iWater: Transdisciplinary Education and Research for Digital Transformation between Germany and Egypt

Session Description & Scope:

Water challenges increasingly cut across technical, environmental, institutional, economic, and social boundaries. At the same time, digital technologies are reshaping how water systems are monitored, planned, managed, and communicated. Yet digital transformation is not only a technological process: it also depends on skills, institutions, applied research, and effective cooperation between universities and practice partners.

This iWater session will explore how transdisciplinary education and research can support digital transformation in the water sector, using Germany-Egypt cooperation as the central context. Particular attention will be given to practice-oriented learning, research-to-practice pathways, digital tools and data systems, professional networks, and institutional partnerships.

The session will bring together perspectives from higher education, professional cooperation, industry, and applied research to identify practical opportunities for joint teaching, student projects, research, mobility, innovation, and knowledge exchange. Water-sector applications may include integrated water resources management, water quality, reuse, desalination, groundwater, climate resilience, and utility management.

Moderator: Dr. Hassan Aboelnga, Coordinator iWater Program, TH Koln-University of Applied Sciences, Germany.

Speakers:

• Prof. Lars Ribbe, iWater Project Lead, TH Koln-University of Applied Sciences, Germany.

• Prof. Sherif Elbaday, Dean of Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University.

• Mr. Boris Geifeneder, Managing Director, German Water Partnership (GWP)

• Dr. Peter Riad, Sector Expert Water, AHK Egypt