AMU’s Water Technology Institute has signed 2-year joint project as part of the university cooperation for development of Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) called, JOINT Project 2020 ‘Internet of Drops: Linking small water-related observations towards a cloud of data with IoT-enabled sensor networks’ with KU Leuven, Ecuador’s National Polytechnic School and Catholic University of Cuenca which is funded by VLIRUOS. Click here to see the pictures

The agreement was inked by VLIRUOS Chairman, Johan De Tavernier, Director, Kristien Verbrugghen, KU Leuven’s Rector, Dr Luc Sels, Flemish Promoter, Jan Diels, Ecuador’s National Polytechnic School’s Rector, Florinella Munoz and Local Promoter, Dr Veronica Minaya; Catholic University of Cuenca’s Rector, Pablo Vanegas Peralta and Local Promoter, Felipe Eduardo Cisneros Espinoza; on AMU’s behalf University President, Dr Damtew Darza, and AWTI’s Scientific Director, Dr Abdella Kemal, inked the pact.

This project aims at joint Inter-national Academic Networking that foresees networking opportunities at national and international level in view of exchange and cross-fertilization of ideas and concepts for developmental change for which VLIRUOS has allocated overall budget of € 89,891 of which € 56,556 is for the year 2020 and remaining € 33,335 will be utilized in 2021.

The project states that Flemish Promoter will manage its overall administrative and financial aspects, ensure smooth functioning, guarantee timely submission of consolidated reports, training programs and scholarships for selected scientists of partners. According to the project its joint responsibility of Flemish and partner institutions to establish procedure and criteria for selection of candidates for study or research stays abroad. The project is governed by Belgium law wherein VLIRUOS will assess whether the ongoing expenditure is in compliance with the regulations.

The partner institutions will coordinate in its implementation in their respective nations; it has to facilitate systemic follow-ups of project management, ensures all equipment and consumables to be imported into their nation are exempted from custom duties. Under the project some technical instruments will be imported to use in measuring discharge of river from the field itself.

At the outset, the project has organized its first ever ‘Field Study,’ called ‘Integrated Project (sub) Tropical Climater case study in Arba Minch wherein 18 Flemish students from KU Leuven with their 5 professors along with AMU’s 15 Master students from AWTI got involved in exercise such as river training at Kulfo River, groundwater modeling, salinity and assessing irrigation performance in Sile-Elgo Basin.

Dr Abdella Kemal being the local promoter of this project, said, this field studies will reassuringly empower students of partnering countries as how to collect primary data themselves and use theories learnt over the years in analyzing and reaching out to credible inferences. Dr Abdella and Dr Samuel Dagalo assisted students on river training and in Sile-Elgo area. Basically, this project allows partners to host students exchange annually for a weeklong field study so that their capacity is correspondingly strengthened.

Exchange of students is the core activity where students share experiences and next year it will get replicated. The project has also hosted international workshop in this regard where 11 academicians and researchers from Ethiopia, Ecuador 7, South Africa 1, Rwanda 1, Kenya 4, Tanzania 2 and 6 from Uganda converged at Main Campus and discussed issues of water flow, temperature and soil moisture measurements.

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Mr Berhanu Gudissa, National Meteorological Agency’s representative, Mr Mehuba Demisse and Mr Tsegaye Belete of Rift Valley Lakes Basin office were in attendance. Prof. Elga Salvadore, Prof Xavier Zapata Rios and Dr Douglous Nyolei were the trainers; AMU’s Mekonen Muluneh coordinated the training.

Dr Abdella further informed that this project is likely to have second phase as attempts are being made to secure funds from different international donors.

(Corporate Communication Directorate)