In addition to the PhD program, all levels of education play an important role at Wetsus. In the education and talent fields, Wetsus closely cooperates with the other actors in WaterCampus Leeuwarden and with national organizations. Many of these programs are characterized by a STEM approach. STEM is based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Rather than teach the four disciplines as separate subjects, they are as much as possible integrated into cohesive learning models based on real-world applications. Together with the partners at WaterCampus Leeuwarden, Wetsus is dedicated to play an important role in the inspiration of young people to choose for a scientific or entrepreneurial career in which they can help solve the global water problems. More information and the full program (in Dutch)
Wetsus cooperates with 4 universities of applied sciences (Dutch HBO) in the Netherlands that have a minor in water treatment: Van Hall Larenstein, NHL Stenden Hogeschool, Hogeschool Zeeland and Saxion Hogeschool. Wetsus supports these institutes and their applied research water technology professors in several ways, in order to help them to continuously improve the curriculum, to connect them with the sector and to enable them to attract more and better students.
Wetsus offers an internationally unique master program in water process technology. Wageningen University, University of Twente and the University of Groningen started in 2008, in co-operation with Wetsus, a new master track Water Technology in order to combine research and education. In 2013 the involved universities and Wetsus have formally changed the mastertrack into a master program Water Technology with a joint degree. This way, Wetsus’ research program is used simultaneously to educate new talents in the field of water technology. The quality of the Master was externally evaluated in 2018, resulting in the qualification ‘good’.
Typically, the attended bachelor programs of the participating students are based on one discipline. The master program is based on multiple disciplines and thus requires a high level of (new) interdisciplinary knowledge assimilation and inquisitiveness from the student. Therefore, student recruitment emphasizes on quality (talent) more than quantity (number). Students register at Wageningen University, and will hence automatically be registered at the two other universities. After successful completion of the master program, students receive a joint MSc degree from the three universities.
Start your international learning MBA when you are a water specialist with leadership ambitions! Are you a water expert in your field? Then you know that you are important for the water sector. And, are you eager to become a leader within the water sector? Then we offer you a MBA that helps you to develop your executive skills and makes it possible to take on (international) challenges in the water sector.
New theoretical ideas and empirical research show that very young children’s learning and thinking are strikingly similar to much learning and thinking in science. Preschoolers test hypotheses against data and make causal inferences; they learn from statistics and informal experimentation, and from watching and listening to others.
To stimulate this behaviour, Wetsus sends Water professors to primary schools. More than 750 schools have already been visited by the ‘Waterprofessor’.
In addition, we offer an excellence program; a unique course that offers 4 lessons that are adapted to the level of highly gifted students. The kids are challenged to solve world water problems, using technology.
Together with teachers, researchers and companies, the Talent Program translates water technology to a level that allows youngsters to discover its impact and how it is applied in the sector. The results of this cooperation have led to the development of events, competitions, teaching material and a variety of programs, such as:
Honors Program; a selected group of students is invited to work on their own research project at Wetsus, supported by a team of Wetsus PhD’s. After one year of research the young researchers qualify for participation in an international Science Fair.
Lab Experience day; twice per month a practical course ‘water technology’ is organized for 2nd grade students at Wetsus. The one-day course encourages research skills, cooperation, accuracy, ‘out of the box thinking’ and taking initiative.
Masterclasses; students can receive support from PhD’s or experts during their thesis or science projects. Masterclasses are offered to share the latest developments in science and water with the students enabling them to elevate the level of their projects.