PUTRAJAYA, Sept 25 – The 6th International Conference on Water Resources (ICWR 2025) was successfully held from 23 to 25 September 2025 at The Everly Hotel, Putrajaya, carrying the theme “Embracing Change for a Resilient Future in Water Resources.” The conference was jointly organised by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (JPS), reflecting a strong partnership between academia and government in advancing water resource sustainability.
ICWR 2025 was chaired by Dr. Noraliani Alias from the Department of Water and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, UTM and Dato’ Ir. Ratna Rajah Sivapiragasam from the Humid Tropics Centre Kuala Lumpur, JPS. The event was officiated by YB Tuan Hj. Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, who emphasized the crucial role of innovation, collaboration, and technology in overcoming global water challenges and ensuring sustainable management for future generations. In his welcoming speech, he also called for stronger partnerships between academia, government, and industry in developing adaptive solutions to the global water crisis.
The conference gathered more than 240 participants and 60 presenters from 15 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, India, Ghana, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, South Korea, Bangladesh, China, Algeria, and Canada. This diverse representation underscored ICWR’s role as an international platform for exchanging ideas and promoting partnerships across borders and disciplines.
Over the three-day event, participants engaged in keynote speakers, technical presentations, and exhibitions that showcased the latest research, technologies, and case studies in the field of water resources. Key themes discussed included catchment management, flood management, environmental science, water supply and economics, disaster management, mathematics and computing, as well as other related disciplines such as water and green buildings and photogrammetry and geographic information system in water engineering. The sessions serve as a platform for knowledge sharing among researchers, practitioners, industry, and policymakers, fostering practical and science-based approaches to water governance.
The success of ICWR 2025 was further strengthened through the generous sponsors from YTL Construction, Myhomepalm, Fibromat, Geohydrocean Services (GHOS), Wibawa Works Sdn. Bhd., Air Selangor, and Spatialworks. Their participation reflected the importance of public–private collaboration in addressing water-related challenges.
Beyond the exchange of ideas, ICWR 2025 provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to build networks, strengthen collaborations, and explore new pathways for joint initiatives. The discussions and insights shared throughout the conference are expected to contribute meaningfully to ongoing efforts in achieving sustainable and resilient water resource management. As the conference concluded, ICWR 2025 reaffirmed the commitment of all stakeholders to work collectively toward shaping a more adaptable, innovative, and water-secure future for generations to come.
Source: Dr. Nurul Syahira Mohammad Harmay, Dr. Noraliani Alias and Dr. Mohd Ridza Mohd Haniffah
