Zafar Razykov and Dalerjon Hojiboev describe how the Mining-Metallurgical Institute of Tajikistan (MMIT) is engaging in global collaboration to support advances in water management as it celebrates the institute’s 20th anniversary.
In February 2026, the Mining-Metallurgical Institute of Tajikistan (MMIT) officially established the UNESCO Chair on Water Research, Environmental Education, and Sustainable Development under the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme.
Aimed at bolstering international academic cooperation in water resources and sustainability, this initiative strengthens MMIT’s research capabilities and promotes environmental education in Tajikistan. The Agreement was signed by the Director-General of UNESCO and countersigned by the Rector of MMIT, Professor Bakhtiyor Nabi Mahmadali, marking a significant milestone for water research and higher education development in Central Asia.
At the same time, MMIT has joined the Erasmus+ GreenCA project – Greening Water Education for Sustainable Development in Central Asia (2026–2028), a regional initiative aimed at modernising water-related higher education and embedding green and circular economy principles into MSc programmes across Central Asia.
Together, these two developments signal a major step forward for MMIT as it celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026.
Advancing research, education and water governance
The newly established UNESCO Chair aims to promote an integrated system of research, teaching, training and community engagement focused on water resources management, water quality, ecosystem conservation and climate change impacts. Its creation reflects the growing importance of interdisciplinary approaches to water governance in regions facing transboundary water challenges, glacier retreat, industrial pollution risks and climate-induced hydrological variability. The Chair aligns with national priorities and international frameworks, including the UN International Decade for Action ‘Water for Sustainable Development’.
The UNESCO Chair at MMIT is designed to:
- Enhance scientific research capacity in water quality assessment, hydrochemistry, groundwater protection and transboundary water pollution;
- Develop innovative educational programmes and professional training courses;
- Strengthen international academic cooperation;
- Contribute to evidence-based policymaking and sustainable water management.
The Chair will support at least five peer-reviewed publications annually, develop new courses in water management and environmental sustainability, and foster collaboration with global research partners.
Embedding the green transition into water education
MMIT’s participation in GreenCA has special significance. GreenCA unites 10 institutions from Europe and Central Asia to respond to water stress, the impacts of climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the water sector. The project is coordinated by IWA Board member Professor Harsha Ratnaweera of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), whose long engagement in Central Asia has been key to shaping academic cooperation in the region.Under GreenCA, three EU-certified MSc modules will be implemented:
- Digital tools in resource management
- Optimisation to reduce energy use and GHG emissions
- Resource recovery and reuse
A distinctive feature of the project is the establishment of six digital and pilot laboratories across Central Asia. These labs integrate analytical infrastructure with digital tools and simulation-based learning, enabling students to test low-carbon and resource-efficient solutions in practical contexts. By 2028, the project aims to train more than 200 students, certify modules under European standards and deepen alignment with the European Higher Education Area.
Building on two decades of water cooperation
These new initiatives build upon MMIT’s 20-year development since its establishment in 2006. Over the past decade, MMIT has participated in major international water-related projects, including the Science for Peace programme on transboundary water pollution in the Syr Darya basin (a Central Asian watershed spanning Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan) and the Norwegian-funded Water Harmony and Water Harmony Eurasia initiatives. These collaborations enabled the establishment of a modern analytical laboratory equipped with advanced instruments for water quality monitoring and hydrochemical analysis.
A key educational outcome was the publication of a comprehensive textbook on water resource management and water treatment methods (approximately 700 pages), prepared jointly by European and Central Asian scholars and published in six languages. More than 20 students and staff from MMIT participated in academic mobility and training activities in Norway, strengthening pedagogical capacity and international exposure. More than 40 scientific articles were published, PhD theses defended, and numerous regional workshops and conferences were organised.
Since 2018, MMIT has been an institutional member of IWA, and institute representatives participated in IWA’s Water and Development Congress & Exhibition 2019 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, contributing to dialogue on climate-resilient and sustainable water management. Tajikistan’s leadership in global water diplomacy, including UN resolutions on water and the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, further reinforces the relevance of these efforts.
Looking ahead
The establishment of the UNESCO Chair and participation in GreenCA represent not only institutional achievements but a strategic transition – from strengthening laboratories and harmonising curricula towards advancing innovation, digitalisation and green transformation in water education. As MMIT marks its 20th anniversary, it looks forward to contributing to the success of these initiatives and to further strengthening cooperation within the global community in support of sustainable water management in Central Asia.
The authors:
Zafar Razykov is Professor of Ecology, Chairholder of UNESCO on Water Research, Environmental Education, and Sustainable Development, at the Mining-metallurgical Institute of Tajikistan, and Dalerjon Hojiboev is Head of Ecology and Co-chairholder of UNESCO on Water Research, Environmental Education, and Sustainable Development, at the Mining-Metallurgical Institute of Tajikistan
