The PROJECT
Our Mission
To contribute to strengthening capacity in higher education, equipping higher education institutions and their students in three participating West African countries with methods and tools to address the environmental, social, and economic challenges associated with Solid Waste Management (SWM).
What We Aim to Achieve
- Develop new training and teaching programs addressing sustainable solid waste management, integrating technical education with training sessions for business start-ups in the field of SWM.
- Establish WARM Labs that can be utilized even after the project’s completion.
- Establish sustainable synergies and links with private sector stakeholders to meet their need for specialized personnel handling post-consumer materials, address their training needs, and enhance the employability of university graduates.
- Promote continuous cooperation, exchange of know-how, and good practices among West African countries and with various stakeholders, including public administrations and companies in the SWM sector.
- Disseminate project results to a wide audience, transferring sustainability concepts in the field of SWM to the general public and society at large, involving school students and their relatives in the dissemination process.
Partner and Instition
Dr. Hilla Limann
Technical University – DHLTU
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University (DHLTU), located in Wa (Ghana) started in September 1999.
The DHLTU University is dedicated to becoming a leader in providing courses based on a competency-based learning model.
It has three faculties: applied sciences and technology; engineering; applied art design and general studies and business school. Currently, the University runs seven accredited Bachelor of Technology Programmes and fourteen HND( Higher National Diploma)- training and vocational accredited programmes and other competitive short courses and programmes.
hilo impact
PARTNER
Hilo Impact is a consultancy start-up founded by two under 30 women, one with an environmental engineering and waste management and recycling PhD and the other with a communication and sustainable businesses expertise.
Hilo Impact partners with several stakeholders to work together on the development, production, and marketing of innovative services with high technological value that through applied research, aim to reduce the environmental impact of product and solutions, increasing the recyclability of products and reducing their overall negative impacts.
They provide masterclasses and vocational and educational training to share learning experiences as well as to connect different stakeholders
Universitatea Tehnica Gheorghe Asachi Din Iasi – TUIASI
PARTNER
The University is represented by the Laboratory of Analysis and Control of Environmental Factors (LACMED accredited by the Romanian Accreditation Association- RENAR according to SR EN ISO/CEI 17025/2018 as Testing Laboratory (LI) with Accreditation Certificate LI 1054/18.03.2023 (3rd cycle of accreditation).
LACMED provides research and consultancy services for:
– Environmental analysis of water, wastewater and solid wastes;
– Conventional and advanced treatment of water/ wastewater; – Waste treatment and management;
– Pollution prevention, control/ upgrade of environmental process technologies;
– Environmental management/training;
– Sustainability assessment of processes, products and services
University of Evora – UEVORA
PARTNER
The University of Évora (UEVORA) is a public university organized into six schools: Arts, Sciences and Technology, Social Sciences, Health and Human Development, Nursing, and the PhD School (IIFA).
The university’s Research and Development efforts are conducted through a network of 19 Research Units all subject to international evaluation under the guidance of the Institute for Research and Advanced Studies.
UEVORA has established 10 Chairs in key areas such as Aerospace, Agriculture, and Renewable Energies. It also participates in the National Roadmap of Strategic Research Infrastructures and has multiple research facilities in fields like agronomy, aerospace engineering, and solar energy. Recentky UEVORA has strengthened its relationship with the community by creating working networks, participating in the Science and Technology Park, and establishing co-promotion research projects.
University of Basilicata – UNIBAS
PARTNER
The University of Basilicata is an Italian public state university. founded in 1981.
The main campus is in Potenza, with an additional campus in Matera, both located in the Basilicata region of Southern Italy.
The university is structured into five departments: Engineering (DIING) , Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences (DAFE); Health Sciences (DISS), Scientific and Social Innovation (DIUSS); Basic and Applied Sciences (DISBA), and a School of Specialisation in Archaeological Heritage (SSBA) located in Matera
The educational offer is divided into 35 Degree Courses (15 Degree Courses, of which 1 international, 16 Master’s Degree Courses, of which 2 international, 4 Single-Cycle Degree Courses).
