Development of Educational and Research CAPacity in Eastern Africa for the Sustainable Management of AQUAatic Ecosystems (CAPAQUA II)

The overall project goal is to foster the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems and their resources in order to improve livelihoods in Eastern Africa. The “CAPAQUA II” project amplifies the achievements of former ADC-funded projects. Institutional North-South and South-South collaboration in Higher Education and Research is lifted to a higher level via the establishment of an international joint-degree Master Programme in “Limnology and Wetland Management” of BOKU, Egerton University and UNESCO-IHE. Furthermore, an inter-university joint M.Sc. programme in “Aquatic & Wetland Ecosystem Management” is established by Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University and EIAR-NFALRC, facilitated by BOKU and Egerton University. The project is planned, organized and implemented by the well-proven consortium consisting of Egerton University, UNESCO-IHE and BOKU/IPGL, plus the new partner institutions Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University and EIAR-NFALRC. At least 40 young water/environmental professionals from Eastern Africa are attending the collaborative M.Sc. programmes and at least 29 M.Sc. research projects are carried-out in Eastern Africa. The laboratory/field-research equipment and aquatic libraries of Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University and EIAR-NFALRC are updated to implement a skill-oriented M.Sc. programme and to enhance the research capacity of the Ethiopian institutions. Training workshops, academic quality assurance workshops and curriculum development workshops are organized for academic and administrative personnel of Addis Ababa University, Bahir Dar University, EIAR-NFALRC, Egerton University and collaborating institutions. The project is supporting capacity development processes at Eastern African institutions, which are educating professionals and carrying-out relevant research in Eastern Africa. The target institutions are key-players to mobilize society and financial resources to improve the management of environmental assets to the benefit of Eastern African people.