Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management (ACEWM)

What Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management (ACEWM) does

The Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management (ACEWM) is a specialized academic unit within Addis Ababa University's College of Natural and Computational Sciences, operating from the Arat Kilo campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Established in 2016–2017 with support from the World Bank-funded Africa Centers of Excellence II (ACE II) project, the center delivers postgraduate education, applied research, and professional training focused on integrated water resources management, hydrology, water and wastewater treatment, and resource recovery (nutrients and energy). Its core offerings are MSc and PhD programs in water management, a portfolio of 29 short courses for water sector professionals, and a fellowship program that supports regional students from IGAD member states and East African countries with tuition coverage, stipends, accommodation, and exchange visits of up to six months at partner institutions.

ACEWM's technology stack is grounded in academic research infrastructure — laboratory and library facilities for water quality analysis and environmental engineering — supplemented by Addis Ababa University's e-learning platform for distance delivery and, more recently, Google Workspace for Education (including Gemini) for AI-assisted teaching and assessment. The center is supported by a 38-member affiliated faculty drawn from national, regional, and international institutions, two postdoctoral researchers, and a small core team of seven staff, giving it a lean operating model relative to its academic reach.

The center's revenue model is a hybrid of donor-funded grants (World Bank ACE II, NORHED II, NORAD, NORPART), differentiated tuition fees (Ethiopian students paying Birr-denominated rates; foreign students paying USD-denominated rates), fellowship stipends, and short-course fees. It generates no commercial product revenue, has no investors, and does not operate as a commercial enterprise. Its primary customers are graduate students from Ethiopia and across the African continent, alongside water sector professionals and government agencies. Certification and quality assurance are anchored by AQAS accreditation, and the center maintains flagship partnerships with Imperial College London, the Indian Institutes of Technology, and the University of Oklahoma.

Name

Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management (ACEWM)

Legal name

Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management

Website

https://acewm-aau.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ACEWM is an academic center within Addis Ababa University offering MSc, PhD, and short-course programs in water management for graduate students and water sector professionals across Ethiopia and East Africa. It is funded by the World Bank ACE II and Norwegian development grants and partners with Imperial College London, IIT, and the University of Oklahoma.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Water Management

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Junior Colleges (61121), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADALAH

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

SECONDARYEUANAJAE

Data Management, LIMS & Compliance Software (ELN, eDMS, reporting automation)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Water & Wastewater Utilities/Water Quality Testing, Compliance & Reporting

SECONDARYEDAOAOAG

Irrigation Systems & Water Management (Ag)

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

Keywords

• Water resources management
• Graduate water education
• Water treatment research
• Professional water training
• Hydrology research programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Addis Ababa

HQ country

Ethiopia

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Revenue generated from tuition fees for MSc and PhD programs, with differentiated rates for Ethiopian and foreign students
2. Fellowships and Financial Support: Financial support provided to national and regional students including field costs, research costs, exchange visits, tuition fee coverage, and on-campus accommodation
3. Short Course Programs: Demand-driven short courses in water management, water science and technology designed for water sector professionals, co-taught by faculty from partner institutions and international professors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ACEWM is a regional academic Center of Excellence within Addis Ababa University that offers MSc and PhD degree programs in water management, professional short courses, and fellowship-supported research training. It also provides water-sector consultancy services and operates laboratory and library facilities supporting integrated water resources management, hydrology, water and wastewater treatment, and resource recovery across Africa.

Product overview

ACEWM operates as an academic center under Addis Ababa University offering a unified portfolio of water management education and research services. The core offerings include Water Management MSc and PhD Programs (academic degrees), Short Courses in Water Management (professional development), and a Fellowship Program (financial support). These are complemented by an E-Learning Platform for digital delivery, Laboratory and Research Facilities for hands-on work, and Consultancy Services for external engagement. The center focuses on interdisciplinary water resources management, water science, wastewater treatment, and environmental engineering across Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Management MSc Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 65 MSc and 10 PhD graduates produced since establishment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Ministry of Water and Energy (Ethiopia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partnership for water sector development and policy alignment in Ethiopia
• Imperial College of LondonflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for faculty exchange, joint research, and student supervision in water management
• Indian Institute of TechnologyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partnership for academic collaboration and knowledge exchange in water science and engineering
• University of OklahomaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership supporting graduate education and research exchanges in water management
• International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (i2i)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partnership for water and environmental engineering research and training
• WASEDE UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional academic partnership for student exchange and research collaboration
• Yancheng Institute of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational technical institute partnership for water technology research
• Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority (AAWSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal utility partnership for practical training, research, and community engagement in water management
• Bishan Gari Purification Industries PlcminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnership for practical training and industrial exposure in water treatment

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Water Research Commission (WRC) South Africa: WRC South Africa funds and coordinates water research, capacity development, and graduate training across the SADC region. It is a regional peer to ACEWM in developing water management research capacity in Africa, although it operates primarily in Southern Africa rather than East Africa.
• University of Nairobi - Wangari Maathai Institute: The University of Nairobi, a leading Kenyan research university, offers graduate programs in water, environmental, and civil engineering. It is a regional peer to ACEWM in East African postgraduate water education and is geographically proximate in the Kenyan market.
• Makerere University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Makerere University in Uganda offers MSc and PhD programs in civil and environmental engineering with water-related specializations. It is a regional peer to ACEWM in East African graduate water education, with comparable research focus and student base.

Others

• World Bank Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) Project: The World Bank ACE II Project, managed through IUCEA, is the funding and coordination framework that established ACEWM and 20+ similar centers across Africa. It is an ecosystem/funder peer whose continuation or transition directly determines ACEWM's financial runway and strategic positioning.

Direct peers

• Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES): PAUWES, based in Algeria, is a pan-African graduate institute offering MSc programs in water and energy sciences for African students. It is a direct peer to ACEWM in delivering postgraduate water education across Africa with continental student recruitment.
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Water & Sanitation ACE: KNUST hosts an Africa Center of Excellence focused on water and sanitation under the same World Bank ACE framework as ACEWM. It is a structural peer—both are funded through the ACE II Project, target MSc/PhD students in water, and compete for the same regional pipeline of African graduate students.
• IHE Delft Institute for Water Education: IHE Delft is the world's largest graduate water education institution, offering MSc, PhD, and short courses in water management, water treatment, and hydrology. It is a direct peer to ACEWM in academic water education and is a leading destination for ACEWM's exchange placements and curriculum benchmarking.
• International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE): 2iE is a pan-African institute headquartered in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, offering MSc/PhD programs and short courses in water, environmental, and energy engineering. It is a direct peer to ACEWM—both serve African graduate students in water management with international faculty and partner networks, and 2iE is explicitly listed as a partner institution of ACEWM.
• University of Cape Coast - Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR): ACECoR is a World Bank ACE at University of Cape Coast in Ghana focused on water, coastal, and marine resources. It is a direct peer to ACEWM as an Africa Center of Excellence delivering postgraduate water-related research and training under the same funding mechanism.

Broad incumbents

• UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP): UNESCO IHP is an intergovernmental program that advances water resources research, education, and capacity building globally. It is a broad incumbent peer to ACEWM in setting standards for water-related graduate education and research, and influences donor priorities for African water programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/acewm-aau

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management (ACEWM)