In addition, it includes 5 PhD Courses, set up in cooperation with public and private institutions and with other Italian or foreign universities.
Energy Technology Centre, University for Development Studies – UDS
PARTNER
The Energy Technology Centre of the University for Development Studies is a Centre established under the School of Engineering to conduct research, training, and advocacy for renewable energy adoption and sustainable use.
One aspect of its mandate is to research converting waste into resources (waste-to-energy, biochar, biocomposite materials, reuse options, etc.), and we believe this project fits into this mandate of the Centre.
The Centre was established in 2016 and has done several assignments for different organizations, including the World Bank, GIZ, African Environmental Sanitation Consult, WEE-North, and iDE Ghana
Central University Limited by Guarantee – CUSL
PARTNER
Established in 2014, Central University (CUSL) is located on a 600-acre campus at Silicon Hills, near Mile 91 along the Freetown Highway.
The university is proud of its commitment to educational innovation and excellence. CUSL offers a diverse range of undergraduate programs designed to meet the evolving needs of the global workforce. With a dedicated faculty of accomplished scholars, the university aims to provide a world-class education that empowers students to become leaders in their fields.
The university is currently composed of two faculties: the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Business Administration and Management.
Njala University – NJU
PARTNER
Njala University, is a public research university in Sierra Leone committed to providing the highest standards of excellence in higher education in Sierra Leone and beyond, fostering intellectual and personal development, and stimulating meaningful research and service to humankind
The University offers comprehensive academic programmes through the following ten Schools: Environmental Sciences; Agriculture and Food Science; Education; Natural Resources Management; Technology; Social Sciences & Law ; Community Health Sciences;Basic Sciences; Basic Education; Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences
Ledea Bernard OUEDRAOGO – ULBO
PARTNER
Ledea Bernard OUEDRAOGO university, formerly known as the University of Ouahigouya, is a public institution in Burkina Faso located in the Northern part of the country, more than 185 km from the capital, Ouagadougou.
The university has 58 full-time academic staff and about 5000 students. ULBO provides training and reserach on Heath Sciences; Sciences and Technologies and Training and Professional Development. It covers the fields of mathematics, medicine, marketing, accounting and finance, offering bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and PhDs.
Today, Ledea Bernard Ouédraogo University is committed to modernisation and excellence, with the ambition of becoming a major regional hub for training, research and innovation, actively contributing to the socio-economic development of Burkina Faso.
University Joseph KI-ZERBO – UKZ
PARTNER
Founded in 1974, University Joseph KI-ZERBO is located in the city capitol Ouagadougou. It is the first and largest university in Burkina Faso.
Ranked as one of the best universities in West Africa, University Joseph Ki-ZERBO has more than 50,000 students. It is faithful to its motto of “Populi Sapientia Populo” (Knowledge of the people for the people), by offering training and doing research that meets the needs of society.
The training regime is that of Bachelor-Master-Doctorate. It has 5 research training and research units (TRU), 6 institutes and 2 university centres based in 2 secondary cities in Burkina Faso. At least one TRU and one institute teach and conduct research on solid waste management.
TEAM
Hamidatu Darimani
Project Manager
Professor; Senior Lecturer in Agricultural Engineering and current Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University, Wa (Ghana). She has teaching and research experience in Agricultural Engineering, with specialty in Irrigation, biofertilizer production and agro-waste management. She has participated in several research projects related to water resources engineering. She is an author and co-author of several scientific publications. She has presented scientific papers at several conferences.
Dr.-Ing. Caterina Picuno
Leader WP6 Lead researcher-
Responsible for work package 6, lead researcher, and contribution to technical work packages. She is at the forefront of ingenuity for new solutions for packaging materials and packaging design in the consumer goods and agricultural. She obtained her Ph.D. in Process and Environmental Engineering at the Hamburg University of Technology, Germany. She has served as a scientific advisor for companies like Unilever and Veolia. Her expertise is in the field of plastic products’ life cycle, waste management strategies and integration of new policies into the products’ value chains.
