Message from the SEROW Chairholder, Professor Junguo Liu
Watershed degradation poses a global challenge by threatening water security, biodiversity, and local economies, with nearly half of the world`s rivers impacted by human activities. Despite considerable efforts, traditional watershed restoration practices have often achieved limited success because they overlook the inherent interconnections among Earth's domains. To advance
watershed restoration, the North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power (NCWU) is proud to host the UNESCO Chair 2026CN3664 entitled Stepwise Ecological Restoration of Watersheds (SEROW).
The Chair will generate new knowledge on hydrological and ecological processes, develop innovative, nature-based restoration methodologies tailored to local contexts, and establish an international research network to promote knowledge sharing and capacity building. Through training programs, it will empower local communities, policymakers, and water managers to implement sustainable restoration projects. By integrating local knowledge with scientific data, the Chair will ensure context-specific and culturally appropriate strategies. It will also provide science-based guidelines for policymakers to design effective watershed management policies, particularly in transboundary contexts.
SEROW is the result of prolific collaborations between NCWU and worldwide leading universities and institutions as: Foundation for Sustainable Development, the Netherlands, China South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Route Corporation Limited, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, the U.S., IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the Netherlands, Central European University, Austria, University of California, Berkeley, the U.S., University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Maimonides University, Argentina, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China, Kazakh National University of Water Management and Irrigation, Kazakhstan, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
These international partnerships form the foundation of the SEROW`s mission for advancing integrated watershed restoration research and sharing innovative solutions on a global scale.
Bio of the Chairholder
Junguo Liu is a professor and the president of the North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power. His research involves several areas, including hydrology and water resources, global environmental change, and ecological restoration. He has published approximately 300 scientific articles in numerous high-impact journals, including Science, Nature, and PNAS. He is/was an editor-in-chief, editor, associate editor, or board member of 12 scientific journals. He founded China's inaugural provincial-level society devoted to ecological restoration and was subsequently elected as President of the Society for Ecological Rehabilitation of Beijing. He serves as the Vice President of the Chinese National Commission for the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) and the Chair of the Union of Societies for Ecological Restoration and Environmental Protection in Beijing.
Professor Liu is a Lead Author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report. He is a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate and Elsevier Highly Cited Chinese
Researchers. He has received the IAHS-UNESCO-WMO International Hydrology Prize - Volker Medal, the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Award, the Paul A. Witherspoon Lecture Award of
the American Geophysical Union, the Communication Award of the International Society for Ecological Restoration, and numerous other prestigious awards.
He is widely recognized for his contributions to the field and has been elected as a member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Science, Academia Europaea (The Academy of Europe), and appointed as a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
The UNESCO Chair SEROW Officially Launched in Zhengzhou
The UNESCO Chair Stepwise Ecological Restoration of Watersheds (SEROW) has been officially launched at North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power (NCWU). To commemorate Earth Day, the Chair was officially inaugurated at the Hydrosphere and Ecological Environment Congress in Zhengzhou on April 22nd, 2026. Changwei Qin, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, Academician Peng Cui, Academician Yanxin Wang, Zhiming Feng, Chairman of the Chinese Society of Natural Resources, Zuyi Xia, Secretary-General of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, and Professor Junguo Liu jointly unveiled the Chair`s inaugural plaque at the end of the first morning session of the Hydrosphere and Ecological Environment Congress. As the first UNESCO Chair in the natural sciences established in Henan Province, SEROW marks a milestone for international cooperation in hydrological and ecological sciences.
During the inaugural ceremony, Secretary-General Qin extended his warm congratulations and noted that the Chair is grounded in China's water governance practices and will leverage Chinese
expertise to tackle global ecological challenges. He also expressed hope that the Chair will strengthen cooperation between China and UNESCO, increasing international influence in ecological restoration.
Congress on Hydrosphere and Ecological Environment
On April 21st-23rd, 2026, NCWU's Longzihu campus hosted the Congress on Hydrosphere and Ecological Environment. Professors Junguo Liu and Chongyu Xu served as co-chairs of the conference, hosting more than ten academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, as well as 150 invited experts and scholars from related fields. Before the opening ceremony, Ning Liu, Secretary of the Henan Provincial Party Committee, and leading experts in water conservancy had a stimulating discussion with the experts attending the conference. Exchanges focused on advancing research in water resources, exploring how NCWU can contribute to the water sectors, promoting eco-friendly urban development, and strengthening sustainable water management strategies. Leading experts, including Academicians Hao Wang, Jianyun Zhang, Jun Xia, Jinsheng Jia, and Chongyu Xu, shared their latest research findings on topics such as national water network planning, flood and waterlogging forecasting under changing environments, and the attribution of water resource evolution. The conference also featured ten thematic parallel sessions focusing on hydrological and environmental topics.
