USM awarded UNESCO Chair for SDG6 in Asia-Pacific region
BERNAMA
17/12/2020
GEORGE TOWN, Dec 17 -- Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has become the first university in Malaysia to be awarded the ‘UNESCO Chair on Ecohydraulics for Sustainable Water Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Goal No.6 (SDG6)’ in the Asia and Pacific region.
SDG6 is one of 17 sustainable development goals established by the United Nations in 2015 concerning clean water and sanitation, with the mission to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
According to a statement issued by USM today, the Chair will be hosted specifically at the USM River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC) covering a period of four years.
“With USM being selected for the water-related UNESCO Chair, the university is poised to become the international hub for education and research in sustainable water infrastructure. USM will dominantly be serving Asia and the Pacific region, addressing issues related to access to clean water impacting over 663 million people,” it said.
USM Engineering Campus director, Prof Dr Nor Azazi Zakaria, who also leads REDAC, said USM would spur aggressive international collaboration towards water security and sustainable water infrastructure not only for the country, but also the world.
"Water has long been a critical element to any civilisation and all living beings are rightfully entitled to it. Yet, we still have marginalised groups which have been 'denied' access to clean water and sanitation.
“By hosting this Chair, we hope to lift the barrier and ensure greater access to it with no one being left behind," he added.
Malaysia's first. Universiti Sains Malaysia become the first university in the country to be awarded the “UNESCO Chair...
Posted by Universiti Sains Malaysia on Tuesday, December 8, 2020
