Congratulations to the graduates of Advanced Water Cycle Management

Saturday, the students left Låsby Kro with their diplomas in hand, ready to go out and influence the future water industry. 30-08-2022

This year's course was successfully completed this weekend, and yet again, the mix of guiding theory backed by semi-practical tasks turned out to be a great way of constructing a "water knowledge upgrade" - both for the participants and the companies involved.

From silo mentality to team work

The course content is designed from a holistic view on water infrastructure throughout society, also in terms of the energy circle and how to efficiently use our available resources; cleaned water should be put back into the ground by establishing constructed wetlands, and the necessary energy should be produced by the wastewater treatment plant itself.

Katrine - studying biotechnology engineering in Denmark

”I was recommended to join the course, and was happy with both the content and the social aspect of the two weeks; the structure of mixing both groundwater, water distribution and wastewater gave good insights to the complete task of managing water throughout a society. And 14 days in the countryside was a good way to socialise and network with others from the business”.

In the second week, the course was divided into three thematic tracks of Groundwater, Water Distribution and Wastewater, and each student selected a track based on their individual area of interest.

For the final exam, the students were combined in groups based on the track selected, but even so the groups would have to work together to make sure that all chains in the water circle were considered; something that the students mention as the most important take-away from the course: prioritising to work together across areas of expertise to obtain the most efficient, sustainable solution possible.

Fun and networking in rural settings

The students joined the course from 12 different countries, which brought a lot of value to the knowledge sharing process - both regarding cultural differences, local views on products or solutions, environmental concerns and the like.

In between all the lectures and company visits, there were also a bit of time for getting to know each other and the local area. Sunday 21st, they went for a canoe trip on the Skanderborg Lake to enjoy a day off from screens and brainstorms.

Company visit to our AVK headquarters

One of the main ingredients in a sustainable water network are valves that are reliable, efficient and of high quality, to avoid the hassle of cutting off vital processes in order to switch out products or perform maintenance. As valve specialists, the participants should of course stop by our facilities and have a closer look at our product range.

August 18th, the course visited our AVK Academy and Visitor Centre, where they met with representatives from Aarhus University, AAV, Grundfos and AVK who gave lectures within their specific areas of expertise.

In our showroom, they were sent on a “Valves for dummies: The valve park” scavenger hunt to search out details about some of our many products. They were given a short introduction beforehand, so they were tuned in on the valves’ technical specifications. Thanks to all the students for yet another great day of fun and learnings!

Alyson - engineer and Ph.D student (focusing on PFAS in groundwater)

“It is very interesting to see and learn from a very different way of looking at water management here vs in the US. Not just the technical details, but also the corporation between the different actors in the industry. In my work with my Ph.D, the course has also given me a good understanding of the needs and challenges of a water utility”.

Mathilde - Water Technology Advisory EU team member

“The collaboration in the Danish water industry is really great and inspirational, and at the same time very important for what can be achieved on a higher level. And it reaches far beyond the Danish borders, with many utilities, institutes, manufacturers etc. having connections or projects abroad that paves the way for a lot of opportunities.”

Join us next year

Interested in a water knowledge upgrade?

Then join us next summer, when we once again launch our water summer school in August.

The course is a 5 ECTS-point giving course, designed to get you updated on the industry's latest trends and technologies.