AGM: Talking water quality

Representatives from WQRA member organisations around Australia were joined by members of the Global Water Research Coalition and other key water research players for the WQRA AGM in Sydney on Friday 28 October.

The AGM was opened with a joint symposium presented by WQRA and the Global Water Research Coalition. Facilitated by Dr Daniel Deere, the symposim examined global water challenges. Presentations were given by Dr Theo van den Hoven (KWR, Netherlands), Mr Rob Renner (Water Research Foundation, United States), Mr Jay Bhagwan (Water Research Commission, South Africa) and Mr Harry Seah (PUB Singapore), and followed by a panel Q&A session with audience participation.

Other highlights of the AGM included presentations from WQRA chair Prof Michael Moore and CEO Ms Jodieann Dawe, and the release of the WQRA discussion paper Towards a Research Blueprint: 2012-2016. The discussion paper has been drafted to support and foster dialogue with WQRA members and key stakeholders on WQRA research investment over the next five years, and consultation towards the final Research Blueprint will be occurring over the next two months.

Dr Frans Schulting provided an interesting and entertaining look at the objectives of the Global Water Research Coalition, and Dr Mark O'Donohue provided an overview of the relatively newly-established Australian Water Research and Development Coalition (AWRDC), and its goals to increase collaboration and reduce duplication in the water research arena.

Members welcomed the opportunity to gain both national and international perspectives on the challenges to water quality, and future directions for research, and to catch up with colleagues from all around Australia, and the event provided a welcome opportunity for WQRA to connect with members and key stakeholders. The AGM was preceeded on 27 October by the WQRA Annual Dinner at Sydney Aquarium.

The next WQRA meeting will be a general meeting, held on 23 and 24 February 2012, in Melbourne.

Staff from WQRA member organisations can access the papers for this meeting, as well as presentations from the meeting, via the page for this event here. You will need to have registered and logged in as a member to access the resources in this section. If you have not yet registered, simply use the 'Register New Account' link on the right side of this page.

Pictured: Dr Theo van den Hoven (KWR, Netherlands) presenting for the WQRA/GWRC joint symposim at the WQRA AGM.