The Wetskills Water Challenge is a two-week pressure-cooker program for students and young professionals from across the world with a passion for water. In transdisciplinary and transcultural teams, 13 students and young professionals from the UK, Belgium, Israel and The Netherlands will work together to develop innovative solutions for real-world case studies posed by British and Dutch companies and governmental organisations in the water sector.

The event is taking place at the University’s Claverton campus between 30 March and 12 April and is being supported by the Bath Institute of Mathematical Innovation (IMI), the University’s Alumni fund, and Wessex Water.

The Wetskills Water Challenge opened with a ‘Brain Hurricane’ session where the case owners and teams met in an interactive brainstorming event, using a speed dating approach to allow the teams to gather relevant information on each case study.

The teams will present their concepts with a pitch and a poster presentation session during the 18th UK-IWA Young Water Professionals conference with the winner announced during the conference Gala Dinner on 11 April.

Wetskills aims to promote collaboration among young professionals and foster potential new partnerships across Europe, by empowering knowledge and cultural exchange between Dutch and British authorities and organisations.

The Wetskills Water Challenge was first organized in 2010 and became an independent Foundation in 2015. Since 2010, 23 Wetskills events have been organized in 16 countries across the world with more than 450 participants and 100 universities and organisations involved.

The Water Innovation & Research Centre (WIRC @ Bath) which is hosting this event, provides a unique environment to engage globally in research and policy on water technologies and resource management. In collaboration with Wessex Water, WIRC @ Bath conducts research that tackles the issues surrounding water such as treatment and management, as well as exploring the potential in new water technologies.

Utilizing the expertise of researchers across a wide range of disciplines, the Centre works extensively with institutions, companies, and decision-makers worldwide to ensure that its research has far-reaching and sustained impact that will inform and shape the future of the water industry.

For more information about WIRC @ Bath, please visit http://www.bath.ac.uk/research/centres/wirc/