Global Water Initiative - Impact on Policy

Impact on Water Policy Through Partnerships and Outreach

Studying water is more than an academic matter. It is a major challenge. The University of Virginia Global Water Initiative (GWI) builds a community of scholars that engages business leaders, government officials, global nonprofits and other research multipliers.

The GWI leads coordination of UVA’s World Water Events with academics, business leaders, leaders of the conservation movement and the local community to put water issues on the agenda. It seeks the world stage with goals to present research and ideas at Stockholm Water Week and the World Water Forum, the world’s preeminent water events.

The initiative is increasing collaboration and growing its partnership with The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Water Partnership, Concordia, The Birla Institute of Technology, the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Arghyam and General Electric’s water business. Through these collaborations, UVA faculty and students will engage in fieldwork and impact-oriented research, as well as study policy-relevant questions. The GWI also supports building water management expertise in emerging economies.