Professor Harsha Ratnaweera (NMBU, Norway), coordinator of the Water Harmony Erasmus+ project, has been awarded Honorary Professorship from the Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology (Dnipro, Ukraine) during Special Mobility Strand action on 20 October 2016.

Professor Ratnaweera coordinated 3 water-related projects with this university, funded by SIU (Norway) and EU through Erasmus+ program.

At the same time, Prof Ratnaweera is a Guest Professor at another Erasmus+ partner institution – Qingdao Technological University (China), since 2013.
We congratulate Prof Ratnaweera with the granted award!

All projects coordinators gathered in modern and fascinating University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn to summarize all what already have been done.

A welcoming speech was given by Prof Ryszard Górecki, rector of UWM, and was addressed to the project meeting participants. After speech Mr.  Górecki  awarded university medal to Prof Harsha Ratnaweera, project coordinator, for establishing and development of inter-institutional collaborations between UWM and NMBU.

After opening session participants had a chance to familiarize themselves with labs and modern equipment of different departments.  Prof. dr. Eng. Margaret Jankun-Woźnicka presented researches in physical limnology, purification of natural water, protection and restoration of waterbodies, impacts of production facilities to water quality, removal of nutrients from water courses and monitoring of aquatic ecosystem. And Dr. Michael Shovel and Agata Głowacka-Gil presented research work on reclamation of lakes.

Intense discussions were over and participants started working with project objects. It were presented conclusions of Needs analysis, which included  next main observations, that the most common form for education is the lecture, but nevertheless practical experiences are also used in more than 70 % of partner universities; the use of modern forms of visual tools (video projectors, Touchscreen or smartboard) is on a very low rate. But then again, action plan was developed and project will try to overcome it challenges.

Another topic of discussion was e‐learning. Only in Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology and Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences this tool is used. In most of the cases e‐learning platforms are used for the deposition of lecture material and additional material of the courses. The use for online courses of online tests isn’t very common at the moment. Now two e-lerning platforms are in use at OWL UAS and USUCT, which was demonstrated. Both platforms provide interactive communication between the teacher and students at different stages of the learning and individual work with materials.

Participants discussed the results of staff mobility action, which involved 6 teachers from Ukrainian partner universities to NMBU, carried out during 10-16 July 2016. It has been concluded in the reports from training participants who said that current activity was very well organized and new knowledge would be implemented in teaching process.

Next staff mobility will be organized for teachers and junior staff from Norway, Poland and Germany partner universities to USUCT (UA). Three staff members will be traveling to USUCT on 17-23 October.

The meeting was held very productively and was organized on the highest level. Next time when participants can see each other will be in Qingdao (China) 1-4 of December.

Serhii Shmyhol, sergioshyhol@gmail.com

20 students from 10 partner universities of China, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sri Lanka and Ukraine have attended intensive course on Water Supply System and Water Management at the University of Peradeniya (Sri Lanka), 24th July – 13th August 2016, organized through Water Harmony ERASMUS+ project.

Lectures, seminar, excursions and labs were well prepared and well structured. The best way to prove it is to  to share with you a short cuts from student feedbacks. Here you are.

Anna Busch, Master Student of Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences, Hoexter (Germany)

“We were welcomed with hospitality at the UoP, the staff was always helping, if we needed something and we felt very comfortable at all times. The dynamic was different compared to lectures at our University with students just from one nationality. The social networking between the students was a bit reserved at the beginning, but became better and better after time. We all needed our time to adjust ourselves to the different climate and environment. After a while, we got closer to each other and became friends. I think at the beginning, the new environment and speaking in a foreign language was difficult, but most of us could overcome our obstacles. Due to the different levels of English skills for some students it was more difficult to understand and express themselves”.

Lojana Kanapathipillai, University of Jaffna (Sri Lanka)

“The first field visit was arranged to study the water supply head works. In order to examine how the head work is operated to distribute the water for different purposes, we have visited to Victoria Dam which is one of the biggest Dams in Sri Lanka. Victoria Dam is double arch Dam that manages the pressure and other acting forces in well mannered.

Then, we were gone to the Randenigala Dam which is an example for rock fill Dam with the Central Clay core. We observed downstream and upstream faces along with the power generation plant. It also had a typical spillway which is operated by manual systems.

The next field visit was organized to check the water quality at the Kandy Lake and to identify the issues that lead to the current scenario of the lake today. The students were divided into different groups in order to find some suggestion to improve the water quality in the lake. Especially, the groups were allocated to identify the issues of water quality, demonstrate sediment management, ensure on site water quality improvement, study the wastewater management strategies for hotels around and evaluate socio-economic impacts”.

