In September 2025, a dual degree program in water management was launched in cooperation between Corvinus University of Budapest and the Kazakh National University of Water Management and Irrigation. The program’s complex approach allows students to acquire comprehensive knowledge in several areas of water governance, such as water economics, data collection tools, water diplomacy, and water project management, in addition to technical knowledge. 

Thirteen Kazakh students participated in the program, most of whom are middle managers or decision-makers in the water sector in Kazakhstan. Within the first semester, students spent two weeks studying at Corvinus University of Budapest, which included a field trip to Lake Tisza and Szolnok, as well as a visit to the Kazakh Embassy in Hungary. Csaba Haranghy, CEO of the National Waterworks Ltd., and Tamás Belovai, Head of Department of the National Water Management Authority also gave lectures as guest lecturers. The rest of the training will take place online, and the second semester courses will be taught by Kazakh university lecturers as part of their long-standing English-language master’s program called Water resources management.  

Water is increasingly becoming the most critical resource of our time. It is therefore important to protect existing water resources and to develop cross-border strategies for safe and effective cooperation. The joint training program of Corvinus and the Kazakh University of Water Management provides graduates with the necessary professional knowledge and skills to contribute to achieving these goals.