We are delighted to announce the successful Kick-off Meeting of the EMPOWERMed project, held from June 18 to 20, 2025, in a hybrid format at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Ben Guerir, Morocco.
The meeting brought together representatives from all partner institutions across seven Mediterranean countries, marking the formal launch of this ambitious project. It was a key milestone for setting the stage, aligning expectations, and establishing strong working relationships.
💧 About EMPOWERMed
EMPOWERMed (Enhancing Management of Water Scarcity through Proactive and InnOvative WatER Accounting Approaches in Mediterranean Regions) is a research project funded under PRIMA Section 2.
It aims to strengthen water scarcity management in the Mediterranean through innovative water accounting techniques at both supply and demand levels. The project combines hydrological modeling, socio-economic analysis, and stakeholder engagement to design resilient, climate-adaptive water management strategies tailored to local contexts.
🔹 Kick-off Meeting Highlights
Over the course of three days, the meeting featured:
✅ Presentation of the project’s goals, structure, and expected outcomes
✅ In-depth sessions on work packages and institutional responsibilities
✅ Overview of demonstration sites and national case studies
✅ Technical exchanges on SWAT modeling, DSS tools, and stakeholder engagement
✅ Collaborative planning of the first year’s implementation roadmap
The hybrid format of the meeting proved highly successful, enabling robust participation from both in-person and remote attendees. This inclusive approach reflects the collaborative and adaptive spirit that will characterize the project’s implementation and drive its success across all participating Mediterranean countries.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) for their exceptional meeting organization, and to all partner institutions for their active contributions, constructive engagement, and the positive energy that permeated all meeting sessions.
👥 EMPOWERMed Consortium
The EMPOWERMed project brings together a distinguished consortium of leading research institutions and experts from across the Mediterranean region:
- Coordinator: Dr. Mohamed Ouarani – Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco
- INRA, Morocco – Dr. Yassine Bouslihim
- UIZ, Morocco – Dr. Fatima Abdelfadel
- IARTC, Türkiye – Dr. Bayram Akyol
- SWIEM, Jordan – Dr. Majed Abu-Zreig
- ZRS Koper, Slovenia – Prof. Roberto Biloslavo (National Coordinator – Slovenia)
- TUB-WIP, Germany – Prof. Christian von Hirschhausen
- CRRHAB, Tunisia – Dr. Houcine Djeder (National Coordinator – Tunisia)
- University of Montpellier (UM), France – Dr. Yohann Cousquer
🔜 What’s Next?
With the successful completion of the Kick-off Meeting, the EMPOWERMed team is now fully mobilized and moving forward with the following priority activities:
- Launching work package activities and coordination mechanisms
- Setting up demonstration sites in Morocco, Tunisia, and Türkiye
- Beginning hydrological modeling and Living labs construction
- Preparing for upcoming deliverables and technical meetings
Stay tuned as we share more updates and results from this exciting initiative!
#EMPOWERMed #KickOffMeeting #UM6P #WaterScarcity #WaterAccounting #Mediterranean #PRIMA2025 #ClimateChange #Hydrology #Sustainability #DSS #SWAT #Collaboration #ScienceForPolicy