Survey reveals European Water Academy should focus on technical skills water operators

The upcoming European Water Academy (EUWA) is one of the pillars of the European Water Resilience Strategy. According to nearly half of the 127 respondents to a recent survey, EUWA should focus on technical skills for water operators. Concrete ideas about the academy will take shape during the European Water Resilience Forum which will be held on December 8 in Brussels. The target date for the launch of EUWA is set for June 2026.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra on the Lake Maggiore in Italy is taking the lead in the development of the European Water Academy and will act as a physical anchor point. Bernd Manfred Gawlik who is leading the initiative on behalf of JRC Ispra says: “The European Water Academy will tap into existing training centres and living‑lab sites across the EU, allowing the academy to materialise locally in natural, region‑specific settings. Several partners have signalled interest in co‑hosting facilities. The government of the Autonomous Region of Madeira has committed to host the EU Wastewater‑Surveillance hub of EUWA. Comparable offers on other themes and focus areas have come from organisations in France, Germany and other Member States. In parallel, a virtual hub, that probably will be hosted by the European Commission, will gather all online resources and courses. The precise balance between physical and digital assets will be defined together with the water‑sector community, ensuring the platform remains open, inclusive and free from unnecessary bureaucracy.”

Technical skills are needed

In the online survey that closed on October 31 and was conducted by JRC the priorities and needs of the water community were identified. The questionnaire was designed together with EWA, EUREAU, IAWD, APE and Water Europe. Gawlik: “In total 127 questionnaires from Europe and outside Europe, were submitted during the two months the survey was open. The replies covered the full spectrum of actors in the field, such as academic institutions, research centres, water‑utility operators, private companies, municipalities, competent authorities, NGOs and other stakeholder groups. The survey highlighted where the community sees the primary focus. Technical and professional skills for water‑utility operators were mentioned the most, by nearly half of the participants.”

Great willingness to support EUWA

According to Gawlik the biggest surprise was the willingness of the respondents to contribute to the European Water Academy without requiring extra funding. ”More than half of respondents said they would share training programmes (61 %), collaborate on research‑related training (61 %), and offer expertise and staff resources (54 %). In‑kind contributions such as didactic materials, access to instrumentation, or living‑lab sites were also prominent (23 % and 45 % respectively).”

Upskilling for water resilience

During the Water Resilience Forum in Brussels on December 8, there will be a session Upskilling for Water Resilience: Inception for the European Water Academy.  Gawlik: “The findings of the EU Survey will serve as the launchpad for the European Water Academy slated for 2026. Participants will start to work on the first outlines of the Academy’s curriculum, begin discussions on its governance structure, and explore connections with existing EU education schemes, emphasizing how the research‑innovation community will feed the Academy and drive the cross‑sectoral breakthroughs required for a water‑resilient Europe. Obviously, this process will continue in view of the formal EUWA launch.”

Bridging the skills gap

Water Europe also stated in a position paper that the European Water Academy should mainly focus on operational skills development. The idea is to complement, rather than duplicate, the work of universities and research institutions. Water Europe considers the European Water Academy as a key instrument to bridge the skills gap, accelerate innovation uptake, and strengthen Europe’s resilience to achieve a Water-Smart Society and Economy.

Structural barriers

The Water Europe Expert Group on Skills and Human Resources has identified some structural barriers. A large proportion of Europe’s water professionals will retire within the next decade, with limited succession planning in place. New technologies, from advanced treatment systems to digital twins, require new types of operational competences. Lifelong learning opportunities remain uneven across Europe, with limited access to practice-based learning. Training qualifications and professional certifications are not yet harmonised, hampering mobility and exchange. These gaps threaten Europe’s capacity to deliver on its environmental, climate, and industrial ambitions.