- Background2

The CADWES team, established around 2000, includes members from Tampere University of Technology (TUT), University of Tampere (UTA), other universities, water and wastewater utilities, consulting engineering companies, environmental and other authorities, etc. The members represent a variety of other sciences besides engineering (see Researchers for more information). The team is headed by Docent Tapio S. Katko.

In addition to experience from Finland, the CADWES team members have likely close to 100 person-years of experience from international assignments in developing and transition economies, the nearby areas of Finland, Europe and North America. They have served UN bodies, Finland-supported development cooperation and related projects, development banks, project identification and evaluation as well as education and research activities.

In 2012, the UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Water Services was established at TUT. It is the first chair on water services and the first UNESCO Chair in the Nordic countries. It is related to the activities of “Achieving sustainable urban water management” and “Achieving sustainable rural water management” of the UNESCO led International Hydrological Programme (IHP).

Research
Since 1997 altogether seven doctoral dissertations, two licentiate’s (pre-doctoral) thesis and over 20 MSc theses have been produced by the CADWES team related to water services development at TUT alone. The team members have published close to 100 peer reviewed papers, some 40 scientific books including international ones, many national peer review articles, tens of expert and newspaper articles, as well as held about 100 international conference presentations (see Publications).

Starting in 1984, and more actively since 1997, CADWES has conducted over 70 research projects worth over 3 million euro (see Projects for more information).

The recent and current research themes cover regionalisation of water services, operational improvements, small systems management, on-site sanitation, stormwater management, pricing, asset management, rehabilitation of aging infrastructure, aging workforce and tacit knowledge management, public-private collaboration, leadership and stewardship, more transparent decision-making, and water in alleviating poverty.

Education
The CADWES team has for several years organised following courses at TUT: International Water Policy and Management, Management and Governance of Water Services (earlier called Management Options of Water Services) and Technological Development and Society.

The team members have also been involved in implementing international programmes including the Postgraduate Course in Water Supply and Sanitation 1979-1992 tailor-made for East Africa (some 100 MSc students), the tailor-made BSc programme in Civil Engineering for Namibia 1989-92 (15 students) as well as the Water and Environmental Management Programme (WEM) 1992-1998 for the Baltic region (over 100 experts).

More recently the team has been developing joint education (NSS programme) with the Eastern and Southern African alumni and organised several joint Nordic and Baltic Research Training Courses (NordForsk).

In cooperation with the IEHG at UTA, the CADWES team has several times conducted the Water and Society online course.

As for continuing education, the team has conducted in collaboration with Edutech Professional Development Programme Water Services Leadership and Development.