The first cohort of the new Master's degree program in Water Security and Global Change, developed by the Global Water and Climate Adaptation Centre - Aachen, Bangkok, Chennai, Dresden(ABCD-Centre), was welcomed to the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) at an opening ceremony on August 13, 2024. This represents another important step in international cooperation towards transformative education for sustainable development.

The Master's program in Water Security and Global Change not only offers students the opportunity to address water security issues from different perspectives, but also to gain important international and intercultural experience for their future careers while studying at three excellent universities on two continents (IIT-Madras in India, TU Dresden and RWTH Aachen in Germany).

In his welcoming address, Prof. S. A. Sannasiraj (IIT-Madras), as the Indian partner in the ABCD-Centre, looked back on the many challenges that had to be overcome during the three-year development phase of this lighthouse Master's program. In particular, he praised the commitment and tireless efforts of all the partners involved, who contributed to the successful implementation.

Prof. Jürgen Stamm (TUD Dresden University of Technology), guest of honor and project manager of the ABCD-Centre, used the quote "I have a dream" by Martin Luther King, which sparked a movement of transformative change, to illustrate how much this resonates with the mission of the ABCD-Centres today. The goal of the program is to equip students with the technical expertise and global perspective needed to tackle today's complex challenges. There is a desire to train them to become ambassadors of climate change mitigation and adaptation, international cooperation, scientific innovation and cultural exchange.

Prof. Stamm took the opportunity to congratulate IIT-Madras on the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NTRF) University Ranking 2024 released on August 12, 2024. Here, IIT-Madras repeatedly claimed the top ranking as the best university in the School of Engineering Sciences as well as the overall best ranked university in India.

The University of Excellence TU Dresden itself has been recognized as a global leader in Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure in the Times Higher Education Impact Ranking on the impact of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2024.

In conclusion, Prof. Stamm wishes the first cohort not only success in their studies, but also a profound experience full of insight and growth and looks forward to welcoming the students to TU Dresden from March 2025.

As another guest of honor and member of the ABCD-Centre steering committee, Prof. Holger Schüttrumpf (RWTH Aachen University) highlighted the unique, close and trustful cooperation between the German and Indian universities, which has now reached another milestone with this new Master's program. RTWH Aachen can look back on many years of cooperation with IIT-Madras since the late 1960s. He called on the students to take advantage of the opportunities offered by studying abroad, as they can not only acquire new scientific knowledge, but also cultural and social skills and develop their personalities.

In his inaugural address, Director Prof. V. Kamakoti warmly welcomed the first cohort to their first stop at IIT-Madras. He explained that in Sanskrit, there is a Veda that equates water with the mother. A mother gives you the protection, the help, the essential things so that you can live - and water gives you exactly that.

The new Master's course is extremely important for him, especially against the backdrop of increasing water scarcity and the resulting risk of political tensions between neighboring countries. Graduates will be able to hold key positions in organizations that work for the water security of future generations.

Prof. B. S. Murty (IIT-Madras), who was essential for the successful collaboration of the joint study board, concluded by thanking all project partners for their personal participation in this inauguration ceremony, all those who were involved in the preparation and implementation of the Master's program and the students, who are the first cohort to give the teachers the opportunity to teach them and learn from them at the same time.

The partners also used the festive occasion to take a close look at the future of the ABCD-Centre. This intensive exchange focused on its further development in the fields of education, research and transfer up to 2030 and beyond.

The ABCD-Centre has been funded by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of the DAAD Global Centers for Climate and Environment program since May 2021 and is tasked with systematically addressing issues relating to human adaptation to the consequences of climate change. It places particular emphasis on water security and adaptation to climate change.

To this end, the project partners are joining forces as excellent academic institutions. They strive to bring about a lively academic exchange, implement innovative cooperation formats and achieve a sustainable impact for society with regard to water security. The training of future environmental managers, e.g. with the help of the new Master's degree program, is also an important pillar of the mission.

The administrative experience gained during the development of this innovative joint Master's program has already been incorporated into the publication Indo-German Higher Education Cooperation: Guidelines for Student Exchange, Dual/Double & Joint Degree Programs of DAAD India.

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André Lindner
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