INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS WATER HARMONY

The series of international educational projects Water Harmony was launched in 2011 on the initiative of the Norwegian University of Natural Sciences and supported by the Norwegian Center for International Cooperation in Education of the Norwegian Kingdom. Since 2015, the project has been developing two new projects funded by the Norwegian Center for International Cooperation in Education (SIU) and the ERASMUS + program.

The main goal of the projects is to create a stable academic link between as many universities as possible in order to harmonize education in the field of water supply, drainage and water management. Today, these two projects bring together 11 countries (Ukraine, Norway, Germany, Poland, China, Sri Lanka, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan) and 16 participating universities and nearly 40 universities and state and commercial enterprises – Associate Project Members.

Such a wide network and financial support for the projects SIU and ERASMUS + allowed us to organize programs of mobility for students and teachers of our University and other HEIs in universities of Norway, Poland, Germany, China and Sri Lanka.

Over the period from 2012 to 2018, more than 60 students, postgraduates and lecturers of our University were trained abroad.

The Water Harmony II program is funded with the support of the Norwegian Center for International Cooperation in Education (SIU) on the basis of an agreement with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The project Water Harmony-II “Integration of Education, Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship” aims to develop and expand the initiative of the Water Harmony, implemented during 2011-2015, on the basis of experience, in new directions and with more countries. participants and partner universities.

The project is aimed at creating a scientific and pedagogical consortium comprising 10 partner universities and more than 40 associate partners (universities, research institutes, state, communal and commercial enterprises) from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Norway to harmonize higher education in the field of water resources management, water supply and water purification in order to increase the relevance and quality.

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

Strengthening and expanding partnership through efficient and rational use of the intellectual resource of 10 universities in 7 partner countries; initiating, developing and strengthening contacts with state, municipal and private enterprises and organizations for the implementation of innovative projects of varying complexity and orientation.
Development of educational master’s programs focused on research, innovation, community needs, consumer demand and labor market needs. Increasing the number of students’ places and bases of practice in public and private enterprises with advanced technologies and testing equipment, including in universities of other countries.
International orientation of educational master’s programs, development of teachers’ competences through academic partnership as well as students and teachers’ mobility development.
Popularization of updated educational programs, training tools and concepts at other universities related to partner universities and various interested organizations.

During two and a half years of the project, six meetings were held at the universities of Ukraine, Tajikistan, Moldova and Norway, three summer schools for students were organized and two weeks of internships for teachers at the Norwegian University of Natural Sciences, three weekly educational workshops for employees from Norway in Ukraine, organized studying and conducting research work for 11 undergraduates from Ukraine in Norway for 1 year, conducted 5 scientific and educational seminars in 5 universities, conducted an annual online school in Kazakhstan, organized online lectures for students and teachers in Ukraine (USUCT), organized the visit to three international water industry exhibitions: Water Berlin (Germany), Aqua Term (Ukraine), EWA (Munich, Germany) and one water international forum (Minsk , Belarus).

Together with the project Water Harmony Erasmus + presentations for up to 6 lecture courses are being prepared. Modern laboratory equipment was purchased for 8 universities (spectrophotometers, turbidimetry-turbidimeters, pH-meters, ionometers, analytical and laboratory scales, conductivity meters, analyzers of petroleum products in water, etc.).

The “Water Harmony Erasmus +” project aims to harmonize education and pedagogical approaches to higher education in the water sector in 10 partner universities in China, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sri Lanka, Ukraine.

In order to realize the goal of the project, it is envisaged to develop 6 training courses and to improve teaching methods, methodologies and pedagogical approaches taking into account the best practices of the leading universities of the world.

The project is funded under the European Higher Education Competency Program. Erasmus +

MAIN TASKS

To develop educational and pedagogical tools, methods and pedagogical approaches for 6 training courses in the field of water treatment.
Update the material base of laboratories / equipment, improve the content of laboratory courses and manuals in order to increase the competitiveness of graduates.
Develop e-learning modules using the resources created within the framework of the project (on-line courses, presentation materials, etc.).
To teach teaching staff to think in terms of consumer education services, creating wider opportunities for employment of graduates and creating the potential for commercialization of research.
To train personnel to take into account the multi-purpose use of resources, including to strengthen cooperation with enterprises.
Strengthen entrepreneurship skills for university students and staff as a tool for financial sustainability.
Ensure the quality of educational programs, which will facilitate the overdrafting of loans.
To extend the experience of project implementation among other universities and enterprises, motivating them to take over the results of the project.

At present, the specialists of the project have developed six training courses, used by teachers of the Department of Inorganic Substances and Ecology, in the training courses of the new educational program “Water Treatment and Water Treatment Technologies” (OP). A complete list of lectures can be found below.

Water Management

Water treatment and water supply

Sewage treatment

Industrial waste management

Innovation and entrepreneurship

Academic Writing, Scientific Publications and Presentations

A detailed interim report of the project’s impact on the University and its achievements can be found in the report, which was announced at the last meeting of the project participants in USUCT.