On 27 August 2026, the concept of the Dam Safety Academy for Central Asia was presented and discussed.
Proposals for developing a unified regional platform to provide training for specialists in the dam safety were prepared under the Regional Mechanisms for the Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Transformation of the Energy-Water-Land Nexus in Central Asia (IKI Nexus Project) of the Secretariat of the UNECE Water Convention.
The proposed roadmap envisages the launch of the regional Online Academy with initial support from the IKI Nexus Project, followed by increasing ownership and support from the Central Asian countries. To help ensure regional ownership and coordination, the establishment of a Coordination Council involving the water authorities of the five Central Asian countries has been proposed. In the longer term, it is envisaged that the online platform will receive support from the Central Asian countries themselves. To facilitate this, the establishment of a Coordination Council involving the water authorities of the five countries of the region has been proposed.
The presentation and discussion were held online. The concept of the Academy and the key steps for its development were presented by Mr. Shukhrat Talipov, UNECE consultant, and Ms. Madina Ibrasheva, an official of the UNECE Water Convention Secretariat.
The proposed concept envisages a modular structure and accessible online courses, flexibility for individual participants to complete the courses at their own pace, support for regional knowledge exchange throughout the learning process, and a strong practical focus in course content. Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The project is funded through Germany’s International Climate Initiative (IKI). In the longer term, it is envisaged that the online platform will receive support from the Central Asian countries themselves. You can read more on the proposed concept in the publication at this link.
The Academy is envisioned as a regional online platform for training and sharing experience in the field of dam safety. This is particularly important today, as the region is increasingly facing a shortage of a new generation of specialists who can inherit and build on the knowledge and experience of their more senior colleagues.
Madina Ibrasheva, UNECE
Today, many specialists who have accumulated decades of knowledge and experience in the field of dam safety are gradually leaving active professional practice. At the same time, a new generation of specialists with a comparable level of expertise has not yet been fully developed. We very much hope that the Academy will become a mechanism for transferring accumulated knowledge to the next generation of engineers and specialists.”
Representatives of the relevant ministries and government agencies, specialized universities, research institutes and training centres from the Central Asian countries, as well as international and regional organizations and experts in dam safety, took part in the discussion.
The proposed concept of the Online Dam Safety Academy for Central Asia received support from the participants. The key issues raised during the discussion included the need to take into account previous experience in organizing training on dam safety; the involvement of regional organizations in the governance and support of the Academy’s activities; the long-term sustainability of the regional platform; and the use of case studies involving transboundary infrastructure as practical examples for training.
The Scientific Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems (SRIIWP) was proposed as the coordinator of the training process and the operator of the educational programmes. The Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Water Economy, the Institute of Water Problems and Hydropower of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Tajik Research Institute of Water Engineering and Melioration, and the Turkmen State Water Management Research, Production and Design Institute “Turkmensuvylymtaslama” are envisaged as key partners from the other Central Asian countries in developing the regional Academy on dam safety.
Photo credit: Rogun HPP
