Are you curious, worried, passionate, or simply intrigued by the powerful and often destructive forces of water? Do you believe in building a more resilient society capable of facing disasters head-on? Are you ready to dive into an intercultural teamwork experience driven by challenge-based learning? If so, this EELISA activity is made for you!

Why participate

The Mediterranean basin and a section of Central Europe represent a substantial continental region that is susceptible to geohydrological hazards, mainly heavy rain inundation, torrential and flash floods, an observation that is clearly reflected in the civil protection risk planning guidelines of each country.

The recent floods of 2024 had a significant impact on several countries in this region: Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, causing extensive damage and affecting thousands of people, including the loss of human lives.

The expected increase on severe storms, inadequacy of early warnings, prevention plans and mitigation measures has become glaringly apparent. It is imperative that risk-informed policy, engineering design and investment decisions incorporate principles for resilient infrastructure and foster a culture of maintenance for resilient societies.

Consequently, engineers must be prepared to deal with these catastrophes from a multiple perspective that is not limited to flood assessment, but must be able to manage the full extent of the hazard, from flood exploration, hydrodynamic modelling, and promotion of resilience to disasters, to the preparation of prevention, mitigation and evacuation plans.

This training activity proposes a holistic perspective that very few academic activities are able to provide. Using challenge-based learning, participants are expected to actively learn to apply theoretical concepts in practical situations, by integrating novel approaches, feel, share and focuse on current socio-economic-environmental needs, integrating an interdisciplinary perspective projected over a practical challenge on a real geohydrological menace case.

Selection process

*The Activity organization will make a final selection among applications received, based on quality of motivation & information provided. These applications will be evaluated in order of arrival.

Participation and traveling

Registration and participation are FREE

If you are an international student, there is EU founding help for accomodation, flight tickets and some coffe breaks, and lunches.

If you are an UPM student, coffe breaks are included.

FOR WHOM

Bachelor (final years), MSc, or PhD students with academic backgrounds in earth-related sciences: geology, civil engineering, meteorology, mining, mechatronics/robotics, etc.

WHEN

November 17th to 21st, 2025

WHERE

Onsite, at UPM’s School of Mines and Energy (Madrid)

Online, a link will be provided to the registered students