To support the implementation of the ISI Programme, a governance structure has been set up. The programme is managed by the IHP Secretariat through the ISI Technical Secretariat, which is located at the International Research and Training Centre on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES) in Beijing, China. The secretariat is supported by an Advisory Board, which is composed of representatives of each of the six regions and comprises a set of Category 2 Centres, Chairs, and other Water Family members. In Figure 3, an overview of the governance structure of ISI is presented.

ISI Global Secretariat

In close cooperation with the IHP Secretariat, the ISI Global Secretariat supports the implementation of the Flagship Initiative. Its tasks include the planning, delivery, and reporting of all the Initiative’s activities in collaboration with the regional secretariats and focal points and guided by the Advisory Board. The Secretariat also develops and implements the outreach and communication strategy of the ISI network, prepares brochures, posters, and other materials, in consultation with other members of the ISI Advisory Committee and IHP.

Thematic Working Group Leads

For each of the expected results (outputs) of the Programme, working groups are put in place to track the progress of the Implementation (Figure 2). These working groups are overseen by a working group lead and a set of collaborators, who include the Regional Coordinators, key partners, and UNESCO IHP Water Family network members.

Group I (Western European and North American States)
  · Ralph Schielen, Utrecht University
  · Thomas Hoffmann, Federal Institute of Hydrology

Group II (Eastern European States)
  · Matja? Miko?, UNESCO Chair on Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction

Group III (Latin American and Caribbean States)
  · Jose Alberto Zú?iga, University of Costa Rica (TBC)

Group IV (Asian and Pacific States)
  · Zhiwei Li, Wuhan University
  · Hiroshi Takebayashi, Kyoto University

Group Va (Africa States)
  · Omogbemi Omoloju Yaya, UNESCO category 2 centre - Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management

Group Vb (Abrab States)

Thematic Priority 1 (Erosion and Sediment Transport and Management)
  · William Blake, University of Plymouth
  · Thomas Hoffmann, Federal Institute of Hydrology

Thematic Priority 2 (Sediment-related Hazard Management)
  · Nicola Casagli, UNESCO Chair on Prevention and Sustainable Management of Geo-Hydrological Hazards
  · Matja? Miko?, UNESCO Chair on Water-related Disaster Risk Reduction

Thematic Priority 3 (Glacier-related sediment, erosion and hazards management)
  · Vít Vilímek, Charles University
  · Guoan Yu, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (TBC)

Advisory board