Key international water initiative

The key international initiative Water (INITIATE – InternatioNal InTercultural Interdisciplinary wATer nEtwork) is being developed at the University as part of the UM2030 project, winner of the Call for Projects "Integration and Development of IdEx and ISITE" (IDeES). The initiative is the result of a multilateral collaboration between the University of Montpellier (UM) and its strategic partners around the world, including three UNESCO International Centers (located in Montpellier, Delft, and Dundee). INITIATE represents a collaborative doctoral training platform and constitutes a global virtual infrastructure for international cooperation on water sciences.

Presentation

The actors

The INITIATE initiative was developed between UM and its partners in 2022. On the UM side, the initiative is scientifically led by Olivier Barreteau, INRAE researcher and deputy director of the UNESCO International Center ICIREWARD (ICIREWARD) in Montpellier, as well as by project managers Sandie Mennechet and Beatriz Gasparini Reis at ICIREWARD. The initiative takes the form of a global collaborative doctoral training platform bringing together doctoral students from the institution's strategic partners.

At UM, the Platform is managed by Nathalie Modjeska and Emilie Morin, within the Office for international support and the attractiveness of structuring programs of the Department of Structuring Programs.

Governance

The Platform is managed by an International Steering Committee (ISC), which includes a senior representative from each of the Platform's founding member institutions (UM and its partners).

• University of Montpellier, FR: Olivier Barreteau
• Australian National University, AU: Joseph Guillaume
• Dublin City University, IE: Fiona Regan
• IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, NL: Margreet Zwarteveen
• Rhodes University, South Africa: Nelson Odume
• University of Sherbrooke, CA: Marie-Amélie Boucher
• Laval University, CA: François Anctil
• Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, SN: Awa Fall
• Felix Houphouet Boigny University, CI: Dimitri Soro
• Mohamed VI Polytechnic University, MA: Abdelghani Chehbouni
• University of Barcelona, Spain: Joaquim Farguell Pérez
• University of Dundee, UK: John Rowan

The CPI decides and oversees the implementation of the Platform's strategic directions and overall activities. It meets virtually at least once every two months and in person at least once a year.

12 Partners

• Europe
  • University of Montpellier (UM), FR
  • University of Dundee, UK
  • IHE Delft, Netherlands
  • Dublin City University (DCU), IE
  • University of Barcelona, Spain
• North America
  • Laval University, CA
  • University of Sherbrooke, CA
• Africa
  • Rhodes University, South Africa
  • Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, SN
  • Felix Houphouet Boigny University, CI
  • Mohamed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), MA
• Oceania
  • Australian National University (ANU), AU

Objectives

The platform aims to:

• Building a global community of future leaders in water sciences through the internationalization of doctoral training and the development of lifelong networks of expertise and influence.
• Increase the impact of water sciences by promoting and supporting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research approaches at the doctoral level and developing expertise at the science-policy-society interface in the field of water.
• Facilitate longer-term research opportunities and career development prospects for early-career scientists in the field of sustainable development.
• Advancing open science and open education practices through the development of new equitable global partnerships.

Program

The INITIATE doctoral platform aims to bring together the cohort of doctoral students once a year for field schools and/or training courses on water science topics.

Each cohort consists of up to two doctoral students per partner institution for a period of two years. These young researchers, from a variety of water-related research fields, are invited to participate in online and in-person activities during this period. Afterwards, they will join an alumni network with other former INITIATE fellows.

INITIATE aims to promote interdisciplinarity and interculturality through the diversity of the doctoral students it brings together.

Doctoral students work in groups and exchange ideas in order to strengthen their ties and form an international network of future leaders in water sciences.

The Platform offers:

• Opportunities for doctoral students to publish documents and create communication materials
• A global virtual infrastructure to facilitate discussion and document sharing
• International visibility of the research topic
• The opportunity to participate in international events
• A networking opportunity for young researchers

The first cohort, graduating in 2024, comprises 19 students of 11 nationalities. These doctoral students will gather in Morocco from November 25 to 29, 2024, for the first fall school and are expected to be welcomed in Montpellier in October 2025 for the second fall school.