Intro

In recent years, the Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU) has developed into a successful and widely visible research centre within the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) and the region. The most important milestone in this process was the successful ERDF.NRW research infrastructure application “FutureWaterCampus” with the funding recommendation for a new research building on the Thurmfeld north of the Essen campus.

The basis for this was the innovative future concept of the ZWU and its potential for further development into a water centre-of-excellence of national and international standing, as attested by a top-class panel of experts and representatives of the ministries of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).

The ZWU currently has 158 members, consisting of university professors, academic staff and students of UDE (29 working groups from five faculties) and other research institutions including IWW Water Centre, the Institute for Energy and Environmental Technology (IUTA) and the Rhine-Ruhr Institute for Social Research and Political Consulting (RISP), associated Institutes at UDE, but also individual members of water associations, industry and other institutions working in the field of water and environmental research. Since 2012, the German Society for Membrane Technology (DGMT) has also been located at the ZWU, creating a network of around 100 companies (including SMEs) and other research institutions.