China

PInterdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering,
Natural, Biotic and Social Environment Engineering,
International Special Doctoral Course for Integrated River Basin Management

The University of Yamanashi is located in the central area of the Kofu Basin which is named after the symbol of Japan- Mount Fuji. It is the mother basin of the special doctoral course on integrated river basin management I enrolled in. This international doctoral course aims at cultivating practical skills of applying the most advanced knowledge and technologies of river basin management, just as being utilized in the Kofu Basin, to solve the problems that developing counties are facing. Nowadays the frequency of extreme climate events such as floods, hurricanes and droughts is increasing under global warming. These practical skills are very important to make countermeasures against these disasters. As Ph.D students, we are encouraged to pursue research ideas with originality and practicability. To achieve this, there are various activities in this doctoral course: In every semester, several lectures about different aspects of river basins management are available. We are supported to attend international academic conferences and workshops to exchange ideas with researchers all over the world. We also have a chance to participate in research activities in other universities and institutes. One special thing about our group is that members come from many different counties, Japan, China, Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka and so on. Everyone has her/his unique background. Sharing experiences with each other leads us to a better understanding of the variety of humanity, which is crucial in making correct policies for river basin management, as sometimes it is a transboundary issue. In my opinion, taking this special course will be a memorable and fruitful experience.