Prof. Brindusa Sluser
project manager; researcher; trainer/ teacher;university team coordinator
Associate Professor at TUIASI with expertise in environmental impact and risk assessment. She holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering (2005) with environmental applications and an habilitation title in Environmental Engineering (2020). She has published 20 books and chapters and 86 scientific papers, with a Hirsch index of 17. She has been involved in over 72 national and international grants and has extensive international experience from universities in Europe and the USA. Her professional affiliations include: National Committee for Environmental Experts Certification; American Industrial Hygiene Association – Rocky Mountain Section, USA; Air pollution and Noise Committee of the European Environmental Bureau, Brussels, Belgium
Prof. Teresa Batista
WP3 leader Researcher and university team coordinator
Coordination of Environmental Impact Assessment studies and implementing projects in the Circular Economy area, GIS, Landscape Ecology and Smart Rural and Smart Ports.
Teaching Geographic Information Technologies (Department of Rural Engineering, University of Évora) and Fundamentals for Environmental Impact Assessment (Department of Landscape, Environment and Management). Team Leader of the Environment and Development Unit in the Intermunicipal Community of Central Alentejo (CIMAC), Évora, Portugal, directing GIS implementation for 14 Municipalities, and coordinating several national, international and cross border cooperation projects in GIS, Cartography and Cadastre, Territory and Environment Analysis, Water supply Efficiency; Energy efficiency, Circular Economy.
Prof. Salvatore Margiotta
WP4 Leader; Contribution to all WPs.
Associate Professor in Agricultural Engineering – Farm Buildings and Rural Land, University of Basilicata. He is expert in waste management and environmental impact assessment of agricultural activities.
Prof. Abubakari Zarouk IMORO
WP5 Leader; Project manager; Expert; Researcher and teacher; University team coordinator
Long time experience in the areas of waste (solid and liquid) management and minimization with an emphasis on treatment, resource recovery, waste-to-energy, and pollution abatement. Head of the UDS Energy Technology Centre and the past quality assurance officer of the School of Engineering UDS. Lead consultant for the GIZ Ghana-sponsored pilot Solar Girls Project and for the African Environmental Sanitation.
Prof. Saidu KANU
WP7 Leader; Senior Expert; University team coordinator
He holds a PhD in veterinary parasitology, a master’s degree in animal infectious diseases and preventive veterinary medicine, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. He has been teaching at universities for over twenty years. He served as head of the animal sciences department for eight years, director of a polytechnic institute for four years, and is currently dean of the faculty of science and technology. He has published several peer-reviewed articles and has carried out several advisory missions on behalf of the FAO in Sierra Leone.
Prof. Momodu Sahid KANU
Training activities and contribution to technical WPs; University team coordinator
Senior PhD researcher and head Department of Agribusiness Management, Njala University
Deputy Director, Center for Pedagogical Excellence, Njala UniversityHe has participated in consultancies- business plan, business incubation, value chains.
Prof. Adama OUEDA
WP2 Leader Project manager, Senior expert; University team coordinator
As a full professor of Animal Biology and Ecology, he has contributed significantly to the institutional development of his university in terms of teaching, research, administration, and community service: student supervision, curriculum design, publications, and cooperation management.
As a professor and researcher, his main activities focus on (1) the management and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems in West Africa; (2) biodiversity and conservation in Burkina Faso; and (3) pollution, the biological transfer of pollutants, and health issues related to the aquatic environment.
Prof. MAIGA Ynoussa
Contribution to all work packages; University Joseph KI-ZERBO team coordinator
Full Professor of Microbiology at Joseph KI-ZERBO University. He works on the development of biological processes for the remediation and recovery of solid waste, microbiological risks, the impact of solid waste on microbial biodiversity in soils, nutrient recovery through microbial processes, and antimicrobial resistance. He is the author and co-author of several scientific publications.