Centro di Ricerca e Documentazione sulle Risorse Idriche (WARREDOC)

WARREDOC was established in 1985 as an extraordinarily visionary project: studying water means not only analyzing a natural element, but also understanding society, cultures, the politics of cooperation, the meeting of peoples, and the challenges of sustainable development. Situated within a humanities-oriented university context, as part of language and intercultural education, the Center adopted a bold and forward-looking approach that still defines its identity today.

Forty years after its founding, WARREDOC continues to foster scientific and cultural advancement in the water sector through international programs, scientific exchange, and the dissemination of water science. The Center’s activities integrate the historical mission of the Università per Stranieri di Perugia with contemporary challenges such as environmental and social sustainability, artificial intelligence, and internationalization.

An International Research Center

Over the years, WARREDOC has benefitted from the contributions of leading national and international scientists in the fields of water resources, hydrology, and hydraulic engineering, who have enriched the Center’s activities by participating in seminars, courses, and globally significant research projects. This engagement with top-level experts has enabled the Center to develop cutting-edge scientific and educational programs, skillfully combining science, technology, social reflection, and culture. A record of these activities is preserved in the LUCIO Library.

International cooperation remains a core element of WARREDOC’s mission. The Center promotes agreements, mobility programs, and research, training, and development activities at the inter-institutional level, and also participates in international networks related to water and related sectors.

Education and Creativity

From its earliest years, WARREDOC has hosted international courses with students from developing countries and faculty from the world's most prestigious universities. Intensive seminars where science and technology interacted with social, cultural, and artistic perspectives have led to the creation of works that today bear witness to how shared knowledge can be transformed into expression, relationship, and memory.

International Recognition and UNESCO Engagement

Today, the Università per Stranieri di Perugia, through its research, teaching, and societal impact on water resources, has earned international acclaim with the establishment of a UNESCO Chair in “Water Resources Management and Culture”, a prestigious distinction affirming the value of forty years of patient, determined, and visionary work.

WARREDOC actively collaborates with the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), which has been based in Umbria since 2009 with the support of the Italian government, the Umbria Region, and is hosted at a University facility. Additionally, the Center supports the implementation of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP).

In 2025, the UNESCO Chair in “Water Resources Management and Culture” was renewed for the 2026–2029 period.