WANASEA is a joint project between European, Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian institutions. By promoting a better academic integration and international cooperation, WANASEA aims to improve the quality of higher education and enhance its relevance for society in the area of Water and related Natural Resources Management (WNRM). Along with the booming economy of the Greater Mekong Subregion, many concerns relate to growing pressures from industrial activities, agricultural use, growing population and consequences of climate change. This calls for appropriate mechanisms of WNRM in terms of energy supply, irrigation or habitat. To reach these objectives, our strategy is to strengthen international multidisciplinary research cooperation. Interactions between HEIs, and with non-academic stakeholders will be promoted, mainly through capacity-building and networking activities. Starting with an in-depth analysis of the main stakeholders and existing university courses related to WNRM, the project includes biannual trainings for HEI support staff and an annual ASEAN Water Platform joining researchers, students and professionals involved with WNRM. Additionally, intense networking activities, such as webinars, virtual debates, information sharing and dissemination of opportunities will insure long lasting effect in terms of research output and appropriate policy recommendations. Both students from EU and Asian partners will be offered opportunities to attend and to create links for future collaborations. Experts and professors from EU will provide Asian HEIs with recommendations for syllabus development, innovative research methodologies or e-learning activities. WANASEA will offer an organised framework dedicated to professional interactions between academic and non-academic stakeholders involved in WNRM, thus improving the quality of HEIs’ curricula and research capacities at regional level.

The number of specialists in resource geology in Russia and Vietnam is decreasing, their qualifications are no longer meeting demands of the labour market, which reduces national companies’ competitiveness against international ones. As the resource exploration management methodologies and technologies are changing the education curricula needs to be updated. Education systems in Partner Countries are dependent on their government where decisions are taken slowly. The best way to tackle the education modernization there is through educators and managers of the education systems. European Universities as TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Montanuniversitaet Leoben and University of Turin, recognized for their focus on geology and resources, will help partners from Russia and Vietnam to modernize their education, update curriculum and create international Master program in Geology focussed on resources providing courses in English. The capacity of lecturers of Partner Universities will be built, the curriculum considering the interests of the target groups prepared, laboratories equipped, eLearning platform for interactivity and material accessibility created, after which the teaching will start. To engage students, attract the brain drain and raise awareness winter schools “Young Geologist” will be organized in campuses in English and in Russian or Vietnamese using traditional, video and online lecturing. Having all materials online (for Master program and for winter school) the effect is expected to propagate nationally and internationally. Program will be prepared as a Double Degree with Bologna recommendations to ensure the course compatibility with EU. This will uplift Universities to an international level assuring institution internationalization and networking, increased student and staff mobility. The successful implementation will disseminate the effects for other departments and institutions through various activities organized by educators.