Youth delegation visits IHA in London as part of GSLDC’s Global SDGs and Youth Leadership Immersion Programme

A select cohort of Asian university students, chosen through an open and merit-based process by the Global SDGs and Leadership Development Centre (GSLDC), completed a study visit to the headquarters of the International Hydropower Association (IHA) in London.

Immersive learning across global cities

The engagement formed part of GSLDC’s flagship Global SDGs and Youth Leadership Programme, a comprehensive initiative designed to cultivate future leaders equipped to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through cross-sectoral dialogue and global cooperation.

The IHA visit was one of the programme’s immersion sessions, a series of parallel field practicums conducted across multiple international cities. Under this model, different cohorts of student delegates are deployed simultaneously to global hubs, with each city hosting a dedicated group focused on a thematic track aligned with the SDGs.

Centred on energy governance and institutional partnerships, the London cohort engaged directly with a leading international organisation at the forefront of sustainable hydropower.

Hydropower’s role in the clean energy transition

The delegation was welcomed by IHA CEO Eddie Rich, who delivered a data-rich presentation on hydropower’s evolving role in the clean energy transition. He examined the sector’s opportunities and constraints, shifts in the global energy mix, regional disparities in hydropower development and IHA’s initiatives to promote sustainable hydropower worldwide.

Mr Rich also reflected on the interdisciplinary skills IHA values across policy, finance, engineering and communications. His insights gave students a tangible view of career pathways in the global sustainability sector.

Connecting theory with institutional practice

Students responded with well-informed questions that reflected both their academic grounding and the immersive preparation completed earlier in the programme.

From observer to engaged participant

For many participants, the London immersion proved transformative beyond its technical content. Students noted that the visit changed their perceptions of international organisations, helping them recognise IHA as a pragmatic convenor that balances diverse stakeholder interests in pursuit of tangible sustainability outcomes.

“The programme doesn’t just talk about global governance. It takes us to where governance happens, introduces us to the people who shape it, and challenges us to think about where we fit in. Being in London, hearing directly from leaders like Mr Rich, we see that the SDGs are not abstract ideals but living frameworks that demand capable, committed people to implement them.”

This shift in perspective is precisely what the immersion sessions aim to achieve, regardless of which city a cohort is assigned to.

Advancing inclusive youth leadership

The IHA visit advances the Global SDGs and Youth Leadership Programme’s core mandates: integrating SDG literacy into immersive experiential education, bridging theoretical knowledge with institutional practice, and ensuring leadership development remains inclusive, transparent and accessible to talented youth regardless of background.

While other cohorts engage with thematic issues in cities including Geneva and Singapore, the London session shows how place-based, parallel learning can turn global aspirations into personal conviction, one conversation, one site, one city and one cohort at a time.