More than 25 young graduates studying Engineering and water resource management were invited to IFAT Africa to participate in this year’s University Challenge Africa.
An open call was made to all universities and technical colleges across South Africa to participate in the University Challenge Africa, awarded today in Johannesburg at the Environment Fair in Johannesburg, Ifat Africa. Students currently completing their Postgraduate studies in either Chemical, Civil or Environmental Engineering as well as Integrated Water Resource Management were specifically encouraged to apply.
Facilitated and adjudicated by DWA (German Association of Water, Wastewater and Waste), together the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), teams of three students each were required to complete two assignments. The first Challenge involved identifying a vendor at the fair and recommending their technology or product to a fictitious boss, while the second challenge involved designing an environmentally sustainable wastewater treatment system.
The winning team came from University of Pretoria and will win a fully paid trip to Germany and accommodation to participate in the World University Challenge in Munich in May 2020. All prizes were generously sponsored by the Wilo Foundtion.
The winners of this year’s University Challenge Africa are Job Tendenedzai from Zimbabwe, studying Environmental Engineering, Carla Hörstmann an already qualified Civil Engineer who has continued her studies in Chemical Engineering and Hester Oosthuizen completing her Masters in Chemical Engineering.
Harmani Karjala of DWA who adjudicated over the entries along with academic colleagues from both DWA and DAAD was pleased with the turn out considering the fair had taken place during the semester break. “ The winners demonstrated a clear social responsibility by selecting a low tech off-grid water pumping solution for rural areas.
Kristina Gubic
(from Johannesburg)
