Water: A Priority Area

The University of Melbourne's research agenda includes applied and developmental research in areas of strategic importance to all Australians.

Water is currently a national research priority, indeed an international priority, and the University is committed to playing its part in research and education and helping to address water quality, availability, conservation, management, use, and environmental, social, and economic issues.

World Water Day and the International Year of Freshwater 2003 have helped to further highlight the very serious problems we face now and the significant challenges ahead related to population growth, urban concentration and sprawl, reliance on hydropower, the decline of the world’s wetlands, intensive agriculture, trading of resources, pollution, and growing inequalities in access to clean water.

The University has a large and very active group of researchers working on water-related topics, many in multi-disciplinary teams, with expertise which spans legal, social, economic, scientific and engineering issues. Our major partners include the CSIRO, Melbourne Water, three Cooperative Research Centres, other government bodies and water authorities, research councils, rural, urban, national and international planning and development agencies.

As part of the University's Goulburn Valley initiative, a Centre for Water and Landscape Management will be established at the Dookie Campus. The Centre will be a focal point for the University's environmental education, research and outreach activities in the Goulburn Valley and a key element of the University's approach to water and land resource management research and education.

The University warmly invites enquiries from public or private bodies interested in collaborating with us on water research and education.

Maintained by: Melbourne Research & Innovation Office