The course“Water and Civilization”has been organized
The international course entitled“Water and Civilization”officially started in March 2026. The course brings together over 20 distinguished experts from world-renowned universities and academic institutions. Adopting an integrated online-offline teaching model, the course explores the intense connection between water and human civilization. Delivered entirely in English, the course is supported by an Executive Committee and an Advisory Committee bringing together global expertise.
Designed as a general course for first and second-year undergraduates, it integrates AI-powered teaching tools. Lessons will guide students in understanding connections
between water and human civilization through multiple lenses, including hydrology, history, geography, technology, governance, and culture. Topics range from the origins of river civilizations and transboundary water cooperation to water security challenges under climate change pressure and smart water management practices. The course comprises ten core modules: Water Cycle, Water-Civilization Nexus, Water Issues and Water Needs, Hydropower, Water Footprint, Water Competition, Water Economics, Water Markets, Water Management, and the Future of Water.
The course has already attracted strong interest among undergraduate students, who have actively engaged in discussions on water security, ecological sustainability, and global environmental challenges. Through participation in the course, students are gaining valuable interdisciplinary knowledge on water resources, ecological restoration, climate resilience, and the important role of water in sustainable human and environmental development.
The Executive and Advisory Committees of the“Water and Civilization”Course
News And Announcements
The Solutions Journal has been launched and is calling for papers
Editors-in-Chief Professors Junguo Liu and Robert Costanza have launched the journal The Solutions. The journal is jointly hosted by North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power and the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society. The Solutions is dedicated to advancing science-based responses to global sustainability challenges. Closely aligned with SEROW’s mission, the journal promotes integrated research on water resources, climate change, ecological
restoration, biodiversity conservation, socio-economic sustainability, and resilient environmental governance. By bridging scientific innovation with practical environmental solutions, the journal aims to support sustainable watershed restoration and ecological resilience worldwide.
For more info: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/the-solutions.
The Rector of KazNUWMI visited China
Dr. Kamshat Tusupova, Rector of the National University of Water Resources Management and Irrigation (KazNUWMI), a key partner university of SEROW, visited NCWU on April 8th, 2026. Representatives from both institutions engaged in strategic points such as building international joint laboratories for "Smart Water Management," cooperative education programs, and training programs. Discussions included establishing an overseas educational institution of NCWU in Kazakhstan, initially enrolling students in undergraduate programs in ecohydrology and hydropower. A graduate supervisor team from both sides will also be formed to jointly train master's students in water resources, geography, ecological and environmental management.
SEROW Chairholder Junguo Liu
participates in an IHE Delft event
On April 1st, 2026, Professor Junguo Liu, as a representative of a SEROW partner institution and alumnus of the IHE Delft, was invited to participate in the retirement ceremony of Rector Eddy
J. Moors. The event brought together representatives from the UNESCO Office in the Netherlands, ambassadors and diplomats, renowned water and environment scholars, distinguished alumni, and partner university representatives to promote international cooperation in water resources management and sustainable development. Rector Moors highlighted the progress in academic exchange and talent development between the IHE and NCWU. He also thanked the SEROW Chairholder, Professor Junguo Liu, for the strong support.
Frontiers Planet Prize 2026 to Dr. Hong Wang
On April 22nd, Dr. Hong Wang from Southern University of Science and Technology, a former PhD student of SEROW Chairholder Professor Junguo Liu, received the Frontiers Planet Prize 2026 for her publication titled“Anthropogenic Climate Change Has Influenced Global River Flow Seasonality,”published in Science in 2024 (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi9501). Under the guidance of Professor Junguo Liu and with the support of international co-Authors, she has demonstrated how climate change has altered global river flow seasonality, affecting flood and drought risks, freshwater biodiversity, and water resources management.
Contact Us
UNESCO Chair on Stepwise Ecological Restoration of Watersheds (SEROW) - North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power (NCWU).
Address: No. 136 Jinshui East Road, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Phone: +86-371-69127909
Email: serowinfo@ncwu.edu.cn
Website:https://www2.ncwu.edu.cn/unescochair
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization.
