Rethinking water use and management technologies is an industrial opportunity as well as a societal necessity, but requires integration of knowledge and management strategies. China has initiated a national water research programme and will contribute with several billion RMB to projects across the country in the next few years.

Danish universities and research institutes have an internationally recognised leading position in the research on water related issues including water resources and land management, freshwater ecosystems and pollution prevention and control. Due to strong environmental legislation and enforcement Danish public and private sector organisations have comprehensive expertise in implementing well-functioning water management policies in practice.

A Sino-Danish collaboration within the sphere of water, land and environment is feasible and highly relevant for several reasons:
 

• Chinese scientists and managers are already collaborating with leading Danish experts within basic and applied water research.
• Collaboration has already been established with several CAS institutes involved in GUCAS and other affiliated universities, and these have expressed their interest in expanding the collaboration in connection with the proposed University Centre.
• The SDC workshop in October 2009 confirmed that the water and environment theme is ready for action as both committed and competent scientist were identified from both Danish and Chinese side.
• A collaboration will provide immense opportunities for Danish scientists to be part of the fast developing science on water related issues in China and to undertake research on a larger scale than is possible in Denmark.
• China covers many ecoregions, allowing valuable comparative studies of climatic effects on water and landscape interactions.
• The Centre - together with the mother institutions in the two countries - has the potential for developing one of the world's leading expert units within the field of sustainable use and management of water in the landscape.

 By Danish Principal Coordinator Peter Engelund Holm (University of Copenhagen)