IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, formerly known as UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education is the largest international graduate water education facility in the world and is based in Delft, Netherlands. Delft is a world renowned knowledge centre on water infrastructure, technology and sciences, and attracts high-level students and scientists from around the globe. IHE Delft cooperates with Delft, the water knowledge city, and water related institutes based in Delft. The Institute confers fully accredited MSc degrees, and PhD degrees in collaboration with partners in the Netherlands. Since 1957 the Institute has provided graduate education to more than 23,000 water professionals from over 190 countries, and is a flagship institute in the UN-Water family. Since its inception in 1957, the Institute has provided postgraduate education to numerous professionals almost entirely from developing/transitional countries, from over 190 countries. It has also graduated over 100 PhD candidates and executed numerous research and capacity development projects throughout the world. Many of the alumni have reached senior positions in their home countries upon return and remain key links in the global water network. IHE Delft is a partner institute of the National SENSE Research School. As an accredited institution, staff and students are now expected to follow the NetherlandsCode of Conduct for Scientific Practice IHE Delft is instrumental in the strengthening of efforts by other universities and research centres in increasing knowledge and skills of professionals working in the water sector. The Member States of UNESCO have access to the knowledge and services of IHE in human and institutional capacity-building, which is vital to their efforts in the achievement Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 6. IHE Delft carries out three types of activities that complement and reinforce each other in the broad field of water engineering, water management, environment, sanitation, and governance. Its core activities are education, research, and capacity building, with additional functions including:
Offering education, training, and research;
Providing capacity development services, particularly for developing countries;
Setting up and managing international networks of educational and water sector institutions and organizations;
Serving as a policy forum for UNESCO Member States and other stakeholders;
Providing professional expertise and advice on water education; and
Playing a leadership role in international standard setting for postgraduate water education programmes and continuing professional education.
IHE Delft changed its name in 2017 from UNESCO-IHE, when its status in relation to UNESCO changed. It is now a Category 2 institute, operating under the auspices of UNESCO. Prior to 2003, the Institute was called IHE Delft. This, in turn, was established from the International Course in Hydraulic Engineering. This name changed to International Institute for Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering in 1976.
