Clean water for India

The objective of the BIBS project is to improve the water supply in the Indian region of Pune. An important starting point here is the staff training level. Often, it’s not the technologies that are lacking, but rather the know-how to keep equipment operational and utilize it efficiently. Added to this is the fact that jobs in wastewater treatment plants have low social prestige and staff fluctuation is therefore high. The remedy is a newly developed water management course based on a German model that concisely imparts the knowledge needed to operate water supply and wastewater processing plants. The added bonus is that participants are awarded a “German” certificate, which carries a high level of prestige in India and at the same time enhances the standing of the local employees.  

In collaboration with the All India Shri Shivaji Memorial Society (AISSMS), the Association for European Social Work, Training and Education VESBE e.V. in Hennef, the Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management (ISWA) and the Institute of Human Factors and Technology Management (IAT) at the University of Stuttgart, Fraunhofer IAO developed a certificate course on water management for the Indian market. Important milestones were a thorough analysis of the local conditions, developing and adapting the training content, the use of modern training methods (including interactive 3D models), developing a viable business model, as well as executing and evaluating the new training model.

Following a comprehensive train-the-trainer program, the three-month certificate course was successfully implemented for the first time by our Indian partner ASSSMS at the end of 2015. More than 400 graduates already passed the exam in the first year. In the future, the newly established Indo-German Competence Academy joint venture will assume responsibility for the course packages.