A workshop on Flood Risk Management organized by General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University’s (KDU) Faculty of Engineering, with the collaboration of three German universities, was held on 13th and 14th March 2017.

The resource persons were Prof. Dr. Robert Jüpner, University of Kaiserslautern, Prof. Juergen Jensen, Research Institute for Water and Environment, University of Siegen, Prof. Achim Schulte, Freie University of Berlin, and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Breit, University of Kaiserslautern.

Senior Fellow of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Dr. Missaka Hettiarachchi also shared his expert knowledge. WWF, with the Hans Sauer Foundation of Germany, sponsored the workshop together with KDU.

The chief guest was German Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jörn Rohde. Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Rear Admiral Jagath Ranasinghe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Defence and Admin) Brigadier Idunil Ranasinghe, deans and academics of KDU, also participated.

Dr. W.C.D.K. Fernando, Dean of the faculty of Engineering welcomed the chief guest, the invitees, and participants. Rear Admiral Jagath Ranasinghe emphasized the importance of this workshop which is highly relevant to Sri Lanka.

The aim of Flood Risk Management workshop 2017 was to focus on the benefits of natural and nature-based flood risk management, and to share international experience in flood risk management with the wider Sri Lankan professional community.

The workshop highlighted issues on flood risk management in Sri Lanka and Germany, coastal flooding, models and building materials in flood risk management. Interactive sessions were used to discuss projects and programmes of institutions and their requirements as well as the way forward.

This workshop was initiated by Prof. S.S. Wickramasuriya and Dr. W.C.D.K. Fernando together with Prof. Robert Jüpner, Dean, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Kaiserslautern at the IAHR-APD conference 2016 held in Colombo.