UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education produces a biennial magazine called UPDATE. We print 15,000 free copies per issue, which are sent to our counterparts across the world. UPDATE features institutional information related to water education, research and capacity development activities undertaken by UNESCO-IHE, its alumni and partners. Contributions can be sent to the Editor-in-Chief: update@unesco-ihe.org.

1. UNESCO-IHE Editorial Formula UPDATE Magazine
Introduction
The Editorial Formula for the UNESCO-IHE Magazine offers guidelines for everyone involved
in producing the bi-annual UPDATE. This formula aims to be a practical translation of all
communicable wishes, demands and targets of the Editorial Board & Committee.
The purpose of the Editorial Formula is to ensure that the publication maintains a coherent
mixture of content and style. It should be appealing to the target audience whilst meeting the
demands of the Editorial Board & Committee. Secondly, the guidelines set out in this formula
will also provide a solid basis for evaluation.
Besides a clear definition of reoccurring editorial sections, themes and subjects, the Editorial
Formula will also include general editorial guidelines for contributors of UPDATE magazine.
All contributions will be handed in by the Editor in Chief who will also be responsible for
managing the entire publishing process. The Editor in Chief is mainly responsible for editing
the contributions within the guidelines of UNESCO-IHE and strives to maintain unity in style
and presentation.
At the end of each publication of UPDATE the Editorial Committee will jointly evaluate the
Editorial Formula. Until that time we kindly request everyone who contributes in any way to
the UPDATE to respect the guidelines set out in this document, as it increases the legibility
and appeal of the magazine.
Editorial Formula UPDATE
This Editorial Formula describes the features (content, design, frequency, size, editorial
sections, etc.) of UPDATE Magazine. Any changes made in the Editorial Formula need to
have the approval of the Editorial Committee. This document also outlines the activities
involved in the production of UPDATE.
A. General
1) Nature of the magazine: purpose
- The primary function of the magazine is to provide institutional information related to
water education, research and capacity building activities undertaken by UNESCO-
IHE and its partners/alumni.
- Secondly, the magazine also fulfils the role of binding factor of UNESCO-IHE alumni
and others, whereby maintaining a vast and expanding network (in the international
water sector and beyond).
- Thirdly, we aim to encourage global discussions on water issues through relevant
opinion pieces.
- Finally the magazine aims to provide inspiration, encourage public spirit amongst
UNESCO-IHE counterparts and offer an UPDATE where one can read about water
issues from a different perspective.
Besides the reoccurring sections UPDATE will also offer a diversity of articles and topics.
Articles need to be written in such a way that they are nice to read and accessible to the
audience the Institute aims to service. The angle of the articles and choice of words will be
specifically chosen to adhere to this purpose.

2. 2) Responsibility
UPDATE is published by the M&C team within the Office of the Rector. The coordination of
collecting content, editing, liaising with the graphic designer for layout, design, printing and
distribution, lies with the Editor in Chief. The Editorial Committee and Editorial Board will
maintain an advisory role and will be consulted for final proofreading before each issue of the
magazine is printed.
3) Budget
The Office of the Rector will make available sufficient budget for the production and
distribution of UPDATE.
4) Target audience
UPDATE aims to cater to a large audience, namely:
Alumni & Alumni Associations
Internal: staff and students
UNESCO/UN Water
Guest lecturers
International organizations (developing countries oriented, NGOs etc.)
National, regional and international Press
Delft community
Dutch water sector
(World) Water Sector
Higher Education Institutes/Researchers
Potential partners (projects, MOU, tailor-made trainings)
Sponsors/Donor agencies
NESO’s and Embassies
General Public (those interested in water related issues)
5) Publishing frequency
UPDATE is a biennial magazine, but the possibility of extra issues being published is possible
after consultation of the Editorial Board & Committee.
6) Format and size
UPDATE is published and folded to A4 size. Each issue of the magazine will include 32
pages, but can be adapted should this be necessary. This will depend on the articles and
budget availability.
7) Print run
UPDATE Magazine has a print run of 15,000 copies.
8) Distribution
The distribution is outsourced. The Graphic Designer and Editor in Chief will jointly coordinate
this process. The Editor in Chief will coordinate with Secretaries and Alumni focal point to
provide relevant names and addresses of UNESCO-IHE contacts and alumni.
9) Internet and e-mail
The Magazine is also available for viewing in electronic format on the UNESCO-IHE website.
For this purpose, UNESCO-IHE has subscribed to the software Publitas. With this software
the Editor in Chief will be able to assess number of visitors who view the magazine, which
articles are most popular and how long the average visit is. This will be useful in better

