Federica: “Making meaningful contributions to improve society”

Federica Casaccio from Italy is participating in the seventh edition of the European Junior Water Programme and the Skills4water project. She is working as International Relationship Manager at ACEEU in Germany. Federica wants to make meaningful contributions to initiatives that improve society.

What is your current work position?

“At ACEEU I manage our external partnerships and identify new potential opportunities for ACEEU’s growth in EU-funded projects and Third Mission accreditation. As part of the ACEEU team, I also work as project manager in three EU-funded projects, two of them focussing specifically on the water sector: WATERLINE which aims at innovating digital water-related higher education and research by establishing a European Digital Water Higher Education Institution (HEI) alliance and SKILLS4Water which aims at integrating soft skills into water-related higher education curricula to better prepare students and young professionals for the evolving demands of the water sector.”

Can you describe one of your work days?

“My workdays are dynamic and varied, from engaging with different stakeholders and project partners, to fostering collaboration opportunities, to researching how to best connect industry and academia. Specifically, in the EU funded projects I ensure that each activity is performed according to precise quality standards and I contribute to innovative activities such as designing frameworks and implementing strategies to achieve long-term lasting impact. I also engage with universities staff working to strengthen their institution’s Third Mission to become more entrepreneurial and socially engaged in their community.”

What do you consider the most interesting part of your job?

“It is incredible to witness how higher education institutions can be such impactful actors of change in their communities, especially when they engage in activities that bring them closer to the industry. The most exciting part is be involved in co-creating international collaborations between HEIs, industry stakeholders and civic society, especially in project like those fostering innovation in the water sector, where research must go hand in hand with community engagement to be translated into real-world solutions for greater and sustainable impact.”

What is a topic that you see as increasingly important in the water sector?

“Working in the EU funded projects with partners that bring a variety of expertise and background, I see that topics such as science communication, innovation and soft skills enhancement are increasingly interlinked and relevant in the water sector. Specifically, in the SKILLS4Water project, we focus exactly on addressing these needs by enhancing water students and young professionals’ soft skills such as responsibility, team work and communication, among others. As we are now at the final stages of this exciting project, the SKILLs4Water consortium has also organized an ambitious final event titled “I International Conference on Soft Skills for Water”, which will take place on June 24-26 at the University of Cadiz in Spain. The final conference will showcase the project main results and will provide local students to present their water-focused works and projects”

What do you expect from international cooperation?

“From international cooperation, I expect meaningful collaboration that connects diverse expertise to create real impact. Working with universities, industry, and civic society stakeholders and partners, I can see daily how joint efforts can turn research into practical solutions that community needs, promote innovation and drive lasting impact.”

Why are you joining EJWP?

“Water is life and we must treasure it, always. For this reason, I have joined the EJWP community: being part of a network of professionals and students committed to sustainable-driven solutions, I aim to deepen my expertise in the water sector, to grow my international network and to contribute to meaningful initiatives for the betterment of society.”

What and where did you study?

“I hold a master degree in International Peace, Conflict and Development studies at University Jaume I of Castello’ de la Plana (Spain). Previously, I graduated from Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan (Italy) with a bachelor in Political Science and International Relations. During my undergraduate studies I was an exchange student at the Department of Political Science of the University of Zagreb (Croatia).