This transnational and transdisciplinary course will focus on two key sustainability challenges of today's societies - clean water and energy supply. The programme will bring together a European team of experts in ecology, microbiology, environmental chemistry, hydrogeology, pollution assessment, environmental and health risk assessment, bioremediation, and waste-to-energy bioprocesses.

The course is framed by the European Commission’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, which sets out Europe’s zero pollution ambition, to better protect citizens, animals and the environment from harmful substances. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate a holistic understanding and approach of water pollution, and apply nature-based solutions to real-life problems.

The course will involve both virtual and face-to-face activities, including field trips and laboratory work. Hands-on class will be central for the students’ training.

The physical mobility part will take place between 15th - 19th June 2026 in Rome. The program of the physical part is structured as follows:  

During the 5-day physical mobility (15.-19. June 2026), interactive activities supporting the programme's objectives will comprise :

1. Practical lectures addressing the themes of the programme:


- Water quality evaluation and remediation/bioremediation, Nature Based Solutions

- Energy valorisation of waste


- Case Studies/examples, Methods

- Hydrology and hydrogeology regimes, water replenishment and water quality

2. Workshops and practical classes on research design


3. Students’ group-work


4. Stakeholder seminars (and visits)


5. Field trips, Field and Laboratory activities

Students with different backgrounds and nationalities (European and African) will be divided in small multidisciplinary groups (for simulating team working). Each group will be asked to develop a project focusing on one of the specific issues developed during the programme and to propose practical activities/solutions for sustainable water management.

The daily tentative programme is:


• Day 1 – Registration and Welcome


- Icebreaker activities


- Introduction to lectures aimed to water quality evaluation and remediation of contaminated waters.


- Case Studies/Examples of water quality evaluation or water remediation/bioremediation/green chemistry/ energy from waste and other NBS.

- Introduction to the field trip

• Day 2 – Field trip, sampling
• Day 3 – Sapienza University Labs – Introduction to practical activities. Analyses of samples collected during the field trip.

- Rome tour on the theme of water

• Day 4 – IRSA-CNR /ENEA (Visit) Discussion with stakeholders. Practical lab activities on Pollution, Energy, Nature based solutions
• Day 5 - Final discussion regarding the BIP's thematics, laboratory and field activities, and students’ project plan.

- Projects will be then developed and discussed in online sessions after the mobility


- Final greetings

The virtual module will take place between 8th - 30th June 2026. The course will comprise two phases of virtual teaching activities:

1. Before the physical mobility online meetings will be held from 8-12 June 2026, 10:00 AM to 12:30 AM CEST in order to:

Day 1

• describe the structure of the BIP, its main objectives and the groups, including students and professors presentation;

• describe the general issues of water pollution and sustainable energy production, with a focus on human and ecosystem health and climate change;

• evaluate the students’ background on basic topics and concepts and discuss the students’ motivation letter contents. Students will undergo a preliminary online questionnaire;
• establish transnational and transdisciplinary teams (students + coordinating professors + stakeholders) that will operate during the 5-days mobility;
• provide a common transdisciplinary background on innovative approaches for effective detection and removal of pollutants in sustainable water management, which will be consolidated with both theoretical and practical knowledge during the 5-day mobility;
• undertake the introductory lecture:

Prof. Michelle Bloor, UofG

• Chemical Policy (Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability)
• Chemicals and sustainability

Day 2, lectures

Prof. Delia Popescu, UNIBUC


• Introduction to sources, properties, occurrence, and health impacts of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on water quality

Prof. Anna Barra Caracciolo, IRSA


• Emerging contaminants and One Health approach

Day 3, lectures

Prof. Carmen Chifiriuc, Ilda Barbu, Irina Gheorghe-Barbu, UNIBUC

• Antimicrobial resistance from the clinical to aquatic reservoirs

Prof. Reahab El-Shehawy, SU


• Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxins as emerging contaminants: Microcystin issue /cyanobacteria detection; Microbiome in Ecotoxicology

Day 4, lectures

Invited speakers, IRSA


• Introduction to Nature Based Solutions for pollution remediation

Prof. Ella C. Longiso and invited speakers University of the Witwatersrand

• Chemical solutions for pollution remediation

Day 5, lectures

Prof. Antonella Marone and Giulia Massini, ENEA


• Application of Microbial Electrochemical Technologies (METs) for wastewater treatment and energy recovery
• Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants during energy valorisation of waste (Hydrogen and biogas)

Q&A sessions after each lecture

2. After the physical mobility short online group meetings will be held between 22-30 June 2026 with the assigned tutors to finalize and discuss the projects, which will be evaluated in a final online meeting.