The Palestinian Dutch Academic Cooperation (PADUCO) is comprised of a number of small projects funded by the Dutch government.
The Institute of Environmental and Water Studies (IEWS) is currently implementing a project titled, “BRO Water Use”, in cooperation with Ramallah Municipality. The project seeks to develop highly efficient technology for wastewater treatment with anaerobic and dynamic membranous reactors. Master degree students are appointed to work on the location of wastewater treatment plant in Al-Teerah, Ramallah, as Birzeit University owns a station there.
Another project supported by PADUCO is “IN-One”. The project aims to develop technical solutions for industrial and organic waste treatment plants.
Funded by PADUCO, members of the institute conduct academic visits to the Netherlands, to do field studies for about sustainable management of industrial wastewater caused by the food industry and other topics. The visits aim to learn from the Dutch expertise about industrial wastewater treatment systems and technologies, caused by the agricultural food products factories (vegetables and juices). Members also visited a poultry slaughterhouse in order to study the water treatment system and their echo-friendly wastewater disposal system. They also visited pharmaceutical facilities, and a company that develops systems for using biogas from anaerobic treatment plants to use as a source of clean energy.
Various university academics from partner universities take part in the PADUCO project as they participate in the training courses that are concerned in improving teaching competencies for university academics in Palestine, in addition to improving their knowledge and skills in theoretical and practical teaching, developing teaching and learning capabilities, student-centered teaching materials, and developing a joint community of universities with inspiring teachers and researchers with emphasis on improving teaching and learning quality.
