Project Purpose

In close cooperation with the International Masters programme on Integrated Watershed Management, established at Kenyatta University (Kenya) in 2006, the UCDISM project of the University of Siegen is designed to strengthen training and research capacity at universities in Eastern and Southern Africa. On the one hand, the project purpose is to improve water and sanitation governance with emphasis on establishing an international practiceoriented Masters programme in Integrated Sanitation Management (ISM) at the University of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) in cooperation with Kenyatta University. On the other hand it is to upgrade all partner universities’ capacity through regional knowledge transfer and training of professionals in project management.

An International Master Programme in ISM

The major focus of the project is to improve the capacity in ISM by strengthening partnership among a network of universities in Southern and Eastern Africa. A regional Masters programme will be established based on existing experiences and ongoing programmes. The envisaged international accreditation is expected as the key for establishing a high quality of teaching and the basis for international student mobility. The Masters programme will be specifically built on the existing regional Master programme on Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) at Kenyatta University and will be established at the University of Dar-es-Salaam with contributions from all regional partners including Zambia and Uganda.

The ISM Programme will thereby share core units with the existing IWM Programme. The ISM elective units together with the IWM modules will be linked to solve the challenges of drinking water supply and sanitation as a major component of improved rural livelihood.

An Applied Research Programme

A quality assurance Working Group on Applied Research will guide the master thesis research focusing on topics of ISM. The Programme will formulate an overall research goal that is updated annually to assure a continuous development of topics as well as research quality. It is planned to identify supervisors from at least two partner universities in order to initiate regional research cooperation. Joint meetings always offer room for the formulation of research proposals. The Applied Research Programme will include gender related topics, recognising the crucial role women play as change agents in sanitation. Participatory methods shall have priority. Likewise the project will assist practical exercises in laboratories as well as directly with communities. Strengthening the laboratory facilities at the partner universities will support teaching. Thus practical training on technical aspects will ease the way for students towards a pragmatic view on sanitation.

Centres of Excellence

Workshops will be organized in all partner countries except Germany for university staff members. They provide an opportunity for participants to refresh their knowledge of project management, implementation, financing, and marketing. Such workshops provide opportunities for university staff to improve skills in their chosen domain and to enhance cooperation. It will also contribute to increase cooperation between the sanitation sector and partner companies. Moreover, a research conference is planned for the last year of the project to offer a chance for Master students, researchers as well as professionals to present new findings and exchange ideas on ISM.

Besides establishing e-learning the project will facilitate increased networking between partner universities and will also guarantee quality of content. Media such as an internetbased communication platform, is a prerequisite to exchange materials, ideas and, at a further stage, training modules. The platform will foster project management and develop staff capacity. Thus the emerging Centres of Excellence will be in a position of extensive information exchange and support.