3. corresponding articles to the readers. After each UPDATE is published the Editor in Chief will
inform the Editorial Board and Committee members of the results.
The possibilities of e-mail need to be explored more specifically. At the moment some news is
already being sent through alumni e-updates that appear on a monthly basis. Also, the
Communication & Marketing department is already using e-mail to solicit editorial
contributions (including photographs) from alumni, but this could be developed further in a
broader sense, making more use of electronic communication.
B Contents
1) Editorial Sections
UPDATE has reoccurring editorial sections that will be recognisable to our readers. These
may include:
- Main article
- Editorial
- Collage
- Education
- Overview course information
- Spotlight (highlighting a special project)
- Column
- Op-Ed
- UNESCO-IHE staff changes
- PhD promotions
- Interview with an alumnus
- Special (spread/centrefold)
- Upcoming events (calendar)
- Resource materials (online & publications)
- Interview (who is who)
- Report from the field
- Interview with a partner
- Expert Panel (3 experts will be asked 3 questions on any water-related topic)
2) Thematic issues
Each issue of UPDATE Magazine will have 6 to 8 pages (3 or 4 spreads incl. centerfold)
devoted to a topic chosen by the Editorial Committee members. The upcoming December
issue will be devoted to Capacity Development, one of the Core Activities of the Institute.
Themes corresponding to future issues of UPDATE Magazine will be determined and
communicated externally in Q1 2012. This will allow an external audience to also submit
thematic stories for publication.
It may be decided that special issues of UPDATE Magazine will be published for special
occasions. These may include the World Water Fora, special events and congresses.
3) New sections
New sections that also support the goals of UPDATE can be included.
4) Design
The design of UPDATE is crucial to the appeal of the magazine. The graphic designer will
ensure that the layout and design is done in conformity to the style and vision of UPDATE.
The Editor in Chief is responsible for maintaining coherence of the magazine.
5) Illustration/Photographs

4. Images and/or illustrations provide an excellent and refreshing balance with written
contributions. Images that are of sufficient (print) quality – meaning it is sent to the Editor in
Chief in high resolution) – will be considered when they complement the article or design of
the topic covered in the magazine.
In some cases (i.e. cover page) the Institute may purchase photographs from professional
agencies or repositories in order to adhere to the professionalism and high quality it aspires to
achieve.
6) Opinion/Commentary/Column
In UPDATE there is freedom of expression and opinion. Opinions need to be expressed
complete and clear content wise. It should also be clear whose opinion the article represents.
The Editorial Committee reserves the right to refrain from publishing articles, editorial
contributions and letters to the editor or to publish them in consultation with the author.
Reasons for such decisions include that the texts do not fit the style of the magazine and/or is
of insufficient editorial quality. Should the integrity of UPDATE or other persons be challenged
due to hurtful or insulting texts, the Editorial Committee may decide to refrain from publishing.
In such case the Editor in Chief may contact the author to substantiate not having published
the opinion piece.
7) Advertisements
The option to include advertisements by relevant sector organizations are welcomed. We will
further examine this opportunity in upcoming issues of UPDATE Magazine.
C Editorial Board and Editorial Committee
1) Activities Editorial Team
Editorial Board
- Accountable for all issues of UPDATE
- Final proofreading of final articles
- Final decision on issues regarding choice of articles, such as opinion pieces
- Decides on policy for UPDATE (if necessary)
Editorial Committee
- Advises on changes regarding content as well as design
- Advises in choice of topics, angles
- Advises in creation of new sections
- Advises in editorial decision making
- (Proofreading of final articles?)
Editor in Chief
- Focal point for all issues regarding UPDATE and will act as chair for editorial
meetings
- Collecting and commissioning editorial contributions
- Choosing and deciding which submissions are suitable for UPDATE and fit within
editorial sections and are interesting for readers of UPDATE and best represent the
Institute it represents.
- Managing overview of design, layout and printing process (including following up on
illustration material)
- Editing editorial contributions and check for legibility and coherence of the articles
- Managing the proofreading process, sending it to the (Editorial Committee), Editorial
Board and sub-editor