Maciej Piejdak, The University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (Poland)

“Time spent on this course was very important to me, he gave me a new look to the world and its problems, and the method of implementation activities. We felt both as guests but mostly as students who came here to expand their knowledge (theoretical and practical) as well as to exchange experiences from their countries.

I hope that in the future, more students will be able to participate in this type of activities”.

Six teachers from three Ukrainian universities participated in staff training program, organized at the Norwegian University of life Sciences through Water Harmony ERASMUS+ project.

Norway is amazing country, where harmoniously coexists primordial Nature and modern technology. Norwegians are hard-working people. They cherish traditions and proud of their history. Norwegian achievements in science, technology, design, are well known now for everybody. The quality of life in this country is one of highest in the world. While visit this country, everybody feels that the culture of the relationship to their environment, is an essential feature of the Norwegians.

At the time of internship, both teachers and students gained invaluable experience. They got acquainted with modern technologies of water purification in Oslo. Visited unique, from the point of view of rational use equipment, the plants for drinking water preparation and waste water treatment. These plants are an excellent examples of the implementation of environmentally advanced methods for life supporting systems in big cities. Both plants are located in rock tunnels.

At present time in Norway there is no import of mineral water. There is high quality drinking water in this country. Anyone can drink tap water without boiling, and don’t worry about health.

At the time of internship, the teachers had the opportunity to see modern high-speed methods and devices for analysis of admixtures concentration in raw water and in sewage.

Also by the initiative of Professor Harsha Ratnaweera, project coordinator, teachers were involved to the work of student summer school.  The lectures and teaching materials, which were presented, made it possible to update current knowledge, use them in educational process at home universities and see how the educational process in Norway going.

The internship is the best way to get as much as possible knowledge about participation agenda objectives.

All the participants of staff mobility want to say words of appreciation and gratefulness to organizers of this event, especially to Professor Harsha, but not only for that great 7 days but also for ability to get acquainted with another example of the “green” Norway – the electric car Tesla, in which every teacher had the opportunity to be driven.

Dr. V. Gevod, Associate Professor of
Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology
Serhii Shmyhol, project press-secretary

The III project meeting was held in Kyiv, in the biggest technical university of Ukraine – National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”.

The meeting started with an overview of international activities by Ukrainian partners:

• Angela Piatova, International collaboration department of NTUU KPI was presenting Erasmus+ and Tempus projects as a mechanism for modernization of educational processes;
• Prof Alexandr Pivovarov, rector USUCT, described International activities of the university;
• Prof Hennadiy Stolyarenko, Head of Department in CSTU was talking about international cooperation projects.

Prof Harsha Ratnaweera, WHE+ project manager, introduced aims and objectives of the project, and explained main project tasks: development of learning and teaching tools, upgrade of laboratories, e-learning development, staff training, strengthening entrepreneurship, quality assurance and motivation of non-partners to adopt project results.

Representative of the Erasmus+ NEO Dr Zhanna Talanova, analyst manager, has attended the meeting. Dr Talanova gave the feedback and recommendations and also emphasized on the producing an advisory note on commercialization of scientific results to the Ministry of Science and Education of Ukraine, based on future project results.

The meeting was finalized by revising of generic curricula for two subjects, which had been presented by Prof Harsha Ratnaweera and discussed by the participants. Responsibilities for content development have been shared and the result should be gained until the meeting in Olsztyn in September.

Serhii Shmyhol, sergioshyhol@gmail.com

Sri Lanka, country with many sites and scenes bottled up into a small island, with great biodiversity, huge cultural heritage and magnificent people was a place of holding the IInd project meeting. Participants were hosted by University of Peradeniya in Kandy.

Prof. S.B. Weerakoon, project coordinator of University of Peradeniya, opened project meeting with a welcome speech and introduction of participating universities. Acquaintance has been followed by the address from Prof. Upul Dissanayake, Vice-Chancellor of UoP, emphasizing project significance for Sri Lankan partner universities.

On this meeting Prof. Martin Oldenburg presented Report on Best Practices, including overview of courses at participating universities, prevailing form of teaching and methods, tools and teaching materials in use.

The Report on Best Practices suggests several improvements to be developed in the project:

• implementation of design, operation and simulation software into teaching process;
• development of lab equipment base;
• wider use of mathematical-statistical methods in teaching process;
• use of e-learning tools;
• group works and monitoring exercises in companies for several days.

Also Ms Natalia Fomina presented first draft of Needs Analysis Report, reflecting information submitted by the partners on existing curricula.

In point of Generic curricula development Prof. Harsha presented the first draft of generic curricula for Water Supply and Wastewater treatment courses.

Work meeting ended with a discussion of following summer staff and students mobility actions and next meeting in Kyiv. The tasks were gotten and participants we looking forward to next gathering.

