5-6 February 2026

Water4future General Assembly: shaping the future of sustainable water education

The Water4Future General Meeting, to be held in Palermo on 5–6 February 2026, marks a key milestone in the launch of the Erasmus Mundus Design Measure (EMDM) project aimed at developing an innovative Joint Master in Sustainable Water Engineering and Management.

DISCOVER PROGRAM

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

PROGRAM

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Day 1

05 February 2026 (afternoon)

14:00 - 14:30

Registration and welcome

14:30 – 14:45

Opening remarks and Institutional greetings

prof. Massimo Midiri
/ Rector of the University of Palermo

prof. Livan Fratini
/ Engineering Department Head, University of Palermo

prof. Vincenzo Naddeo
/ Coordinator of Water4Future

prof. Giorgio Mannina
/ UNIPA’s PI Water4Future, University of Palermo

14:45 – 15:00

Presentation of the Project mission, vision and scope

prof. Vincenzo Naddeo
/ Coordinator of Water4Future

Moderator: Prof. Giorgio Mannina

15:00 – 16:00

International cooperation actions by Institutional Chairs

prof. Javier Lafuente / Rector of the Autonomous University of Barcelona – TBC

prof. Petra De Sutter / Rector of Ghent University – TBC

prof. Krzysztof Wilde / Rector of Gdansk University of Technology – TBC

prof. Luciano Feo / Director of the Department of Civil Engineering

prof. Massimo Midiri / Rector of the University of Palermo

prof. Angel Medina Vaya / Vice Chancellor of Cranfield University – TBC Moderator: Prof. Giorgio Mannina

16:00 - 16:30

Signature Ceremony of MoU for the establishment of the Water Universities Alliance

16:30 – 17:00

Coffee break

17:00 - 18:00

Education and research in water science and technology | Institutional cooperation policies roundtable

Moderator: Vincenzo Naddeo

18:00 – 18:30

Closing and Remarks

20:00 - 23:00

Social dinner

Day 2

06 February 2026

9:00 – 09:30

Institutional welcome and presentation of the Engineering Department

prof. Livan Fratini
/ Engineering Department Head, University of Palermo

prof. Rosanna Di Lorenzo
/ Delegate of Department Head for didactic

prof. Clelia Dispenza
/ Delegate of Department Head for research

09:30 – 10:30

Visit to the department laboratories

10:30 - 11:00

Coffee break

11:00 – 13:00

Workshop | Design of plan of study and syllabus

prof. Maria Eugenia Suarez Ojeda
/ UAB’s PI Water4Future

prof. Eveline Volcke
/ Ghent University’s PI Water4Future

prof. Jacek Makinia
/ Gdansk University’s PI Water4Future

prof. Vincenzo Naddeo
/ UNISA’s PI Water4Future

prof. Giorgio Mannina
/ UNIPA’s PI Water4Future

prof. Imma Bortone
/ Cranfield University’s PI Water4Future

13:00 - 14:00

Lunch

14:00 – 16:30

W4F | Working Group sessions focused on:

  • Student services and mobility support
  • Joint academic pathways, mobility tracks and quality assurance model
  • Teaching and training activities
  • Financial framework and internal allocation principles
  • Stakeholder liaison strategy

16:30 – 17:00

Next meetings planning and closing remarks

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Roundtable session

The roundtable session is designed as a practical, stakeholder-led discussion to ensure the Joint Master is aligned with labour market needs and current research priorities. Moderated by Prof. Vincenzo Naddeo, the session will address key themes such as skills gaps in the water sector, expectations for internships and theses, and ways to strengthen employability and innovation. Contributions will directly inform the programme design: stakeholders are invited to contribute and collaborate.
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ROUNDTABLE STAKEHOLDERS

Academic Expertise

Strategic vision: from water4future to a water universities alliance

Beyond the Joint Master, Water4Future aims to establish a Water Universities Alliance as a long-term European platform for collaboration in water education, research, and innovation. The Roundtable Session is a key milestone in this process, as its outcomes will directly inform the design, priorities, and collaboration models of the Alliance. By aligning academic expertise with skills needs and research challenges in the water sector, the Alliance will support shared educational resources, mobility, employability, and joint innovation. Conceived to extend well beyond the project’s lifetime, the Alliance is designed to ensure continuity, scalability, and lasting impact.
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© Water4Future - 2026