Project Overview: 

Empowering Women in Environmental Engineering

WatHer is an Erasmus+ funded initiative that connects students, researchers, and professionals across Europe to explore how water, climate, and gender equality intersect in engineering and environmental sustainability.
Building on six previous “Democratia – Aqua – Technica” projects, WatHer (2024–2026) focuses on empowering women in environmental engineering and inspiring the next generation of changemakers in science and technology.

The project brings together universities, NGOs, and local authorities to strengthen democratic values, promote gender equality, and address global water challenges through education and innovation.

WatHer seeks to:

• Empower women in technical and environmental disciplines by providing opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and visibility.

• Enhance environmental literacy through interdisciplinary learning about water management, sustainability, and climate resilience.

• Promote democracy and inclusion by connecting students and teachers from diverse backgrounds across Europe.

• Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — especially:

        SDG 4: Quality Education

        SDG 5: Gender Equality

        SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

        SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Activities

The WatHer project runs through a series of dynamic international events and digital collaborations:

• Kick-Off Meeting: Setting the foundation for cooperation among partners, defining shared goals, and developing joint teaching materials.

• Spring School: A one-week intensive program where students and faculty explore the relationship between water, climate, and gender equality through workshops, lectures, and field visits.

• Online Conference: Open to a wider audience, sharing project outcomes, research, and inspiring stories from women engineers and environmental innovators.

• Local Activities: Partner universities and organizations host their own educational and outreach events to engage communities and raise awareness of sustainable water management.

• Publication & Dissemination: Results and best practices will be shared in an open-access online platform to encourage further collaboration and replication.

Partners

WatHer is coordinated by SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences (Germany) in cooperation with a strong European network:

• Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary)

• Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (Italy)

• Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal (Germany)

• Klaipeda University (Lithuania)

• EkoForum (Poland)

• Youthfully Yours (Slovakia)

Together, the partners bring diverse expertise from environmental engineering, social sciences, and educational innovation to create a truly interdisciplinary platform for learning and empowerment.

Impact

WatHer is more than an academic collaboration — it’s a movement for change.
By uniting students and educators across borders, the project promotes a deeper understanding of how environmental sustainability and gender equality go hand in hand.

Participants not only gain new technical and social competences but also become ambassadors for a greener, fairer, and more inclusive Europe.

Project Duration

2024 – 2026

Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union