AVK sustainability report 2023 with links A4 - Flipbook - Page 43
infrastructure and contribute to the changes
needed for better and more efficient water
management.
In collaboration with Aarhus Water and Aarhus
Business Academy, we have therefore been
involved from idea to ministerial approval of
the new bachelor’s degree in Business and
Water Technology. In August 2023, the first 15
students started the programme.
Advanced Water Cycle Management
Course
Since 2019, we have developed the “Advanced
Water Cycle Management Course” summer
school in collaboration with other companies
and utilities from Eastern Jutland, Denmark,
who all contribute with their knowledge and
expertise. This is an international course
designed to upgrade the students’ skills within
water management while also improving
knowledge and a wider understanding of water
resource management, water distribution,
wastewater management, and recycling of
resources.
Interest has been shown from countries
such as India, Morocco, and Ukraine to host
local versions of the Advanced Water Cycle
Management Course. As a result, the steering
group behind the programme will discuss
how to offer a compressed course outside of
Denmark’s borders.
The course is offered by the Centre for Water
Technology at Aarhus University, Denmark,
and counts for 5 ECTS credits. This year,
47 participants from 13 different countries
participated.
CASE
Congratulations to the graduates of the
Advanced Water Cycle Management Course
On the last Saturday of August 2023, 47
participants left the Advanced Water Cycle
Management Course with a diploma in hand,
ready to go out and influence the future water
industry. The mix of guiding theory backed by
semi-practical tasks has proven to be a great
way of constructing a “water knowledge
upgrade” – for both the participants and the
companies involved.
From silo mentality to teamwork
The course content is designed from a holistic
view on water infrastructure throughout
society; in terms of the energy circle and how
to efficiently use our available resources.
Once cleaned, water must be returned to the
ground by establishing constructed wetlands,
and the energy required should be produced
by the wastewater treatment plant itself.
In week two, the course was divided into
three thematic tracks of Groundwater, Water
Distribution and Wastewater, and each
student selected a track based on their
individual area of interest.
For the final exam, the students were put
into groups based on the track selected, but
the groups also had to collaborate to make
sure that all chains of the water cycle were
considered; in fact, that is what the students
considered the most important take-away
from the course: prioritising working together
across areas of expertise to obtain the most
efficient, sustainable solution possible.
The fact that the participants come from
many different countries added a lot of
value to the knowledge exchange, both
because of cultural differences and local
views on products and solutions as well as
environmental concerns.
Participants from Ukraine
This year, three of the participants came
from Ukraine, a country facing years of
reconstruction after the ongoing conflict with
Russia. Professionals from Mykolaiv and
Lviv waterworks were invited to be prepared
for the upcoming reconstruction period in
Ukraine.
Mykolaiv was chosen because the Danish
Parliament has committed itself to leading
the rebuilding of the entire city, including
the water infrastructure. Lviv was chosen
because of Aarhus’ twinning agreement with
the city, which also includes cooperation on
water infrastructure.
has deteriorated and needs to be renewed, so
we experience many leaks every day.”
“I hope that we will soon be able to
implement some of the new technologies
in Ukraine. Even before the war we were
interested, but now I have a clearer overview
of how, for example, DMA structuring
and hydraulic modelling work. It was also
impressive to experience all the Danish water
experts and see that they have time to teach
at the university - it’s just amazing and the
result is fantastic.”
In addition to the participants from Ukraine,
the Danida Fellowship Center sponsored 27
seats this year, which went to students or
water professionals working either in water
utilities or ministries in the different project
countries. The course is a great opportunity
for them to be updated on new water
technology, and their knowledge can be a key
element in local development projects going
forward.
Viktor from Mykolaiv says: “Our water
infrastructure is still working, but it is
severely damaged. At the beginning of the
war, we were cut off from our freshwater
intake in the Kherson region. Therefore, we
switched to getting water from the Pivdenny
Buh river. However, the salinity of the
brackish water is extremely high, causing
significant problems with corrosion in the
steel pipes. Right now, 240 km of pipeline
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