Swiss Russian project Educational Network for Sustainable Water Resources

Water is critical for a human and planetary well-being, and water-related challenges are in the hearth of the quest towards sustainable future. Among these challenges, water quality monitoring and protection are the focal point of the Educational Network for Sustainable Water Resources with two areas of excellence: water resource quality and pollution, biodiversity and ecosystem services. The focus is on the Volga-Caspian Basin, an exceptional and diverse ecosystem including the Volga Delta adjoining arid territories, semi-desert landscapes of the Peri-Caspian Lowland and the unique Caspian Sea-Lake. The planned activities includes setting up a standing interactive Swiss-Russian field summer school for gaining knowledge on the Caspian Sea ecosystems and hands-on research experience participating in field observations, knowledge exchange of water quality monitoring practices and fostering the practical skills and water quality assessment as well as activities related with the long-term extension of the educational network. The Educational Network for Sustainable Water Resources will provide very favorable environment for personal development of young and talented researchers at PhD level and a unique opportunity to obtain an interdisciplinary training experience with an integrative approach to a societal and ecological issue representative of current challenges humanity faces worldwide on its quest to the development of a sustainable future.

Funding: Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, Leading House for the bilateral Science and Technology cooperation program with Russia, Program Starter Grants

Director University of Geneva: Prof. Vera Slaveykova

Director Astrakhan State University: Prof. Mikhail Egorov