Virtual Alumni Seminar "Access to Water – Watershed Management Planning"

October to December 2020
Venue: virtual
Deadline of Application: 30. September 2020

On behalf of the Alumni Program, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Centre for International Capacity Development at University of Siegen is organizing the International DAAD Alumni Expert Seminar “Access to Water – Watershed Management Planning” in West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania in form of a virtual seminar from October to December 2020.

Universität Siegen organizes this applied virtual seminar in cooperation with the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) – Department of Water Resources Engineering; Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences - Urban water management; Weltweit - Gesellschaft zur Förderung loka-ler Initiativen e.V.; and 2811 social enterprise. Guests are stakeholders such as water user associations, village and district authorities from Lushoto District.

Concept

This applied research seminar is the second out of a series of two. In September 2019, the first one has been implemented in West Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. Results may be seen on the GAWN website. It was planned that the second seminar will again be conducted in the project area to monitor and evaluate the process of implementation of key activities that had been formulated in an action plan handed over to the key stakeholders in the region at the end of the 2019 seminar.
Due to the travel restrictions and related regulations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a plan has been developed for continuation in a virtual format. Alumni will get trained in the “arts of virtual seminar moderation” in three virtual sessions. After the training, three “blended workshop sessions” will follow. These sessions will be organized as presence/virtual work-shops in the project area. Local stakeholders from the region meet physically in a meeting room that is equipped for virtual participation of the alumni. Together we will evaluate the current situation and define a way forward to improve the access to water.

Objectives

The overall goal of the project is to strengthen the capacity of Germany alumni in their role engaging themselves in the management and protection of natural resources and to maintain contacts to German universities. Due to the current crisis, a lot of new ways of communication and cooperation are being currently developed. Participating alumni will get the chance to learn and use different new technologies and methodologies. The ability to use online tools in the seminar will be certified at the end.
The seminar shall contribute to the availability of water and to improve the access to water by concise watershed management planning. It is expected to strengthen the resilience of in-habitants of rural areas towards climate change and sustainability of water usage by support-ing knowledge exchange among key professional stakeholders and institutions in Eastern Africa. It is expected to find sustainable ways in managing the available water sources and to advice on appropriate technological solutions to improve the access to water in the study area.

Application

Eligible for participation are German alumni from Eastern African countries. A stay in Germany of at least 3 months for study, work or scientific research has to be proven. In-country scholarship holders are also accepted, once the scholarship is successfully finalized

Application deadline: 30. September 2020