Kyiv Polytechnic chemists join international DigiGreen4Water project
In early 2026, a teaching staff from the Department of Inorganic Substances, Water Treatment and General Chemical Technology at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, together with their partners, submitted an application to participate in the international project titled “Digital and Green Solutions for Rebuilding Ukraine’s Water Sector” (DigiGreen4Water).
The project consortium also includes the Ås-based Norwegian University of Life Sciences, the Ukrainian Water Association NGO WaterNet, and three Ukrainian universities – the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technology based in the city of Dnipro, the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering in Rivne, and the Lviv Polytechnic National University.
According to the outcome of the selection process under the programme Nansen EDU — Norwegian-Ukrainian Cooperation in Higher Education, funded by the Norway’s Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, DigiGreen4Water was chosen as one of the winning projects and awarded a grant.
Running until 2029, the project aims to restore, digitise and environmentally modernise Ukraine’s water sector.
Core focus areas of the project include:
- Rebuilding of infrastructure — applying modern European standards in the reconstruction of water supply and sanitation systems damaged or destroyed in wartime;
- Training of specialists — organising new micro-qualification programmes, international summer schools and internships in Norway;
- Digitalisation — training students and specialists in the use of modern digital tools for water resource management.
The major objective of the project is to strengthen Ukraine’s long-term resilience by enhancing higher education and forming a sustainable partnership with Norway. The implementation of the project is intended to lay the foundations for the modernisation of long-term educational programmes whilst building up the HR and institutional capacity of the water sector.
Special attention will be paid to engaging internally displaced persons, demobilised military personnel, and representatives of local communities facing pressing challenges in water supply and sanitation.
DigiGreen4Water will also promote interaction between universities and the wider community. To tackle pressing challenges in the water sector, plans are afoot to establish cooperation with local enterprises, simultaneously expanding employment opportunities.
By combining the satisfaction of urgent educational needs with long-term institutional transformation, the project is expected to contribute not only to the rebuilding of Ukraine’s water sector but also to the creation of a more sustainable future for this country.
The main tasks of the project:
- organising a new course called “Digital and Green Technologies for the Water Sector,” which will include modules on digital transformation, emergency response during disasters, recovery of resources, and green technologies;
- modernising educational programmes and creating opportunities for upskilling;
- improving employment prospects for graduates;
- building up institutional and research capacity to prevent further brain drain and the loss of accumulated experience.
The DigiGreen4Water project is intended to become an important instrument for educating a new generation of engineers and environmentalists who will contribute to the rebuilding and modernisation of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.
https://hkdir.no/en/grants-and-open-calls/nansen-edu-call-for-applications-2025
