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Designed to spark bold ideas. Built to drive impact.
Two short courses in 2027
In collaboration with the Water Centre, Trinity College Dublin
Purpose
Our vision
The first academy built around water as a single, systemic challenge — where the world’s leading water experts teach what textbooks don’t cover and where learning about a water topic is a step in a lifelong journey, not a race for grades.
Our mission
As water grows scarcer and more contested, the complexity of the challenge demands a new generation of leaders — those who think systemically, see water across sectors and borders, know when to lead and when to listen, and have the clarity and courage to act.
Why DROP exists
Water doesn’t fit into one discipline. Neither should water education.
Water shapes our cities, health, food, industries, economies and politics. Yet we still tend to study and manage it in isolation.
The DROP Water Academy was created to connect the dots.
We bring together leading experts to explore water as one interconnected global challenge, across sectors, systems and borders.
Weekend course · 13 and 14 March 2027
The Hi(story) of Utilities, Modern Day Regulation and Corporate Water Use
From the water systems of Mohenjo-Daro, Petra and Rome to the rise of the public utility, explore the evolution of water infrastructure, ownership, modern utilities and corporate water use through expert insight and real-world case studies.
Two-week course · 21 June to 2 July 2027
Learn about water as a holistic topic: the (hi)story of water, industrial and agricultural water use, innovation and the role of AI in water, public-private partnerships for water infrastructure, and water in crisis regions and humanitarian aid, through expert-led discussions, case studies and a site visit. The goal is not to become an expert in every part of water. It is to understand how the parts fit together.
Collaboration
The first week of the two-week course is held at Trinity College Dublin, with accommodation available on site. The second week will be hosted by Borris House in County Carlow.
Participants on the two-week course receive a certificate co-issued with Trinity College Dublin.
Who it is for
The DROP Water Academy is for people who work with water, and those whose decisions depend on understanding it.
Practical details
March
Registration closes 1 March 2027, or earlier if the course is full
The fee covers tuition, and lunch and dinner at Chyverton House. Accommodation is arranged separately, in hotels near Chyverton House. Budget roughly £120 to £200 a night, depending on the type of room.
June
Registration closes 6 June 2027, or earlier if the course is full
Certificate co-issued with Trinity College Dublin
You may attend the first week or the second week on its own, with tuition adjusted accordingly.
Accommodation at Trinity College ranges from €90 to €240 a night, depending on the room. In the second week, teachers and participants stay together at Borris House, at approximately €200 a night including all meals. Package prices are shared once you register your interest.
If the full rate is a barrier, mention it when you register and we will discuss it with you directly.
The eight themes
Three themes in the weekend course, all eight in the two-week course.
The classroom
The best questions rarely have one answer. DROP uses Socratic dialogue to challenge assumptions and gain deep knowledge of a water topic.
No standardised tests. Participants learn with real-life case studies, preparing for the decisions water leaders face in the real world.
DROP builds judgement, curiosity and perspective. Knowledge that stays useful long after the course ends.
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
Socrates
The eight teachers
Ines Strohschein
Founder and CEO, The DROP Water Academy
UAE and UK
Upmanu Lall
Director, Water Centre, Arizona State University
US
Victoria Edwards
CEO, K622 and Founder Emeritus, FIDO
UK
Rick Hogeboom
Executive Director, Water Footprint Network
The Netherlands
Ankur Saboo
International Water and Infrastructure Expert
UAE
Paul O’Callaghan
Founder and CEO, BlueTech Research
Ireland
Andrea Crowley
Director of Partnerships, charity: water
US
Paul Westerhoff
Regents Professor and Fulton Chair of Environmental Engineering, Arizona State University
US
The six profiles
Engineering and environmental graduates
Connect technical knowledge to the wider water system.
Utilities and government professionals
Understand what is happening beyond your sector.
Corporate sustainability leaders
See water risk, regulation and water footprint in a broader context.
Investors and VC professionals
Build the domain knowledge needed to understand and evaluate water opportunities.
Policy makers and regulators
Connect governance with technology, industry and changing water demand.
Researchers and educators
Place specialist knowledge within the bigger water picture.
Answers
For March, the £1,450 covers tuition across both days, and lunch and dinner at Chyverton House. Accommodation in Cornwall is arranged separately, in hotels near Chyverton House, so you can choose what suits you. Budget roughly £120 to £200 a night, depending on the type of room.
For June, the €4,300 corporate and €3,100 individual rates cover tuition. Accommodation at Trinity College is available for the first week, from €90 to €240 a night depending on the room. In the second week, all teachers and participants stay together at Borris House, at approximately €200 a night including all meals. Package prices are shared once you register your interest.
Each fee is set in the currency of the country where the course takes place. March is in Cornwall, UK, and June is in Ireland.
Yes. You may attend the first week or the second week on its own, and tuition is adjusted accordingly. Each week covers four of the eight themes. Tell us which week when you register your interest.
A number of sponsored places are set aside for the two-week course. If the full rate is a barrier, mention it when you register and we will discuss it with you directly.
1 March 2027 for the March course, and 6 June 2027 for the June course. Both may close earlier if the course is full.
15 to 20 people in March, 20 to 30 in June. The size is deliberate. We want to ensure exclusive access to our expert teachers and their direct guidance for your case study work, so these numbers are an upper limit rather than a target.
A member of the DROP team writes to you personally with the course overview, the practical details for travel and accommodation, and the steps to confirm your place. Nothing is committed until you confirm. You will hear from us within five working days.
Your place is transferable to a colleague at any time, at no cost. If you cancel more than 30 days before the course begins, your fee is refunded in full. Within 30 days the fee is not refundable, but the place remains transferable.
Participants on the two-week course in June receive a certificate co-issued with Trinity College Dublin.
English.
The brochure
Both courses, the eight teachers, the eight themes, the dates and the fees, in one document to read later or pass on to whoever signs off your training.
Meet DROP online
Join founder Ines Strohschein and confirmed teachers for an introduction to the Academy, the teaching philosophy and the 2027 short-course programme.
Register and we will send you the joining link a few days before.
Your data
The DROP Water Academy respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data.
We collect and use personal information, such as your name and contact details, when you contact us, register for our courses or use our website and services. We use this information to provide our services, manage bookings and payments, communicate with you, improve our services and meet our legal obligations.
We process your personal data in accordance with applicable UK data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We only process your information where we have a lawful basis to do so and take appropriate steps to keep it secure.
We may use trusted third-party providers to support our website and services. We do not sell your personal data and will only share it where necessary, lawful or required.
Our website may use cookies. Where required, we will ask for your consent before using non-essential cookies.
You have rights over your personal data, including rights to access, correct and, in certain circumstances, delete or restrict its use. To exercise your rights or ask a question about your data, please contact info@dropwateracademy.com.
You can also raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
The DROP Water Academy Ltd.
London, UK
Last updated: September 2026
