Strong World Water Academy presence at the Water Resilience Forum

On behalf of the World Water Academy and in her role as Special Advisor to Water Europe, our CEO, Gabrielle Knufman, served as rapporteur at the first Water Resilience Forum ever, hosted at the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels.

The session focused on Upskilling for Water Resilience and the launch of the European Water Academy, underscoring the importance of practical skills, lifelong learning, and a truly future-ready water workforce across Europe. With water security, climate resilience, and innovation high on the agenda, the Forum provided an ideal platform to further the dialogue on the emerging European Water Academy.

European Water Academy: turning ambition into implementation

Gabriëlle emphasized that the true success of a European Water Academy will be judged by tangible impact on the ground. As she noted: “The ambition behind the European Water Academy is widely supported. Its success, however, will be measured by the impact it delivers on the ground and by its contribution to building a Water Smart Society.” The discussion also highlighted strong momentum: a pan-European survey of operators, utilities, public authorities, industry, and citizens indicates a clear willingness to engage. At the same time, the findings reinforced what Water Europe’s position paper has already underlined: Europe generates world-class knowledge, but still lacks effective mechanisms to translate that knowledge into day-to-day capability across the sector.

The structural gap: from research to operational practice

Gabrielle underlined that universities and research centres remain essential drivers of innovation, but they cannot be expected to shoulder full responsibility for building the operational skills base Europe needs. As she put it: “We lack the mechanisms to translate that knowledge into day-to-day capability across the entire water sector.” The European Water Academy must therefore serve as a dedicated capability bridge: a practice-oriented, independent European institution that accelerates the uptake of knowledge and strengthens the water workforce throughout their careers.

Key elements of the Academy’s envisioned role

The Academy’s intended role includes: modular, stackable qualifications; joint training programs with partners across Europe; integration with Water-Oriented Living Labs; translating research outputs into practical skills at every workforce level; and enabling continuous upskilling and reskilling as technologies, regulations, and operational challenges evolve. This linkage between innovation, training, and applied expertise is, in World Water Academy’s view, essential to delivering Europe’s water transition.

From concept to impact

Gabrielle’s message from the Forum was clear: momentum for the European Water Academy is growing—both politically and operationally. The sector is looking for an institution that not only helps shape the vision, but also strengthens execution through skills development and practical implementation.