The 2023 Danube Water Conference “Navigating Changing Waters: New ways to overcome emerging challenges of the water sector in the Danube region” will convene on 31 May to 2 June, 2023 in Austria's capital city Vienna, back to back with the UBP Danube Hub workshop to take place on 30 May.
This conference is organised by the Danube Water Program, run by IAWD and the World Bank, and co-funded by the Austrian Government.
Navigating in a constantly changing environment, keeping the level of service provision despite rising energy bills and an aging workforce, and at the same time investing in performance improvement has become a constant stretch for water and wastewater utilities.
The Conference will draw more than 150 senior water sector representatives from the Danube region to discuss on existing and emerging challenges of the region’s water sector with sessions exploring best practice examples how to manage them and interactive discussions identifying new ways to overcome them.
The Conference's language will be English. Only physical participation will be possible. For further details on logistics, please consult the links below.
Regulations regarding Covid-19
Please consult the website of the Austrian Digital Government Agency for details on potential requirements upon the entry into Austria as well as ongoing restrictions in the country.
Conference Venue
The conference venue is the Federal Academy of Finance, which is kindly provided by the Austrian Ministry of Finance. The building is located in walking distance to Vienna's main train station with perfect connection to the Vienna airport.
Call for Submissions
In 2023, the Danube Water Program celebrates its tenth anniversary. For the Danube Water Program team this is a sufficient reason to open the Danube Water Conference to an even broader audience and encourage the submission of an outline paper to present either a platform or poster presentation.
Thematic scope for Outline Papers
The Conference programme will cover the following themes: Utility management and operation; Integrated water management and planning; and Governance and policy. Contributions are sought inline with the outlined themes (and related to the sessions outlined in the Agenda) on best practice, applied research, policy developments and solutions relating to challenges faced by water professionals in the Danube region and can incorporate in particular the following topics: Circular economy, Climate smart approaches to water and sanitation, Digital transformation, Innovation in technology and policy, Nature-based solutions in water services, Inclusiveness and equality.
How to submit an Outline Paper
To submit a proposal, please use the template available here. Your initial submission must be in the form of an outline paper: 1-2 A4 pages of text (max. 1,000 words) plus up to two additional pages of tables/figures. The outline paper must persuasively summarise your proposed presentation and shall be submitted to office@danube-water-program.org before 31 March 2023.
How are submissions selected?
Your submitted proposal will be peer reviewed by the Danube Water Program team. Presenters will be notified of acceptance / rejection by 30 April 2023. Selected presenter (both platform and poster) will be required to register as a paying delegate, who are eligible for a discounted registration fee. Presenters are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.
Registration Process and Fees
Registration to the 2023 Danube Water Conference will close on 15 May 2023!
We thank our institutional partners and conference supporters who help us to make this meeting possible and keep admission fees affordable. We are able to offer you a two-day ticket for €250, with a 30% discount for members of IAWD.
| Type of participant | Fee |
|---|---|
| Regular Attendee | 250€ |
| IAWD Member (Utility/Association) | 175€ |
| IAWD Member (Institution) | 200€ |
| Regular Presenter | 175€ |
| Invited Presenter | 0€ |
IAWD members as well as presenters will receive a Discount Code via email, which shall be applied during the registration process.
The fee includes participation in the Danube Water Conference including the social events as well as lunch and coffee breaks. Please note that the registration to the conference does not include travel or accommodation.
To confirm your participation, please register by 15 May 2023 by clicking the "Register" button on this page. Further information on the registration process can be found in the "How to Register Guide" under the links below.
If, for any reason, you would like to join the Conference, but the registration fee prevents you from doing so, please reach out to us (office@danube-water-program.org) and we will try our best to accommodate on an exceptional basis.
Hotel booking
Please note that the Danube Water Conference organizers have not pre-booked any rooms. Find a list of hotels in the Logistical Guidelines document (see links below) close to the venue. We recommend making your own accommodation arrangements at the hotel of your preference in a timely manner.
Institutional Partners
