Centro di Ricerca e Documentazione sulle Risorse Idriche (WARREDOC)

WARREDOC was established in 1985 as an extraordinarily visionary project: studying water does not simply mean analyzing a natural element, but understanding society, cultures, cooperation policies, encounters between peoples, and the challenges of sustainable development. Rooted in a humanistic university context, within the fields of language and intercultural studies, the center has adopted a bold and forward-thinking approach that continues to define its identity today.

Forty years after its foundation, WARREDOC continues to promote scientific and cultural progress in the field of water through international programs, scientific exchange, and the dissemination of water sciences. The center’s activities align the historic mission of the Università per Stranieri di Perugia with the challenges of 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 ongoing dialogue with high-level experts has enabled the center to develop cutting-edge scientific and educational programs, integrating science, technology, social reflection, and culture. A record of these activities is preserved within the LUCIO Library.

International cooperation remains a core aspect of WARREDOC’s mission, fostering agreements, mobility programs, and research, training, and development initiatives at the interinstitutional level. The center also participates in international networks in the water sector and related fields.

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 produced works that today bear witness to how shared knowledge can become expression, connection, and memory.

International Recognition and UNESCO Engagement

Today, thanks to its research, teaching, and social impact on water resources, the Università per Stranieri di Perugia has been awarded the UNESCO Chair in “Water Resources Management and Culture”, a prestigious international recognition that affirms the value of forty years of patient, tenacious, and visionary work.

WARREDOC actively collaborates with UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), present in Umbria since 2009 with the support of the Italian Government and the Umbria Region, hosted by the Università per Stranieri di Perugia. In addition, it 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 period 2026–2029.