About the project

• Key concept

  The project addresses the challenges related to the unevenly distributed, freshwater. The situation is becoming even more challenging with the increasing population and urbanisation, unsustainable use of water and escalating impacts of the Climate Changes. The project addresses these challenges through a matrix of three vertical cross-disciplinary issues on health, climate change, and energy, and two horizontal topics: gender equality, and digitalisation of education. The project has evolved from NORHED I WaSo Africa.

• Expected impact

  Water scarcity is recognized by the World Economic Forum (2020) as one of the world’s most significant risks due to its high likelihood and impact. In Latin America and the Caribbean, although progress has been made, around 220 million people still lack safely managed drinking water services and 480 million lack safely managed sanitation. Achieving SDG 6 targets in the region is estimated to require USD 14 billion annually.

  Universities play a critical role in addressing these challenges by educating future policymakers, scientists, engineers, and leaders. The Water ESSENCE project aims to strengthen knowledge and capacity related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among Master’s, PhD, postdoctoral researchers, and staff. The project emphasizes the need for cross-disciplinary approaches to teaching and research, highlighting the interconnected nature of the SDGs and the importance of universities in promoting, monitoring, and implementing Agenda 2030.

  Focusing on water, education, health, energy, sustainable cities, life on land, and partnerships (SDG 17), Water ESSENCE explores how progress in SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) supports other goals, including poverty reduction, food security, good health, gender equality, reduced inequalities, and international cooperation.

