Call for entries for the 2026 Water Awards for sustainable water management in the Alpes-Maritimes region

  • Sustainable Development
  • Knowledge transfer - Industry
  • Institutional
Published on February 16, 2026 – Updated on February 16, 2026
Dates

from February 16, 2026 to March 22, 2026

Chaire de l'eau
Chaire de l'eau

Université Côte d’Azur, the Université Côte d’Azur Foundation, and the Alpes-Maritimes Department announce that applications are now open for the 2026 Water Awards, a joint initiative designed to support and promote innovative projects contributing to sustainable water resource management in the Côte d'Azur region, in conjunction with the partnership-based Chair "Water in the Alpes-Maritimes region."

The partnership-based Chair "Water in the Alpes-Maritimes region," founded by Université Côte d'Azur, its Foundation, the Department, and all the inter-municipal authorities in the region, aims to bring together local stakeholders to jointly develop innovative solutions that address short-, medium-, and long-term water issues, focusing on three key areas:
• water resources and aquatic environments,
• resource use,
• water governance.



Two awards to support high-impact projects

  • The Education and Society Award ( €5,000 prize) recognizes an educational or civic initiative led by students (middle school and above, individually or in groups) or associations. Projects must contribute to the sustainable development of the Middle and Upper Alpes-Maritimes region, with a focus on respect for water and aquatic ecosystems.
     
  • Young Business Trophy (€15,000 prize) for start-ups and young companies developing an innovation that contributes to better management or use of water resources, with particular relevance to tourism in the Alpes-Maritimes.
The 2026 Water Awards will be presented in the spring in Valberg, during a dedicated event at which the winners will present their projects. 
 

> To find out more about these awards and apply

 

"Sustainable water management is a major scientific, environmental, and societal challenge for our region, which is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change. Through the 2026 Water Awards, Université Côte d'Azur is fully affirming its role as a university committed to transition, by placing research, training, and innovation at the heart of regional action. In close collaboration with the Université Côte d'Azur Foundation, the Alpes-Maritimes Department, and all the partners of the "Water in the Alpes-Maritimes" Chair, we wish to encourage concrete projects led by students, associations, and young companies that are capable of providing operational responses to the challenges of water resources. These awards embody our collective ambition: to develop sustainable solutions, based on scientific knowledge and collective intelligence, for the benefit of the Moyen and Haut-Pays regions and the Alpes-Maritimes as a whole." Jeanick Brisswalter, President of Université Côte d'Azur