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AUSTRALIA LIVING WITH FLOODS was the theme of the first edition of the Australia-Netherlands Water Challenge. The theme reflects an important dimension of the approach that Australia and the Netherlands are taking to address water-related challenges, such as floods and droughts, focused on "living with" rather than just "fighting against" water.

In the Netherlands, programs such as the Delta Programme, Room for the River and Building with Nature are driving an important transition that seeks to move beyond traditional flood defenses and find new ways for people to live in harmony with their water environment and create mutual opportunities. Also in Australia, major policy and infrastructure initiatives are underway to increase the country’s flood resilience. The Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry and its extensive recommendations form an important platform on which a new flood management approach is being established.

It is against this background, that a group of Australian and Dutch companies and institutions with extensive water management expertise launched the 1st Australia-Netherlands Water Challenge in 2012, reaching out to almost 1,000 graduate students and young researchers across Australia to propose their innovate solutions.


Launch at Ozwater'12

The Australia-Netherlands Water Challenge was officially announced by H.E. Mr. Willem Andreae, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Australia. The announcement was made at the Ozwater conference and exhibition in Sydney in conjunction with a special workshop organised in partnership between the Dutch water sector and the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management. The event was attended by almost 50 representatives from across the Dutch and Australian water sectors.

Australia 1stEdition Launch

Main partner on the Australian side is the International Water Centre in Brisbane, a centre of excellence in water management representing four major academic institutions: University of Queensland, Griffith University, University of Western Australia and Monash University.


Final at International Riversymposium

The 15th International Riversymposium in Melbourne featured final of the first Australia-Netherlands Water Challenge. Five bright Australian students competed in a poster presentation session, showcasing innovative ideas to enhance flood resilience in their country.

It was Kevin Loh, Masters student in Integrated Water Management at the University of Queensland, who was announced winner by jury chair Frank Heemskerk, Executive Board Member of Royal HaskoningDHV.

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Kevin’s proposal for a smartphone app that would greatly expedite the handling of insurance claims after a flood event, reducing both psychological and economic damage, was judged to have great potential. Kevin was invited to further develop his app in the Netherlands and was presented a return ticket, sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.


Australia 1stEdition 03“When asked if I’d like to develop my idea - of course I said “YES!”. I’d never been to Europe, or worked with smartphone applications, or worked with a Dutch company – I was terrified! Fortunately, everyone was very welcoming. I was amazed at the effort they put into making me feel welcome” - Kevin Loh 


 

“When asked if I’d like to develop my idea - of course I said “YES!”. I’d never been to Europe, or worked with smartphone applications, or worked with a Dutch company – I was terrified! Fortunately, everyone was very welcoming. I was amazed at the effort they put into making me feel welcome”
Kevin Loh, Winner Australia 2011
Kevin Loh, Winner Australia 2011
“It was a great experience for us, as Indonesia's young generation, to contribute our ideas for the development of Jakarta Bay. We learn a lot from the Dutch companies and how they think about solutions, which is much more than only engineering. It brought us to a better understanding about Indonesia, our beloved country.”
Aldea Permatasari Firdhaus, Amalia Handini Astari, Mochammad Imron & Aulia Fatwa Farizqa, Winners Indonesia 2014
Aldea Permatasari Firdhaus, Amalia Handini Astari, Mochammad Imron & Aulia Fatwa Farizqa, Winners Indonesia 2014
“The Holland Water Challenge brought me confidence and belief that an innovative idea is more important than gold. When preparing for the final, I spent days and nights to scheme a novel living-style with less carbon and safe water. So Many Thanks to my Dutch Friends, and Wish Our Friendship Forever!”
Li Xiang, Winner China 2010
Li Xiang, Winner China 2010
“An idea is like a projectile. Without a suitable catapult, it is just any ordinary stone incapable of making serious impact. In my case, the Singapore-Netherlands Water Challenge was the perfect platform to launch my idea.”
Victor Sim, Winner Singapore 2012
Victor Sim, Winner Singapore 2012
"We're looking forward to making the most of the opportunity to take our idea to the next level and implement what we believe will be a valuable tool for the water industry and emergency services, both in Australia and internationally. Thanks to Holland Water Challenge for organising and supporting the program!"
Dan Peade & Paul Munro, Winners Australia 2013
Dan Peade & Paul Munro, Winners Australia 2013
"The Singapore-Netherlands Water Challenge really helped us use our knowledge to make a little difference on the issues of water reclamation. The award ceremony was great. The trip to Singapore was also very vauable. We would like to let other students know such a good competition!"
Leng Ling, Fan Jingyu, Wu Junhao & Lu Ka Kit, Winners Singapore 2013
Leng Ling, Fan Jingyu, Wu Junhao & Lu Ka Kit, Winners Singapore 2013
"The Australia-Netherlands Water Challenge offers a great opportunity for young people to make an impact in the area of climate change and disaster resilience. We are thankful to have had this wonderful experience."
Tracey Lloyd & Tom Perfrement, Winners Australia 2015
Tracey Lloyd & Tom Perfrement, Winners Australia 2015
"We love every second of the program and always remember the time being with the program as one of the greatest memories through student life. I hope to see you again with another challenges and programs. We have the youth and capabilities and what we need is a chance to prove it."
Pann Ei Ei Phyoe, Winning Team Myanmar 2016
Pann Ei Ei Phyoe, Winning Team Myanmar 2016