IHE Delft Young Water Diplomats Programme 2027 - ApplyNOW

Young Water Diplomats Programme 2027

The IHE Delft Institute for Water Education is inviting applications for the Young Water Diplomats Programme 2027, a six-month advanced training programme for early-career diplomats and professionals interested in international water and environmental affairs.

Starting on 4 February 2027 and ending on 7 July 2027, the programme aims to strengthen participants’ understanding of water-related challenges, develop practical skills in water diplomacy and cooperation, and build an international network of professionals working towards sustainable water governance.

The programme combines online lectures, individual assignments, collaborative group work and two mandatory in-person workshops in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Delft, the Netherlands.

Programme Details

• Programme: Young Water Diplomats Programme 2027

• Institution: IHE Delft Institute for Water Education

• Start Date: 4 February 2027

• End Date: 7 July 2027

• Duration: Six months

• Format: Hybrid, part-time

• Total Workload: Approximately 152 hours

• Weekly Commitment: Approximately four hours

• Programme Fee: €1,500, excluding VAT

• Application Deadline: 30 November 2026 at 23:59 CET

• Available Places: Maximum of 18 participants

• Scholarships: Limited partial and full fellowships may be available to eligible applicants.

Eligibility

The programme is intended for early-career diplomats and professionals engaged in, or interested in, international water and environmental politics.

Applicants should preferably have an academic background in foreign affairs, international law, international relations or related fields.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Hold at least a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, preferably in international relations, international law or a related field.

• Be at an early stage of their career. Priority will be given to applicants under the age of 40.

• Have relevant work experience in international relations, foreign affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution or cooperation, preferably involving environmental or water-related issues.

• Demonstrate a strong command of English, including the ability to understand academic literature and communicate ideas clearly.

Programme Content And Learning Activities

The Young Water Diplomats Programme 2027 will run from February to July 2027 and combine online learning with in-person training.

The programme includes:

• Online webinars held twice monthly throughout the six-month period.
• Lectures, discussions and presentations.
• Preparatory reading assignments.
• Individual, self-paced assignments.
• Collaborative group work.
• Two mandatory face-to-face workshops.

In Person Workshops

1. Tashkent, Uzbekistan

• Dates: 12–15 April 2027.
• Organised in collaboration with the Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination in Central Asia (SIC ICWC).
• Includes participation in the 8th Water and Peace Seminar.

2. Delft, the Netherlands

• Dates: 5–7 July 2027.
• Held at the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education premises.

Participants must attend both workshops and make the necessary arrangements to travel to Uzbekistan and the Netherlands.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the programme, participants are expected to be able to:

• Understand water resources and their management, including the hydrological cycle, monitoring, modelling, infrastructure and climate change impacts.

• Understand and apply different tools of water diplomacy.

• Integrate interdisciplinary knowledge into problem-solving and collaborate in intercultural and transdisciplinary teams.

• Analyse lessons from water conflicts and cooperation across different river basins worldwide.

• Evaluate environmental and socio-political challenges affecting transboundary surface water and groundwater resources.

• Assess institutional arrangements for water cooperation and transboundary water governance.

• Understand integrated water resources management and the effects of infrastructure development on water systems.

Programme Fee And Scholarships

The programme fee is €1,500, excluding VAT.

The fee does not include travel, visa, insurance, accommodation or living expenses associated with the in-person workshops in Uzbekistan and the Netherlands.

Scholarship Opportunities

A limited number of partial or full fellowships may be available through the IHE Delft Water and Development Partnership Programme under the Cross-regional Learning for Transformative Water Diplomacy (CroWD) project.

Priority is given to eligible applicants from least developed, low-income and lower-middle-income countries.

Applicants from upper-middle-income countries may be considered for partial scholarships on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants can indicate their interest in a scholarship in the application form. Eligibility is assessed with reference to the OECD’s latest Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of Official Development Assistance recipients.

Applicants seeking scholarship support will be required to provide formal confirmation from their employer stating that they are available to participate in the six-month programme and can dedicate the necessary time to complete it.

How to apply

The Young Water Diplomats Programme accepts a maximum of 18 participants annually. Applicants are selected competitively based on the eligibility requirements and the strength of their motivation statements.

Interested candidates must first create an IHE account and complete the required information in the online application form.

Required Application Documents

Applicants should prepare the following documents:

• Motivation statement in the required format.
• Bachelor’s degree certificate and academic transcript.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• Copy of an identity document.

Applicants should ensure that all required documents are submitted before the deadline.

How To Apply For The Young Water Diplomats Programme 2027

Interested and eligible candidates can access the official programme page and submit their applications online.

• Application Deadline: 30 November 2026 at 23:59 Central European Time (CET).
• Apply Here: MORE DETAILS/ APPLY HERE

About The Young Water Diplomats Programme

The Young Water Diplomats Programme is implemented under the Cross-regional Learning for Transformative Water Diplomacy (CroWD) project.

The project is funded through the IHE Delft Partnership Programme for Water and Development of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

It aims to develop a global community of early-career professionals and advanced scholars who can advance understanding of water diplomacy, support equitable and sustainable water cooperation, and share knowledge with practitioners working to address water-related challenges worldwide.

The programme is intended for early-career diplomats and professionals engaged in, or interested in, international water and environmental politics.

Applicants should preferably have an academic background in foreign affairs, international law, international relations or related fields.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Hold at least a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, preferably in international relations, international law or a related field.

• Be at an early stage of their career. Priority will be given to applicants under the age of 40.

• Have relevant work experience in international relations, foreign affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution or cooperation, preferably involving environmental or water-related issues.

• Demonstrate a strong command of English, including the ability to understand academic literature and communicate ideas clearly.