20 Years of Dutch-Palestinian Relations: From Perceptions to Cooperation

1. 20 Years of Dutch-Palestinian Relations: From Perceptions to Cooperation Associate Professor of Sanitary & Environmental Engineering Institute of Environmental & Water Studies (IEWS) Birzeit University (BZU), Birzeit, Palestine • Rashed Al-Sa`ed First Palestinian Water Forum 28 May 2014, Birzeit University, Palestine

2. Outline • Trends in Palestinian water and sanitation services • Cooperation between Dutch academic institutions-BZU in water and sanitation sectors • Training & MSc programs; R&D; partnership and networking • Was the cooperation successful? • Measurable impacts in facts and figures • Pitfalls and setbacks • And what next?

3. Water and Sanitation Services in Palestine: Current Main Trends • Environmental awareness • Regulation [N & P & odors) • Energy costs • Sludge disposal costs • Chemicals costs • Fresh water price • Regional political constraints • Water availability/accessibility • Available land for WWTPs • Financial aids for desalination • Infrastructure quality (aging) • Cost recovery/sustainability • Water governance (enforcement)

4. Dutch Academic Institutions-BZU Cooperation 1994: First training programs in water and sanitation IHE-Delft and Birzeit University organized a Training Program for about 40 Palestinian Professionals • Technical Training Modules • IWRM, hydrology, groundwater modeling • Water quality, supply and treatment • Wastewater engineering, facility design, OM&R • Waste management, cleaner production, landfills Germany: GIZ [GTZ-Invent] Technical Training Program, 1995

5. Dutch Academic Institutions-BZU Cooperation [1994 - 1998] Capacity Building-M.Sc. Research • About 70 Palestinians got NFP fellowships for M.Sc. studies at IHE-Delft, The Netherlands [1997 - 2004] Capacity Building-M.Sc. & Ph.D. Research • BZU-IHE launched a joint project “WAterSector CApacity Building in PALestine” (WASCAPAL) • Establishing two M.Sc. programs in Water Sciences and Water Engineering as well as a water laboratory at Birzeit University • Short-Intensive educational missions from IHE staff at BZU • Two Ph.D. candidates obtained their degrees from TU-Delft and UNESCO-IHE and returned to work at Birzeit University

6. Dutch Academic Institutions-BZU Cooperation [1997 - 2004] Capacity Building-M.Sc. & Ph.D. Research • BZU- Wageningen Universitylaunched a joint project “Capacity building on Wastewater Valorization for Agricultural production in the Middle East area by using low-cost treatment technologies (WASTEVAL I; WASTEVAL II) • Selective Palestinian M.Sc. students obtained fellowships at BZU • One PhD candidate obtained his degree from Wageningen University and returned to work at Birzeit University Alternative Treatment Technologies & Effluent Reclamation for Reuse • Reclamation option & reuse guideline • Hygienic aspects and effluent quality

7. Dutch Academic Institutions-BZU Cooperation • [2001] Institute of Water Studies (IWS) • IWS was created and officially registered at Birzeit University • IHE short education missions with 2 local staff members • [2001] Partnership for Water Education and Research (PoWER) • Lead by UNESCO-IHE and jointly conducted by other 17 international academic and research agencies including IWS • IWS obtained the status as a “Collaborative Centre of UNESCO-IHE Institute of Water Education”.

8. Dutch Academic Institutions-BZU Cooperation • [2002-2014]Supported by PoWER initiative, IEWS was involved in a large number of joint research and educational projects • Many small research projects were conducted • PoWER Newsletter edited and issued by IEWS [12 issues] • One Ph.D. returnee got a post-doctoral position • [2007] IWS restructured into Institute of Environmental and Water Studies (IEWS) • TEMPUS, EU funded project lead by BZU, the MSc programs were upgraded to “Water and Environmental Engineering” & “Water and Environmental Sciences” • New M.Sc. Courses developed and old ones updated

9. Dutch Academic Institutions-BZU Cooperation • [2012-2016] Palestinian-Dutch Academic Consortium on Water (PADUCO) • PADUCO was established between 5 Palestinian Universities (Birzeit, An-Najah, Al-Quds, Kadoorie, and Polytechnic) and • 5 Dutch Universities (Twente, Maastricht School of Management, TU-Delft, Wageningen and UNESCO-IHE) • Small joint research projects are screened and financially supported for the first phase: M.Sc. Fellowships, pilot & lab scale units, etc.. • The consortium is supported by the Netherlands Representative Office in Ramallah [NRO-Ramallah]

10. Was Cooperation Successful? • Measurable impacts in facts and figures • M.Sc. Programs: • More than 150 students graduated from BZU M.Sc. Programs • Tens of M.Sc. Alumni have lead positions in governmental agencies, NGOs, and private sector • 14 Alumni of BZU M.Sc. Programs got Ph.D. degrees and are working • R&D projects: • Three Ph.D. holders are working at BZU • More than 50 article published in refereed journals [5 PhD faculty] • Research Lab upgraded with equipment, bench scale pilots and lab tools • Partnerships & Community Services: • Sustainable partnerships and durable networking with Dutch Universities • Several local training and community service programs conducted • Feasibility and detailed design of sanitation infrastructures performed

11. Was Cooperation Successful? • Pitfalls and setbacks • Former Head of M.Sc. Programs left while being abroad • A Ph.D. candidate quitted amid of her thesis works [Sanitary] • A Ph.D. candidate failed finalizing his Ph.D. proposal [Hydrology] • A Ph.D. candidate was about to leave during his final thesis writing • A Ph.D. candidate faced difficulties performing experimental works locally • M.Sc. Degree in Hydrology concentration frozen • Decreased enrolment of new students in M.Sc. Programs [Science] • Little staff exchange between partnerships members • Occasional BZU reforms in administrative and academic regulations

12. And What Next?Forum Topics • Gaza crises reduction: water, sanitation and energy? • Role of private sector: PPT initiatives? • How link R&D efforts to the national sector needs? • Improve employment, governance & donor aid coordination? Through dry, still water and energy rich!