• Project meetings and events

  1. Annual Project meeting in Oslo 7-8 June 2022
     The first in-person project meeting took place in Oslo, Norway between 7-8 June 2024. The main goal was to debate on how to make significant progress in enhancing water-related education and research across African and Norwegian universities. Key activities included the discussion of the need for the comprehensive review of curricula at nine partner universities to align with societal needs, improve quality, and reduce redundancies. The project has also focused on strengthening university-industry collaboration, fostering innovation through the Triple Helix model, and addressing barriers to effective partnerships. Quality assurance practices were evaluated to align with international standards, and a pool of supervisors and mentors it to be established to support students and early-career academics. Additionally, small research grants were introduced to promote joint projects, with a focus on supporting women and marginalized groups. These initiatives are helping to co-develop sustainable, high-quality water education and research systems.
  2. Internation Summer School June-July 2022, Ås, Norway
     The Summer School 2022 in Norway, hosted by NMBU, featured two courses: Water & Wastewater Treatment (THT311) and Water Management in Cold Climate (THT313). The first course focused on water resources management and the interactions between water, energy, and food, while the second covered the governance and management of water services in urban settings, addressing sustainability challenges. The program attracted 43 students from diverse countries, including participants from Water ESSENCE universities from Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Ghana.
     The summer school, lasting three weeks, combined intensive full-time courses with additional activities, like International Dinner, excursion in Oslofjord or visit in SNØ, a spectacular indoor arena for snow experiences. Summer school aimed at fostering social interaction and cultural awareness, allowing students to deepen their knowledge and explore new areas within water and environmental studies.
  3. Annual Project Meeting, Kigali, Rwanda 11.12.2023
     The Kigali meeting focused on advancing collaboration between universities, industry, and government through the Triple Helix model, with an emphasis on designing stakeholder surveys for external collaboration and inclusiveness in higher education institutions (HEIs). Participants explored how to drive the Triple Helix concept in HEIs and used GroupMap for brainstorming and prioritizing impactful items. Inclusiveness in HEIs was discussed in terms of diversity in age, gender, race, and profession, with a focus on ensuring equal participation and fair treatment for all.
     Other key discussions included the design of training programs for socially engaged HEIs, which should address community needs and engage local industries. Collaboration among partners was highlighted, with presentations from international partners showcasing successful student exchanges and curriculum development projects. The consortium also discussed designing Water Nexus courses, integrating indigenous knowledge, and addressing topics like water ethics and corruption. The meeting concluded with plans for joint research activities, dissemination strategies, and the establishment of databases for supervisors and students to enhance collaboration and communication across partner institutions.
  4. “How can universities contribute to the faster achievement of SDG6?” – workshop at the IWA Congress
     The Water ESSENCE team organized a workshop at the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition (Rwanda, Kigali, December 2023). The session focused on the role of universities in accelerating progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and addressing challenges in the current educational system. Led by Professor Harsha Ratnaweera from NMBU, the workshop aimed to engage academics and policymakers in discussions on sustainable water use and management. The event featured presentations and a panel discussion involving key project members, sparking active participation and dialogue from the audience. More information can be found here.
  5. Annual Project Meeting, Munich, Germany, 12.05.2024
     At the Water ESSENCE meeting in Munich, several key project tasks and deadlines were outlined. Further developments include the update of the mentors’ pool and the creation of a hydropolitics curriculum led by University of Machakos. Joint research efforts and funding utilization plans were discussed. Analysis of partners' assets and review of good practices is underway, which is led by University of Makerere.
  6. International Summer School June-July 2024, Ås, Norway
     The next event following project meeting in Munich was another Summer School held at NMBU. This program also focused on water resources and sustainable development, continuing the momentum of interdisciplinary learning within the Water ESSENCE network. The 2024 Summer School attracted students from all Water ESSENCE partner institutions.
     Like the previous edition, this Summer School provided intensive, full-time courses alongside social and cultural activities, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among participants from diverse backgrounds. The students had the valuable opportunity to network with peers from Brazil, China, Japan, and North America, enhancing the global perspective and fostering international collaboration. The program aimed to further students' expertise in key areas of water management and sustainable practices.
  7. Annual Project Meeting 2025, Kampala, Uganda, 15-17 February 2025
  8. The Water ESSENCE consortium met in Kampala, Uganda, for its 2025 Annual Project Meeting to review progress, address implementation challenges, and plan activities for the coming year. Partners agreed on a detailed roadmap to accelerate curriculum development, stakeholder engagement, staff training, research collaboration, student mobility, and dissemination activities. Key outcomes included establishing deadlines for Water Nexus course development, strengthening coordination through regular progress meetings, advancing plans for an open-access digital water repository, expanding social inclusion and scholarship activities, and enhancing communication and knowledge-sharing across the consortium. The meeting also highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between partners, improved reporting of achievements, and better integration of project outputs to ensure successful delivery of Water ESSENCE objectives and its contribution to sustainable water management and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  9. Annual Project Meeting 2026, Qingdao, China, 16-18 June 2026
  10. The Water ESSENCE consortium gathered in Qingdao, China, for its 2026 Annual Project Meeting to review progress as the project enters its final phase and to coordinate the completion of key deliverables before project closure in 2027. Partners reported significant advances in curriculum development, student and staff mobility, research collaboration, gender equality, and project reporting. Discussions focused on improving documentation of achievements, maximizing the use of remaining funds, and ensuring that all project outputs are properly captured and reported. Major decisions included finalizing and harmonizing Water Nexus course materials, organizing the final South-South Summer School in Accra, Ghana, and strengthening knowledge dissemination through a dedicated Water ESSENCE library and online publication repository. The meeting highlighted the project's positive impact on capacity building, academic collaboration, and inclusion across partner institutions, while emphasizing the importance of completing outstanding activities, documenting results, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of project outputs and networks.
  11. Sino-African Workshop on Collaboration in Water and Environmental Sectors, Qingdao, China (17 June 2025)
  12. The Sino-African Workshop on Collaboration in Water and Environmental Sectors brought together researchers and university leaders from China, Africa, and Norway to explore new opportunities for academic and research partnerships addressing water and environmental challenges. Organized by Qingdao University of Technology (QUT) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences (CAS-RCEES), the workshop facilitated dialogue between institutions from six African countries and leading Chinese universities and research institutes. Through presentations, networking, and thematic group discussions, participants identified priority areas for future collaboration, including circular economy, climate resilience, sustainable urban development, smart irrigation, wastewater management, water governance, and water quality monitoring. The workshop strengthened professional networks, fostered mutual understanding of regional needs and expertise, and laid the foundation for future joint projects, research initiatives, funding applications, and educational partnerships between African and Chinese institutions.

• Partners

  The project will demonstrate a systematic approach to medium- and long-term solutions through eight universities from six African sub-Saharan countries (Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Rwanda and Ghana) and three Norwegian universities (UiB, NTNU and NMBU). The project coordinator is UiB.

  Country	University	Coordinator
  NORWAY	University of Bergen	Dr. Tore Sætersdal
  NORWAY	Norwegian University for Science and Technology	Prof. Harsha Ratnaweera
  NORWAY	Norwegian University of Life Sciences	Dr. Razak Seidu
  UGANDA	Makerere University	Dr. Ronald Semyalo
  SOUTH SUDAN	University of Juba	Dr. Denis Adubasa
  KENYA	University of Nairobi	Prof. Francis M. Matua
  KENYA	Machakos University	Prof. Mwalimu K. Musau
  ETHIOPIA	Addis Ababa University	Prof. Yacob Arsano Atito
  GHANA	University for Development Studies	Prof. Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic
  GHANA	University of Ghana	Prof. Julius Najah Fobil
  RWANDA	University of Rwanda	Prof. Telesphore Kabera

Participants

• Participants at NMBU

Selected publications

News