150 Graduates receive Master of Science diploma at Unesco-IHE, the Netherlands
150 students of the Unesco-IHE institute for water education from 48 different countries received their MSc diploma as part of the closing ceremony of the academic period 2012-2014. The students completed their 18 month water study.
The diploma awarding took place in the Old Church in Delft, the Netherlands on 24 April.
The graduates are now part of the Unesco-IHE alumni community of nearly 15.000 water professionals. 
Leadership is service
The students were welcomed by rector, professor Andras Szollosi-Nagy, who reminded them of their first days at the Institute, suffering through the cold, the many lecturing hours, the 3000 hours of study and hard work and even biting into their first stroopwafel.
Rector Szollosi-Nagy: "With the new technical knowledge acquired, you have new responsibilities as well. On your return home, you will be called upon to lead. Never forget that leadership is service. It is working to serve the community for human and societal development and justice. Your contribution to using sound judgment to finding appropriate and sustainable solutions, based on solid ethical principles and the notion of integrity to key water issues is vital. No less than to sustainably manage one of the world’s most scarce resources, for future generations to come".
Successful cooperation
Rotary International Director 2011-2013, Paul Knijff, congratulated a group of 5 students who completed their MSc studies with financial support of Rotary International by saying: "The living evidence of the success of this joint effort that Rotary and Unesco-IHE have embarked upon is standing in front of us."
In their home countries Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Argentina and Italy the graduates will work on water management and sanitation issues.
Sanitary Engineering MSc thesis award
The Best Sanitary Engineering MSc Thesis Award was given under the framework of the project Stimulating Local Innovations in Sanitation for the Urban Poor.
The project is financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is awarded each year to an outstanding student from the Sanitary Engineering Specialization.
The award is used to finance the student's prolonged stay in the Netherlands to turn their research findings into an internationally recognized journal paper and to present the results at an international conference of choice.
Professor Damir Brdjanovic presented the third Unesco-IHE The Best Sanitary Engineering MSc Thesis Award 2014 of the value of 5.000 USD to Mr. Grover Hector Mamani Casilla (photo above) from Bolivia.
A passion for life
Student representatives Maria Salingay from the Philippines and Tom Ogol from Kenya closed the official programme by sharing some experiences in their 18 month study period at Unesco-IHE. As for all the graduates, their endurance and perseverance made them stand here today.
Graduates Tom and Maria: "The diploma that we receive today represents success and achievement. But we must remember more the journey that accompanied this achievement - both the heartache and the happiness. If we compare our lives to a thesis report, the diploma itself is gently tucked away in the appendix, while the journey to attain it, fills the main pages. Unesco-IHE has instilled in us a tremendous fire, a passion for life, and a desire to make the world in which we live better."
About Unesco-IHE
Unesco-IHE is the largest international postgraduate water education facility in the world and is based in Delft, the Netherlands. The Institute confers fully accredited MSc degrees, and PhD degrees in collaboration with partners in the Netherlands.
Since 1957 the Institute has provided postgraduate water education to more than 14,500 water professionals from over 160 countries.
This news item was originally published on the website of Unesco-IHE.
More information
Unesco-IHE
Delft, the Netherlands
+31 15 215 1715
www.unesco-ihe.org