the Centre. This is NOT about trying to ‘bask in the reflected glory of others’, rather it is about being able to provide a comprehensive institutional showcase of our water-related work. We therefore want to ensure that colleagues consciously sign-up and join the initiative and in doing so adopt the mantle of UNESCO ASSOCIATE. Being an Associate confers benefits as we explain below, but also means collective responsibilities, for example, to promote and share best research and teaching practices, actively build capacity through grant income and mentoring early career researchers and postgraduate researchers and providing key reporting data (grant income, paper outputs engagement activities and impact that positively improves lives, locally and globally).
We will test the hypothesis that active coordination of our water-related research, teaching and engagement will enhance our effectiveness in delivering again the UNESCO mission, raise the institutional reputation and collectively make a bigger and more positive contribution against the UN’s SDGs.
The Benefits and Responsibilities of Association with UNESCO Water Centre
| Benefits of UNESCO Centre Association | Responsibilities |
| Membership of a vibrant interdisciplinary community bound by common interests in water within Dundee and across global UNESCO family | Actively participate and promote the mission of the UNESCO Water Centre enhancing vitality and impact of our collective endeavour |
| Increased profile and reputation for all water-related research, education and engagement activities including greater connectivity through UNESCO | Share information about grant/teaching successes for curation and showcasing through web, social media and formal UNESCO reporting |
| Associates share different perspectives, disciplinary strengths and positively reinforce best endeavour in terms of research, teaching and engagement | Foster a culture of academic excellence growing capacity and capability about making a positive difference, especially in relation to the UN’s SDGs |
| Access to, and opportunity to shape, the academic agenda in UoD through membership of the global UNESCO water family | Support colleagues and students through informal mentoring and peer-review as requested of grant proposals, research papers etc. |
| Dedicated programme of workshops/social events developing research, facilitation and sharing different perspectives | Help build local and international networks and bring strategic opportunities to the attention of the membership |
| UNESCO Water Centre can provide support when Associates are organising events, such as workshops or symposia including marketing | Associates will share intelligence and actively support the community in the spirit of openness, respect and mutual cooperation |
| Being kept up to date with opportunities for engagement and funding opportunities Regular updating of upcoming grant opportunities | Two-way dialogue both receiving and sharing intelligence about funding and engagement activities |
| Ready access to enabling funds for pilot studies, conference attendance, academic visits and hosting current and future collaborations | Associates being in receipt of funds (travel, visiting speakers etc.) will provide brief report on the benefits achieved through engagement |
| Support with web and social media activities disseminating research findings, promoting engagement and external delivery | Be fully committed to the principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) |
| Connects to a wider community for engagement and Support wider engagement with comparable international networks/Centres | Receptiveness and commitment to a progressive culture of diversity, equity and inclusion and promotion of a culture of professionalism |