Serhii Shmyhol, sergioshyhol@gmail.com

Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of European Union will hold the Grantholders Meeting for coordinators of Capacity Building in Higher Education projects

The event will take place on 27-28 January 2016 at the Management Centre Europe in Brussels (Belgium) and will address in detail practical issues related to the implementation of the project and the grant agreement management rules. The meeting will be an excellent opportunity for new and experienced practitioners to exchange knowledge and to network with other projects addressing similar issues.

Web-streaming facilities will be available during part of the meeting so as to ensure that all the projects can benefit from and participate in the discussions. The web-streamed workshop dedicated to Project Management will take place on 27 January, 11:00-12:30 in English.

The EACEA has published grant management documents recently. Water Harmony ERASMUS+ partners are encouraged to read the documents carefully and send questions to the Project coordinator before the Grantholders meeting: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/beneficiaries-space/capacity-building-in-higher-education_en

The workshop sessions will be devoted to Financial, Contractual and Project Management issues. A dedicated workshop will be organized on the second day for those projects that have been granted additional funds under Special Mobility Strand.

The helpdesk that will be organized during the second day will allow individual projects to have a bilateral discussion with the EACEA staff and representatives from the International Contact Points in the Program Countries.

More information available for WHE+ partners in Partner Section: http://waterh.eu/en/partner-login/

Coordinators from collaborating universities met at Norwegian University of Life Sciences for official project inception and planning of further activities.

International team from 10 universities of 6 countries met 5-8 November 2015 to begin the journey for harmonized water related graduate education under the flag of ERASMUS+ EU program. The new project Water Harmony ERASMUS+ (WHE+) will identify and systematically build up methodological and pedagogical approaches supported with tools and resources related to one common and world-prioritized field – water.

WHE+ Project is a unique educational consortia and a good example of building international affairs between countries from different parts of Europe, South and Eastern Asia, creating bridges that overcome geographical gap of more than 8000 km. This is the distance between the farthest partners in the project – coordinating institution Norwegian University of Life Sciences and two universities from Sri Lanka – University of Peradeniya and University of Jaffna. In between the extreme points of project geography there are two European universities – Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and University of Warmia and Mazury (Poland); three universities from Ukraine – Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology, National Technical University of Ukraine “KPI” and Cherakssy State Technological University; two universities from China – Qingdao Technological University and Shandong Jianzhu University.

The inaugural project meeting, hosted by Norwegian University of Life Sciences, brought together 20 coordinators representing all project partners. Meeting opening and welcome reception on the day of arrivals was the first time all coordinators met each other personally and exchanged statements on their teaching and research interests, reviewed project application and discussed proposed project structure.

Prof. Harsha Ratnaweera, project manager, introduced the WHE+ with reference to the Program Guide and Application. According to the positive feedback received from the project reviewer, Prof. Ratnaweera gathered the project team based on his long-term professional relations with Sri Lanka and Ukraine, where he studied; China, where he worked before professorship in Norway; Germany and Poland, where he had reliable partners in a number of research projects. Having such advanced and long-term cooperation, the goal of the project emerged as development of improved learning and teaching tools, methodologies and pedagogical approaches using best practices. Thereby partners believe that achievement of the goal will lead to developed skills in multiple use of resources and long-term planning for multiple benefits in such a way that project partners will have harmonised teaching and pedagogical approaches in water related gradual education.

The welcome speech from Prof. Halvor Hektoen, pro-rector of NMBU, started the formal Project Opening on 6^th of November in the NMBU historical hall of high-panel meetings. Prof. Hektoen emphasized the importance of the WHE+ project to NMBU referring to its broad international role and the role it can play in NMBUs strategic priorities where excellence in education is in focus. Formal opening continued by self-introduction, where each country presented their universities, participants and their expectations to the project. The formal opening has been summarized by members of the host university – Prof. Cecilie Rolstad Denby, Chair of Department and Prof. Øystein Johnsen, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Science & Technology.

The project team continued with planning workshops on board the Color Line ferry, travelling from Oslo to Kiel, Germany. Having 6 intensive workshops, the team planned project logistics and tasks through work packages as well as started the first work package on needs analysis. The schedule of activities has been drafted and tasks for the next year agreed.

Resultative WHE+ inception meeting laid the foundation of further success and achievement of the stated goal. It is expected that in this way the project will bring out learning and teaching tools, methodologies and pedagogical approaches and e-learing modules on 6 courses related to water, upgrade laboratories with lab courses and teaching tools. WHE+ staff mobility and workshops will train teachers to think creating better opportunities for graduates and opportunities for contract research and to think multi-purpose utilization of resources. Activities planned during the inaugural meeting will strengthen entrepreneurship skills of students and secure quality assurance of educational programs at the partnering universities.