Young professionals |
Building tomorrow’s dam experts
The inaugural meeting of ICOLD’s Young Engineers Forum was held 14 years ago and continues to go from strength to strength
More information
The dedicated ICOLD YPF web page is hosted by ICOLD and can be found at https://www.
icold-cigb.org/GB/icold/icold_ young_professionals_forum. asp
The authors are Mateja Klun, University of Ljubljana, faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering, Ljubljana, Slovenia; and Lisa Bensasson, ENM Consulting Engineers, Director Environmental & Water Resources Department, Vice President ICOLD.
THE WORLD OF DAMS and reservoirs is a demanding industry requiring expertise, experience, and lifelong learning. Its future is heavily dependent on passing on that knowledge, coupled with innovation. With this in mind, the initial concept for the creation of a dedicated group for young engineers was first presented during the ICOLD Congress in Brasília in 2009, where the need for active participation of younger generations in ICOLD was discussed. Following extensive discussions, a detailed proposal for the creation of a Young Engineers Forum (YEF) was submitted to the ICOLD Board in September 2010. Its approval led to the organisation of the inaugural YEF meeting at the 2011 ICOLD Annual Meeting in Lucerne, marking the formal establishment of the Forum. With 18 participants at the first meeting, the forum
grew quickly over the next few years and gained visibility. It was at the ICOLD Annual Meeting in Kyoto in 2012 when the first YEF Award for the best paper and presentation was presented. Since then, this award has been presented annually, recognising to date the work of 25 young professionals. To be more inclusive, in 2022 the forum changed its designation to Young Professionals Network (YPF). The ICOLD Young Professionals Forum aims to
inspire and guide the next generations to actively engage and shape the future of ICOLD. To be a young professional in ICOLD, one must be under 40 years old.
National networks ICOLD YPF is also an umbrella organisation for
Below: Group photo after a Young Professionals Forum Meeting in Gothenburg, at ICOLD’s annual meeting in 2023
national young professionals (YP) or young engineers (YE) groups. As of 2024, 33 ICOLD countries have established their national networks, including Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Korea,
Malaysia, Mozambique, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Uganda, United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The number of national YP members is steadily
growing. Once the YP network is recognised by the corresponding national committee, it is automatically welcomed by the ICOLD-YPF.
Objectives and structure The ICOLD YPF Board consists of seven elected
members, including a chair and six vice-chairs. Board members are elected for a three-year term and must be endorsed by the National Committee they represent. Each National Committee can endorse only one candidate. Elections take place annually during an in- person YPF meeting held at the annual ICOLD meeting, where the candidates are presented and all YPs attending the meeting have the right to vote. The call for candidates to serve on the YPF Board is announced online at least two months before the next ICOLD annual meeting. Nominations for board members are received via email. Candidates must be under 40 years old for the entire duration of their term and are expected to attend the ICOLD annual meetings in person during this period. Board members help drive and lead ICOLD YPF strategic initiatives for the benefit of YPs, within the scope and mission of ICOLD.
Engagement and vision The YPF is structured around the following
objectives to foster meaningful connections and enhance intergenerational dialogue within ICOLD and opportunities for knowledge exchange. These objectives include: Fostering a professional network that actively encourages interaction of young professionals with peers and their involvement and presence at ICOLD’s events, meetings, and activities. Facilitating knowledge transfer by providing opportunities for younger professionals to acquire technical expertise. Promoting collaboration by enabling the exchange of experiences, for example by organising small discussion groups on various topics in the broad field of dams, hydropower, and environment. Encouraging and inspiring younger generations to get involved and seek their professional development by actively engaging with their respective National Committee, observing and seeking involvement within technical committees, and supporting ICOLD’s mission both locally and globally. By achieving these objectives, the YPF seeks to provide a platform for younger generations to actively
20 | June 2025 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
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