The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) has signed a new grant agreement to launch the second group of its doctoral programme in Integrated Water Resources Management (SGSP-IWRM).
The agreement was signed together with the German Aerospace Center Project Management Agency (DLR-PT), acting on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). This marks an important step forward after the success of the programme’s first group of students.
The new phase of the programme will run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2030. The first group was successfully carried out over four years, from 2022 to 2025.
The programme aims to train highly skilled water experts at PhD level across SASSCAL member countries in Southern Africa. It also focuses on building strong academic and practical skills in water management, especially in the face of climate change.
SASSCAL is working closely with governments and institutions in the region to ensure that graduates are placed in key sectors where their skills are most needed. These include areas affected by water shortages, poor water quality, and climate-related challenges.
The second group of students builds on the progress made by the first group. In addition to training PhD students, the programme is also expected to support a wider network of water experts across the region.
The programme is being run in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), with strong support from the International Centre for Water Resources and Global Change (ICWRGC) in Germany.
During the first phase, students benefited from training and exchange opportunities in Germany, supported by ICWRGC and the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) in Koblenz. These exchanges helped improve the quality of research and strengthened collaboration between African and German experts.
Students in the programme are trained to deal with real-world water challenges, including water availability, quality, and distribution. There is also a strong focus on innovative and practical research that can bring lasting solutions to communities. With the second group now underway, SASSCAL continues its efforts to build a new generation of water and climate experts for the region.
