WAT-CHANGE - Water-related ecosystem services and nature-based solutions for adapting societies to climate change

IV EDITION | ON SITE | APPLICATION

Deadline for Registration 
28th September, 2026 

Period
9th - 13th November, 2026

Learning objectives

While climate change is posing at risk traditional water resources management, there is the urgent need to devise low-energy and low-impact solutions to adapt the environment, societies and economies to this threat. The WAT-CHANGE Seasonal School aims at introducing the participants to the new growing area of solutions provided by water-related ecosystem services. In particular, we will deal with nature-based solutions for water supply, treatment of polluted water, and flood risk mitigation such as managed aquifer recharge, river restoration, constructed wetlands, sustainable drainage systems, and remediation of contaminated sites using phytoremediation techniques. At the end of the course the students will have acquired the knowledge and skills that will allow them to understand impact and functions of the main nature-based solutions for solving the most common water resources management problems and start their design.

Teaching methodologies

The course is based on 20 hours of interactive and cross-disciplinary learning from academia and professional world along with 4 hours of chemical laboratory exercises. A field trip will take place to visit the ecohydrological infrastructures of the Val di Cornia area. This area has recently been recognized by UNESCO's International Hydrology Program as a site of global importance for ecohydrology.

Two more field trip will bring the participants in contact with real scale nature-based solutions in Tuscany.

A final post-course 4-hour workshop will bring participants in contact with Italian companies involved in the design and management of nature-based solutions and with regulatory bodies, in order to deepen the knowledge of the regulatory framework.

Target participants

Undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students with scientific and engineering backgrounds (e.g. earth and environmental sciences and engineering, civil engineering, natural sciences, agricultural engineering, biological sciences) interested in understanding the agri-food systems governance. Participation of students from social or economics background is also welcome.

Coordinator and key teaching staff

Coordinator: Prof. Rudy Rossetto

Key teaching staff: Prof. Alessandra Francini; Prof. Luca Sebastiani; Dott. A. Saba

SDGs (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)

(6) Clean water and sanitation

(11) Sustainable cities and communities

(13) Climate action