ACWUA- GIZ 5th Regional Training Program: Enhancing Business Performance of Water Utilities through Quality Management and Standards

Why this course?

Water utilities in the MENA region are striving hard to improve their efficiency, the quality of their services and the level of their overall performance. Despite some important differences in the legal status of water service providers and the institutional set-up of the water sector, the challenges throughout the MENA region remain similar. The development of effective and independent regulators who take care of the quality of the water/wastewater services provided to customers would assist the sector. Therefore, capacity building in water utilities should address elements of standards concerning service activities and quality management issues at individual and organizational level. The skills to apply standards are important to enable utilities to strengthen their technical and management practices to improve internal processes, customer services and to effectively cooperate with other actors in the water sector.

Objective of the training:

The training aims to enhance knowledge on internationally accepted standards, modern quality management con-cepts and how to apply them at various workplaces in water utilities and other organisations in the water sector:

• Expand your understanding for "quality" as key to business performance
• Impart competencies for introducing and implementing "quality management systems" in the water sector
• Enhance knowledge on "quality management" and "rules and standards" for water and waste water management
• Create opportunity to learn from each other and to share experiences on good practices from the MENA region.

Content:

The training will focus on the following contents:

• The business rational behind quality: Today’s understanding of quality, improving business results through qual-ity; fundamental concepts of quality management
• Starting the "journey of excellence": Overview of quality management systems, e.g. ISO, TSM, TQM, KM
• Assuring the quality of products & services: Overview of quality standards for water/wastewater utilities (e.g. ISO 24510, 24511 and 24512; ISO 9001/2000; ISO/DIS 55000, 55001, 55002 on Asset Management; ISO 14000; ISO/DIN 17025 for laboratories), introducing sector-related quality standards and integrating sector-related quality standards in the quality management system.

Who should attend the course?

Managers and supervisors in water/wastewater utilities, or other professionals in the water sector from the MENA/ Arab region. They are either involved in QM processes in their departments such as O+M, Labs, customer services, or they are developing or managing QM and rules and standards, TSM, and enforcing or auditing standards.

Language:

The official language of the training will be English. The training will be run by a group of regional trainers and therefore, parts of the training, including group work and practical exposures in utilities will be conducted in Arabic.

Training Fees:

There will be no tuition fees for the ACWUA-GIZ regional training course. GIZ will cover costs for international travel, airport transfer and full board accommodation for participants from partner countries of the German development cooperation (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon).

• Other participants are kindly requested to cover travel and full board accommodation costs.

Applications:

The selection of about 30 par-ticipants will be done by the organisers latest by 6th September 2012. The selection will be based on qualification, experience, compelling reasons for attending, having a regional balance, and a sound mix of organisational and professional background. The course is announced by the ACWUA secretariat to their members.

• Download Application Form
• Download Course Brochure
• Deadline for submitting applications: 3 September 2012
• Please send your applications to:
  Eng. Ahmad Abu Saleem: Ahmad_Abusaleem@acwua.org;
  Cc: Training@acwua.org

Venue and dates:

The training will be held in Alexandria, Egypt during September 23-27, 2012. The venue will be announced. Participants arrive on the evening of Sep 22 and depart on Sep 28 (morning), unless otherwise arranged.