5. 2) Appointment members of the Editorial Board and Editorial Committee
Editorial Board members include the Rector, the Deputy Director and the Head of the Office
of the Rector.
Editorial Committee members each represent one academic department. Each year after the
October issue is published the Editor in Chief will call the Editorial Committee members for an
evaluation meeting, whereby the functioning of the Committee and biannual editorial
meetings will be discussed. Members will be requested to contribute their time at least twice a
year. It shall be reviewed periodically whether the representatives of the 5 academic
departments (and non academic departments) within the Institute are still able to contribute
their time fully.
The current members of the Committee and Board include:
Editorial Board
András Szöllösi-Nagy
Stefan Uhlenbrook
Joop de Schutter
Editorial Committee
Giuliano Di Baldassarre
Jan Willem Foppen
Jeltsje Kemerink
Jan Herman Koster
Editor in Chief
Alida Pham
Sub-Editor
Joy-Maul Phillips
Coordination
Manuela Porceddu
Design
Peter Stroo
D Guidelines with regard to quality & style of UPDATE articles
Structure
Use a headline, lead or intro paragraph, subheads and paragraphs to structure the article. It
provides structure to the text and increases legibility.
The Five W’s and H: Before writing a lead, decide which aspect of the story – who, what,
when, where, why, how – is most important. You should emphasise those aspects in your
lead. Wait to explain less important aspects until the second or third sentence.
Sentences
- Short sentences are easier to read than long ones. It is usually better to use two short
sentences than a long one, even though it may take up more words.
- Readers want to know why the story matters to them and they won’t wait long for the
answer. Leads/Intro’s are often one sentence, sometimes two.

6. - Try to write actively. Strong verbs will make your lead lively and interesting. Passive
constructions, on the other hand, can sound dull and leave out important information,
such as the person or thing that caused the action.
Jargon
Try to avoid as much as possible the use of jargon, abbreviations and spoken English. Also
try to avoid difficult, long words.
Use of quotation marks or inverted commas
Double quotation marks denote either speech or a quotation.
Example: “The use of social media for communication and marketing purposes proves very
cost-effective,” she explained.
Single quotation marks should only be used to highlight certain words you wish to emphasise.
Example: The PhD research focused on ‘spatial pattern dynamics in aquatic ecosystem
modelling’.
It is incorrect to use quotation marks for paraphrased speech. To paraphrase is to reword or
rephrase. As a paraphrase is not a direct quote, it is incorrect to use quotation marks.
Numbers
- Spell out single-digit whole numbers. Use numerals for numbers greater than nine.
Examples:
The installation of six water pumps in the area proved very successful.
An assessment of the project will occur in 10 years time.
- If you choose to spell out numbers because one of the numbers is a single digit, spell
out all numbers in that category.
- The simplest way to express large numbers is best. Round numbers are usually
spelled out.
- Always spell out simple fractions and use hyphens with them.
Example: Almost two-thirds of the world’s natural resources have been depleted.
Exceptions:
- temperature
- dates
- velocity
- time
Read more: http://www.grammarbook.com/numbers/numbers.asp
Abbreviations
- Explain any terminology that you think may not be familiar to the reader – or which
they may not necessarily know.
- Always write a long name in full the first time you use it, regardless of how well known
it is.
- Abbreviations should generally be avoided. However, it is appropriate to use standard
abbreviations sometimes in (scientific) writing. For the first reference to a term in the
text, the term should be used in full with the abbreviation included in brackets. For the
remainder of the text the abbreviation should be used. However, abbreviations should
not be used in the abstract or in the title.

