The Faculty of Engineering at UOB is proud to be a partner in the newly launched Advancing Community-Centered Collaborative WASH Education (C3WASH) project, a transformative initiative aimed at redefining Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) education across the MENA region.
Led by Birzeit University in collaboration with IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, German Jordan University, the Palestinian Water Authority, the University of Balamand, SEED, and UPWSP, the project brings together leading academic institutions and sector stakeholders to prepare the next generation of WASH leaders.
The project brings together 21 experts from partner institutions, with Dr. Yasmine Jabali, Associate Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Balamand, serving as the Project Manager for UOB, and Mrs. Mirna Sleiman supporting the initiative as Administrative Assistant.
Spanning over 24 months and supported by a
€250,000 grant, C3WASH will develop innovative Master of Science (MSc) level courses that place communities at the center of water and sanitation solutions. The initiative promotes community-centered design, collaborative learning, and capacity building, while integrating principles of social justice, ecological sustainability, and locally grounded knowledge into newly developed curricula.
The MENA region faces growing WASH challenges due to conflict, climate change, and increasing pressure on water resources. Through C3WASH, project partners aim to strengthen resilience and promote inclusive solutions by focusing on:
- - Resilience in Crisis: Supporting WASH systems in fragile and post-conflict settings, including Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.
- - Inclusive Participation: Ensuring at least 50% representation of women, youth, and marginalized groups, while mentoring 20 MSc and PhD students and training 20 wastewater resource recovery facility (WRRF) operators.
- - Bridging Academia and Practice: Connecting research with real-world applications through policy dialogues, workshops, and hands-on capacity-building activities.
Through interdisciplinary curriculum development, study visits, workshops, webinars, and open-access educational resources, the project aims to create a sustainable educational model for the region. The newly developed curriculum will ultimately be embedded as a permanent MSc track at Birzeit University.
Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Professor Rami Abboud commended the efforts of Dr. Jabali for being part of this project and contributing her expertise to help shape a more resilient and sustainable future for water education and practice across the MENA region.