ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: This paper gives a brief overview of the development of research at UNESCO-IHE, the importance of which has increased significantly with the mandate to build research capacity in the developing world and with the increasing pace of knowledge generation and transfer. The current research agenda and implementation framework are discussed, including the five thematic thrusts: water security, environmental integrity, urbanisation, water governance and information and communication technology. Large knowledge gaps exist in all water-related disciplines, complicated by the increasing need to connect hydrological, ecological, climatic and socio-economic systems across various scales. Finding sustainable solutions in water management, particularly in developing countries, is increasingly complex; consequently, fundamental and applied integrated research is essential to reach technically and politically acceptable solutions. The Institute addresses these challenges with its partners in the South as a way of ensuring that practical solutions are found and local research capacity is fostered.
