The Association for the Promotion of International Knowledge Exchange (Verein zur Förderung des internationalen Wissensaustauschs e.V.) from Munich has been implementing various water-related projects in recent years, primarily in Africa, but also in Latin America and Asia. In its projects, it is using the “Lab in a Bag” teaching concept which was invented by the chair of the association, Christoph Rapp, at Technische Universität München – a concept based on experience-based learning using simple experiments that enable students to better understand complex physical relationships.

Currently, the association focuses its activities on the “Lab-in-a-Bag” project which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and, in terms of content, supported by the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt. The project is being implemented at Arusha Technical College in Tanzania in close collaboration with the latter. The aim is to design experiments in such a way that they are cost-efficient and simple to set up and are small enough for packaging. In this way, experience-based teaching on water issues will enrich the curricula for future engineers studying at universities worldwide, including in Africa.

As a first step, a teaching room was set up at Arusha Technical College in January with financial support from the Wilo-Foundation. This room uses a cost-efficient modular construction system with lightweight construction elements and plastic bottles as filling material. Therefore, it is just as easily “exportable” as the “Lab-in-a-Bag” itself. Christine Amira, Sustainability and Communications Manager of Wilo East Africa (Kenya) attended the official inauguration of the water training lab at Arusha Technical College on 14 January 2023 where she was able to gain some first-hand impressions of the project. During the event, she had an opportunity to talk with the college director and learn more about the teaching activities at the water training lab and discuss ideas for cooperation with Wilo, for instance through technology training and mentoring for students provided by Wilo experts.

The water training lab is equipped with a mobile 3D printer, which is especially useful for mechanical engineering students at the college. The lab was designed and built by Munich-based artist Markus Heinsdorff who has been awarded the Federal Cross of Merit and whose works include the German-Chinese House at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and, in collaboration with the association, successful projects in the rainforests of Ecuador and in Zanzibar, for example.

The water training lab has many advantages. First of all, it will raise students’ awareness of environmental protection, including using recycled materials for construction. It also enables users to apply, in a cost-efficient way, one of the latest technologies for building prototypes of consumer goods, industrial, medical and health products.