Global Water and Climate Adaptation Centre
The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at TU Dresden and RWTH Aachen University, together with partners from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (Chennai, India), the Asian Institute of Technology (Bangkok, Thailand) and the United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU Resource Nexus), have set up the Global Water and Climate Adaptation Centre (ABCD-Centre).
© TU Dresden
December 08 - 12, 2025, Bangkok, Thailand
September 14 to 18, 2025, Madras, India
Further information on the conference
September 12 to 13, 2025, Madras, India
TU Dresden co-launches new International Master’s Program on Water Security and Global Change
August 13, 2024, Chennai, India
Opening ceremony for the official launch of the first Indo-German Joint Master's Program "Water Security and Global Change"
Video of the Inauguration Ceremony for the joint Master's Program
The ABCD-Centre (after the first letters of the 4 participating locations in 3 countries on 2 continents) deals with climate adaptation measures in the Global South, especially in the water sector. The topic supports the emerging field of water research, which TU Dresden defined as part of its successful application for excellence. A total of 2.8 million euros will be available for the center from May 2021 to December 2025 (an extension for another five years until 2030 with a budget of a further 3 million euros is planned). Scientists are working closely together in three interdisciplinary thematic clusters:
- Water security, water resource management, safe water supply and water treatment
- Ecosystem resilience and nature-based adaptation measures
- Traditional knowledge, local economies and social acceptance
Partnerverbund des ABCD-Centre mit den drei integrierten Themengebieten und die Verbindung zu den adressierten Nachhaltigkeitszielen der Agenda 2030 der Vereinten Nationen.
The new Global Center not only promotes the mobility of early-career researchers and provides scholarships for Master's and doctoral students, but also offers a new joint international degree program on "Water Security and Global Change".
The Study Program is IAHR & UNESCO-IHP certified.
In order to effectively counter the effects of the pandemic and further optimize future exchange in research and teaching, great importance will be attached to the implementation and further development of digital formats. Furthermore, a network is to be established with the three other Global Centers for Climate and Environment and with the four Global Centers for Health and Pandemic Preparedness, which were established at the same time. The topic of water obviously plays a central role here and the internationally renowned expertise and existing resources of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at TU Dresden and the partners involved can be built upon.
Das Hubert-Engels-Labor des Instituts für Wasserbau und Technische Hydromechanik der TU Dresden ermöglicht die Durchführung von physikalischen Modellversuchen für Forschung und Lehre in den unterschiedlichsten technischen Maßstäben sowie die Unterstützung der Lehre durch Demonstrationen und Vorführungen.
For example, the existing international degree programs Hydro Science and Engineering and Tropical Forestry at TU Dresden and the degree program "Engineering Geohazards" at RWTH Aachen University will be integrated into the center's training portfolio. The intensive exchange of students, doctoral candidates and lecturers is intended to create an effective network to stimulate further research projects, but also to pave the way for the successful transfer of knowledge and technology with the involvement of business, politics and civil society.
The establishment of the ABCD Center will make a significant contribution to the further development of TU Dresden as a global university for the 21st century, contributing to overcoming global challenges with excellent research and innovative teaching.
DAAD funds Global Research Center with partners in India and Thailand with 600.000€ annually until 2030.
The image film of the DAAD programme “Global Centres for Climate and Environment/ Health and Pandemic Prevention” gives you an insight into the programme, its goals and impact and people behind the Centres. © DAAD
The international community continues to face urgent global climate and environmental problems, the importance of which for sustainable development has been further highlighted by the pandemic. In this context, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is using funding from the Federal Foreign Office to support the establishment of Global Centers for the interdisciplinary networking of science, politics, business and civil society for the effective transfer of research results into practice.
Information on the DAAD Global Centers funding program
The project is funded by the DAAD with funds from the Federal Foreign Office.
Information for journalists:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Stamm
Chair of Hydraulic Engineering
Chairperson for the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Tel.: 0351 463-34397
Dr. rer. nat. André Lindner
Executive Manager for the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Phone: 0351-463 34899