Water cooperation and diplomacy processes often rely on the tools and capacities that academic and research institutions can offer. However, groups of scientific experts in the field of water cooperation and diplomacy are often small and relatively discrete, suggesting that greater sharing of knowledge and interconnection of expertise could generate further impetus for development of this important theoretical and applied academic field. With this understanding, a network of academic institutions working on water diplomacy and cooperation called Universities' Partnership for Water Cooperation and Diplomacy was established in 2018, and the same year it was presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This opinion article discusses the role that academic and scientific institutions play in water diplomacy and cooperation, and reflects on the contribution that partners of the Universities' Partnership can jointly make to further the cause of water cooperation and diplomacy.