Establishing the mobility program as part of the SASSCAL Graduate Studies Programme in Integrated Water Resources Management (SGSP – IWRM)

The SASSCAL Graduate Studies Programme in Integrated Water Resources Management (SGSP – IWRM) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, was established in 2021 by the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), together with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), and the International Centre for Water Resources and Global Change (ICWRGC) at the Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG) in Koblenz, Germany.

SGSP students will be awarded their degrees from NUST in 2025 where the programme is hosted. A special part of the SGSP program is the mobility program where students spend three to six months in Germany, hosted by a university/ institute to work closely with their German supervisor. The mobility program is organized by the ICWRGC and allows the students to widen their career development through quality-oriented knowledge exchange, training opportunities, research and networking. The mobility program further provides technical experience and exposure enhancement, in addition to facilitating the promotion of ‘international adaptability and cross- cultural sensitivity” desired in the global economy.

The presentation will highlight the process of establishing and implementing the scientific mobility program, focusing on the cooperation required for this program to help promote discussions among young and experienced, German and African researchers on current and future research themes and activities in Southern Africa given climate change. In specific, current and future climate challenges in Southern Africa that were defined in a workshop conducted throughout the students’ mobility program and range from food insecurity, to water scarcity and floods will be addressed. The presentation will further focus on the new research themes arising and how we can ensure that this research be translated into policy.

Additionally, the presentation will include the results of the in-person evaluation interviews conducted with the students to shed a light on the lessons learn from this cooperation. This is the basis needed for proper evaluation and assessment of the mobility program to ensure better cooperation for the launching of a second cohort.