The Centre for International Capacity Development (CICD), Universität Siegen is currently heading three major projects with a focus on water and sanitation related issues. Two EU and one DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) funded project, which are mainly focusing on Eastern Africa and run in close cooperation with German (GTZ Kenya and Tanzania, DAAD) as well as regional partners (Kenyatta University (KU), University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Makarere University (MAK), and University of Zambia (UNZA)).

These projects include the following:

First, the EU-funded project, ‘Capacity Building for Integrated Watershed Management in Eastern Africa’ (IWMNet).

Second, “University Capacity Building for Integrated Sanitation Management in Eastern and Southern Africa (UCDISM)” is a EU funded project closely linked with IWMNet. The overall aim is to strengthen capacity in addressing sanitation related issues within the region. The programme builds on the International Masters programme in Integrated Watershed Management; it is designed to strengthen training and research capacity at universities in Eastern and Southern Africa in sanitation management. The projects aim is thus to improve water and sanitation governance with emphasis on establishing an international practice-oriented Masters programme in Integrated Sanitation Management (ISM) at UDSM in cooperation with KU. It plans to upgrade all partner universities’ capacity through regional knowledge transfer as well as training of professionals in project management. For further information please see www.ucdism.eu

Moreover, the German Alumni Water Network (GAWN) has been established to coordinate activities for former students of German Universities and development associations in Germany. It is the outcome of a joint effort of DAAD and six universities who offered alumni summer schools in 2005 in coordination with IFAT 2005. It provides online contact information from and for DAAD Alumni active in the water sector. The database is managed and organised at present by the Universität Siegen on behalf of DAAD. Furthermore, a consortium of nine German Universities co-operate for strengthening the German Alumni Water Network GAWN by offering access to their existing alumni networks and by organising summer schools and expert seminars in different continents. For further information please see www.gawn.de

The College of Engineering and Technology - CoET- has six academic departments and two units; the Technology Development and Transfer Centre (TDTC); and the Bureau for Industrial Cooperation (BICO).
The six academic departments are Chemical and Mining Engineering (CME), Structural and Construction Engineering (SCE), Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering (ECSE), Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE), Transportation and Geotechnical Engineering (TGE) and Water Resource Engineering (WRE).


CoET reckons that globalization and other challenges which face Africa, like poverty and environmental degradation must be confronted with a well-educated and trained society equipped with high-level know-how and technical skills. Accordingly, the College vision "to become, and be considered by others, as the leading institution in engineering and technolgy in the African region."

As a campus college of the UDSM, its mission is "To deliver high quality and competitive training in engineering and technology; research and technology development and transfer outputs; and consultancy and knowledge intensive services that are recognized nationally and internationally, thereby enhancing efficient utilization of natural resources, entrepreneurship and innovativeness among engineers and hence, stimulating sustainable development.”

In order to realize its vision, CoET formulates 5-year Rolling Strategic Plan through a consultative process involving S&T stakeholders such as, COSTECH, industry, government, donors and students. The strategic objectives are in line with UDSM-2000 ITP that requires rational utilization and strengthening of existing resources in key areas pertaining to teaching and learning; research and consultancy.

The IWMNet project runs under the Department of Water Resources Engineering which   offer a number of workshops, testing laboratories and laboratories for teaching and learning, research and technology development, consultancy and services to industry.

The major mission is to achieve lasting and sustainable improvements in Agriculture, Agro-industry and livelihoods of the communities by producing knowledgeable and self-reliant professionals and practitioners and generating and disseminating client responsive knowledge and technologies .

The IWMNet project is currently running a number of activities, which are within the Makerere University mission and objectives. The capacity building programs for the PhD and Masters students are registering progress. The short courses targeting staff of the University and other officials in the Public Universities are also conducted. The extension services through the capacity building efforts of the local community have been done with the IWMNet project, particularly in harnessing the integrated approach in watershed management in the SW highlands of Uganda. The Project has spearheaded the commencement of the Masters of Science program in IWM in the Depatment, that is due for 2011 academic year.

 

The Arba Minch Water Technology Institute, since June 2004 promoted as Arba  Minch University, was the first and the only water institution of higher learning in  Etrhiopia,which was and is offering qualified courses in water resources engineering, planning, design and development. It was established  in 1986  and still maintains a leading position in training qualified professionals at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The Ethiopian water sector was supported by the German Government in building Capacity since 1989; the partner Arba Minch University was assisted in developing its research potential, operating master programmes in the water sector and offering certificate training courses for professionals. The German support was terminated in 2007. At present, AMU is supported through the Ethio-German Engineering Capacity Building Project.

University of Siegen was part of this endeavour from 1992 until 2007 with a university cooperation programme for integrated water resources management based on PhD and master thesis research. AMU was selected training institute for the Nile Basin Initiative and coordinated the related research activities.
Researchers, lecturers and students of AMU contributed to IWMNet Eastern Africa and participated in DAAD Summer  Schools since 2004. Research collaboration in Lake Abaya Water Level Changes Project brought together scientists from various scientific areas and from countries across the East African Region and Germany.