Safeguarding groundwater, a vital resource in adaptation to global change, yet increasingly under pressure, requires robust knowledge and capacity. While strong foundations in hydrogeology remain indispensable, there is a clear need for joint, interdisciplinary and applied groundwater education at the postgraduate level to address the complex and multifaceted nature of groundwater science. Building on these arguments, the Joint Master’s Programme Groundwater and Global Change was successfully launched a decade ago. This essay presents the rationale behind this approach.