Article I: Name
The name of the Academy shall be the European Academy of Water Resources Engineers & Scientists (hereinafter referred to as the Academy), a separately incorporated and whollyowned subsidiary of the EUROPEAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION (EWRA).
Article II: Definition of Water Resources Engineering and Management
Water Resources Engineering and Management are the professional disciplines for the stewardship and sustainable use of the world’s water and related resources. Water resources engineers and scientists develop and apply scientific and engineering principles to plan, design, construct, manage, operate, and maintain infrastructure and management programmes.
The Board of Trustees of the Academy (hereinafter referred to as the Board of Trustees) (article VΙ), in the name of and on behalf of the Academy, may in its sole discretion identify and define suitable specialty areas of expertise within the professional disciplines of water resources engineering and management. Such identification and definition of the specialty areas must be approved by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.
Article III: Objectives of the Academy
The objectives of the Academy shall be to improve the practice, elevate the standards, and advance the profession and research on water resources engineering and management for the benefit of the public by:
- Recognizing the ethical practice of water resources engineering and management at the expert level
- Enhancing the research on and the practice of water resources engineering and management related to regional and global changes
- Supporting and promoting research and positions on water resources issues important to the public health, safety, welfare, environmental protection and protection of cultural heritage
- Encouraging life-long learning and continued professional development
- Supporting educational programmes in any related discipline
- Participating in the organization of Congresses, conferences and campaigns which promote advances in water resources engineering and managementg.
- Encouraging government and institutions to apply measures which are in line to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Article IV: General Organization
The Academy is organized under the auspices of EWRA. All policies and activities of the Academy shall be consistent with and subject to:
- Constitution, Bylaws, and Rules of Policy and Procedures of EWRA
- Any license, permit, or authority EWRA may hold to conduct activities as a not-for-profit corporation
Article V: Membership
There shall be two types of members: Honorary Diplomates and Distinguished Fellows.
a. Honorary Diplomate
An individual who meets one or more of the following criteria: attained a level of prominent recognition in one or more of the specialty fields of water resources science, water resources engineering and water resources management, made a noteworthy achievement or sustained noteworthy contributions to the advancement of the water resources engineering profession, or rendered outstanding service over a sustained period of time to the water resources engineering profession.
The Honorary Diplomate Membership does not require to be applied by the individual but shall be proposed by three members of the Academy or by five members of EWRA. The membership shall be approved by a full majority (80% or more) of the Board of Trustees.
b. Distinguished Fellow
A professional engineer and/or academic and/or researcher that applies for it, has a minimum of twenty-five years of professional experience and/or research in water resources engineering and management and meets all other requirements set by the Board of Trustees for nomination.
The membership application shall be submitted by the candidate, be recommended by any three EAWRES or EWRA members to the Board of Trustees, and be recognized by it that the candidate demonstrates mastery of the requisite Water Resources Engineering & Science Body of Knowledge. A candidate will be accepted and approved as Distinguished Fellow by the full majority (80%) of the Board of Trustees.
Article VI: Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the Academy. The Board of Trustees consists of five members of the Academy (Honorary diplomates or Distinguished fellows) elected by all the members of the Academy for a 4-year term in office
Article VII: Transitional Provisions
The Academy shall be fully operational in 2025 after the General Assembly of EWRA in Palermo scheduled during the 13th World Congress. From its first establishment (Madrid 2019) up to 2025 shall be governed by the members of the Executive Committee of EWRA who belong to the first list of Honorary Diplomates appointed in the General Assembly of EWRA in Madrid (2019). They will act as an interim Board of Trustees of the Academy.
The first list of Honorary Diplomates is attached to this document as produced in Madrid (2019) and extended in the General Assembly of EWRA in Thessaloniki (2023). As agreed in Madrid, the first list of Honorary Diplomates is produced based on the set criteria as above: Prominent people with important footprint in the development of water resources science, water resources engineering and water resources management worldwide who are associated with EWRA either as organizers (of Congresses) or invited speakers (in Congresses) or honoured by EWRA during the last 10 years (2009-2019) (now up to 2023).
Appointment of Distinguished Fellows will be realized when the Academy will be fully operational.