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Lund University to start new UN collaboration focusing on water

People wading through water flooding
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Lund University and the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) are establishing a joint hub, focusing on water. The initiative will strengthen Lund University’s connection with the UN, and also offer a unique UN track for students.

The new hub will be called Water in a Changing Environment (WICE). The initiative will run for five years and then be evaluated, but the aim is for the hub to be permanent. For Lund University, the collaboration entails opportunities for both researchers and students. Through the hub, researchers from all the faculties with a connection to water, environment and health will be able to create networks and collaborate with leading researchers at the UN University (UNU).

“The UN stamp will make it easier to bring the research conducted in Lund to a global arena. There are only three other hubs like this in the world. So, it feels very exciting to get this opportunity,” says Lina Eklund, researcher at Lund University’s Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science.

Regarding the education element, Lund University will establish a UN track for students studying programmes connected with water, environment and health. They will receive extra training and the opportunity to apply for internship places at a number of international organisations.

“This will attract highly motivated students who want to work on water issues. When we were asked to enter into this collaboration, we said yes straight away,” says Rolf Larsson, associate professor of water resources engineering at Lund University.

It is no coincidence that Lund University was handpicked by the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health. The Institute’s current director, Kaveh Madani, earned his Master’s degree 20 years ago at Lund University. Since then, he has had a meteoric career involving TEDx Talks, prestigious assignments at Imperial College and Yale, and a professorship at the City College of New York.

“Water linked to the environment and health is one of the most important global issues for the future of humankind. For Lund University, this hub is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen collaboration with the UN on the major global issues,” says Erik Renström, Vice-Chancellor of Lund University.

Facts:

The United Nations University (UNU), the UN’s research arm, was established in 1973. Its headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan. The university is a bridge between the UN and the international academic sphere, political decision-makers and the private sector. The UN University consists of 14 institutes. One of these is the Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), which is based in Ontario, Canada.

Contact:

Lina Eklund


Lina Eklund, associate senior lecturer
Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science and Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University
+46 70 282 03 55
lina [dot] eklund [at] nateko [dot] lu [dot] se

 

 

Contact:

Rolf Larsson


Rolf Larsson
Rolf Larsson, associate professor
Division of Water Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering (LTH)
+46 70 965 37 98
rolf [dot] larsson [at] tvrl [dot] lth [dot] se