The Water International Symposium and Exchange (WISE) 2026, organized by the Water Engineering and Management (WEM) program on 24 March 2026 at the Milton E. Bender Auditorium, successfully brought together doctoral and master’s students and faculty members from three prestigious institutions, Chulalongkorn University, Kasetsart University and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) to exchange knowledge and solutions addressing contemporary water-related challenges. This event was developed based on the initiative by Asst. Prof. Natthachet Tangdamrongsub, Academic Program Chair of WEM, and led by the team of AIT Doctoral students, including PhD candidate G A Chinthaka Ganepola, PhD candidate Hoang Minh “Thomas” Nguyen, PhD graduand Pyae Mon Naing, and Research Associate Ms. Udomporn Tupbucha.

The welcoming remarks were delivered by Prof. Sangam Shrestha, Co-Director of the Global Water and Sanitation Center, and Assoc. Prof. Adichai Pornprommin, Head of the Department of Water Resources Engineering, at Kasetsart University.

The symposium coincided with World Water Day 2026, embracing the global theme “Water and Gender” and the campaign slogan “Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.” The event provided a vibrant platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, highlighting the importance of inclusive and collaborative approaches in addressing water sustainability challenges across diverse socio-environmental contexts.

WISE 2026 witnessed strong participation, with 15 oral presenters, 10 lightning poster presenters and around 10 junior master’s students. Importantly, the event reflected the theme of gender inclusivity, with 11 female researchers among the 25 presenters, demonstrating a commendable level of gender representation and alignment with the World Water Day 2026 theme.

The symposium concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding contributions:

• Best Oral Presenter – Mr. Kandit Taedulyasatit (AIT)
• Best Oral Presenter – Ms. Ramal Ijaz (AIT)
• Special Recognition Award – Mr. Pyay Thar (Chulalongkorn University)
• Best Poster Presenter – Mr. Marvin Jade Genoguin (AIT)

These awards acknowledged excellence in research quality, presentation, and innovation.

This symposium is also strongly aligned with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reinforcing the role of water research in advancing global sustainability. Central to the discussions was SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The closing remarks were jointly delivered by the Distinguished Professor Mukand S. Babel, Director of the Centre for Water and Climate Adaptation (CWCA) and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Adichai Pornprommin from Kasetsart University, who commended the symposium as a highly successful and impactful event.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Adichai Pornprommin receiving the token of appreciation from Distinguished Professor Mukand S. Babel