Scientific Program

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) works in cooperation with the two EuroTech-Universities, the Danish Technical University (DTU) and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), as well as with the prestigious National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and the Colorado School of Mines. The National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center “Reinventing the Nation’s Urban Water Infrastructure“ is the cooperation partner of the Colorado School of Mines. The NeXus topic is investigated for the case of the Nile with its issue intensification due to the construction of new water uses by the upstream countries Ethiopia and Tanzania. The African project partners, namely the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the Ardhi University in Tanzania, the Cairo University and the Helwan University in Egypt, are confronted with this potential for conflict in their daily work.

Strategy:
Promoting the mobility for academic staff and students to build a thematic network with strategic goals of enhanced cooperation in the NeXus-education and -research between TU Munich, EuroTech partners from Switzerland and Denmark, NTUA Athens, the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center ReNUWIt and the partner universities of the Nile Nexus area in Egypt (Cairo and Helwan University), Tanzania (Ardhi University) and Ethiopia (Addis Ababa University).

Project goals:
Development of an English Master’s degree program in the NeXus field at the TU München. With contacts and through joint Bachelor- and Master-theses the transdisciplinary Nexus research should be initiated in a geographical area, where the subject is especially virulent. The NeXus Master’s degree program will also stand open to all employees of ministries and departments from partner countries with connection to NeXus and shall create lasting contacts of these countries to the TU München. Parallel doctoral programs are provided through funding of the participating partners from the EU/USA.

Measures:

• Thematic exchange about the contents of an NeXus-education and –research
• Development of a NeXus curriculum with course content from different faculties of the TUM and the partner countries
• Elaboration of the NeXus course content through workshops and summer schools in 2014/15
• Launching the NeXus Master’s degree program at the TU München in 2016
• Mobilisation of teachers and students with the aim to experience NeXus issues on site, to initiate themes and contacts for student works and to obtain relevant data and partners for research on site

Special features:
First university master's degree program in the NeXus theme in Germany. Expanding the network through ongoing, very good contacts in the ministries of the Nile partner countries.

Project responsibility: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Rutschmann

Project coordination: Tatiana Stamou, M.Sc.

Program line of the DAAD: B, Thematische Netzwerke (Thematic networks)