7. Examples:
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is affiliated with the United Nations
(UN). The UN provides funds that help the WMO perform its role effectively.
Length of articles
The Editor in Chief will determine how long articles in UPDATE should be for each section.
Contributors to UPDATE will be informed accordingly as to how many words the article they
write should ideally contain. This should facilitate a more practical approach in the editing
process. When articles are not lengthy enough or too wordy, the Editor in Chief will edit the
texts to fit the ideal length reserved for the articles, ideally in collaboration with the author.
Pyramid format
The ‘pyramid format’ serves to present the reader the most important facts first, drawing him
in to read the remainder of the story. Facts should be mentioned in order of descending
importance.
This structure enables readers to stop reading at any point and still come away with the
essence of a story. It allows people to enter a topic to the depth that their curiosity takes
them, and without the imposition of details or nuances that they would consider irrelevant, but
still making that information available to more interested readers.
The inverted pyramid structure also enables articles to be trimmed to any arbitrary length
during layout, to fit in the space available.
Addressing the reader
In general UPDATE readers will not be addressed, except for certain sections, such as the
alumni corner where the alumni officer may want to reach out to alumni personally to request
for an update of their contact details.
Spelling
UPDATE follows English UK spelling (see style guide - currently under development).
E Submitting content
1) How to submit editorial contributions
All articles should be handed in to the Editor in Chief in digital format, preferably as a Word
document. The text should contain a heading/title, a lead (intro to the text) and clearly defined
paragraphs to substantiate the rest of the article.
Illustrations/photographs can be delivered in any format (JPG, GIF, TIF, PNG, etc.) on the
condition that they are high-resolution images. In print, this is crucial. More details on this can
be obtained with the graphic designer.
The author/contributor is required to provide additional information when submitting the
article:
- Section in which the article should be published
- Name of contact person for the article submitted for further information
- E-mail address of the aforementioned contact person
- Illustration or suggestion for an illustration to accompany the text
- Caption depicting the illustration
- Author of the illustration (with the mention that we may use these
photographs/illustrations)
2) Letters to the Editor

8. The Editorial Committee encourages editorial contributions from readers. The Column, Op-
Ed, and Report from the Field sections are intended to provide a platform for such
contributions.
The Editor reserves the right to edit copy from contributors to conform to standard English
and stylistic conventions for quality publications. Any other changes will be made in
consultation with the contributor.
Contributions will also be put through the following criteria check:
1. Is the letter written in paragraphs?
2. Is the subject stated clearly in the first one or two sentences?
3. Is each point that is made supported by a relevant detail or example?
4. Are there any irrelevant points or details?
5. Is the language of the letter suitable for UPDATE?
6. Is the letter written accurately?
7. Is the writer stating a clear point of view?
8. Is the letter interesting to the readers of UPDATE?
Last updated: December 2011 by Alida Pham

9. ANNEX I
Format for articles in UPDATE and Website
Title/headline
First paragraph What is the news?
Where did it take place?
When did it take place?
Who was involved?
Why did the news happen?
How did the news happen?
Second paragraph Follow-up on first paragraph
Include more background info on
regional/local issues.
Insert quotes from trainers and participants
Third paragraph Additional information about the
project/activity
Insert quotes from trainers and participants
Fourth paragraph Wrap up (conclusions of whole article)
Look towards future (any future
recommendations?)
Contact person This is the contact person readers can
contact regarding the project/training/activity.