Southeast Asia has abundant water resources at the national scale. However, rapid developments and climate change are putting pressure on water resources and water-related risks. As such, there is an urgent need for capacity building and knowledge sharing on the topic of water and the environment.​

Supported by Nuffic and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vrije Universiteit and The Water Agency have launched a program called WE are Water Education (Myanmar). The foundation of the program is to deliver interdisciplinary, practice-oriented water and environment education through a dedicated online platform: Asia Water Academy. The program will offer a wide range of online theoretical and practical water-related courses on various topics for (young) water professionals, university students and people who are interested in water and environment sectors.​

Program Objectives​

• Enhance knowledge transfer among local water professionals.​
• Establish a practical connection between theory and real-life application.​
• Provide a gateway for further self-development through online resources.​
• Support participants in pursuing further (international) education and gaining better qualifications.​
• Encourage online interaction, fostering networks of local water professionals and connections with international experts.​

Program Design​

The program comprises around 25 courses developed by international and local water experts from Myanmar. These courses are thematically organized into Water and Society, Water and Climate Systems, Water and Environment, Water Planning and Engineering, and Water Data and Analysis. Each course consists of 3-6 lessons, with an estimated duration of 2-3 hours. Lessons typically include 15-minute recorded video sessions, followed by formative assignments, quizzes, and/or open essays to keep participants engaged. Participants must achieve a minimum passing grade in each assignment to progress to the next lesson. The courses are self-paced, allowing participants to learn at their own convenience. Upon successful completion of all courses, program certificates will be issued, recognizing the participants’ accomplishment.