International Collaboration and Creative Ideas: TH Köln Students at IFAT 2026 in Munich

IFAT is regarded as the world’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, waste, and raw materials management and brings together professionals, companies, research institutions, and students from around the globe. For students in the faculty’s international master’s programs, the trade fair provided an opportunity to apply their expertise in practice, establish international contacts, and discuss current challenges in water management from different perspectives.

Two Teams at the IFAT World University Challenge

The focus was on participation in the IFAT World University Challenge, an international competition for students in the field of water management. A total of 18 teams from different countries competed against each other. The two teams from the faculty achieved 7th and 9th place, delivering an excellent result in the international field of participants.

The teams consisted of students from the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) master’s program with diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. In advance of the competition, they had intensively prepared for the complex tasks ahead. These included negotiations on water allocation between competing stakeholders, the optimization of wastewater treatment processes using simulation software, and practical engineering challenges.

The competition reflected real-world challenges in international water management: technical solutions had to be developed under time pressure, decisions had to be made collaboratively within teams, and ecological, social, and economic aspects needed to be combined. Teamwork, interdisciplinary thinking, and the ability to adapt flexibly to new situations were particularly important.

For the students, participation was not only an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained during their studies in a practical setting, but also to represent TH Köln and the faculty internationally and gain valuable experience for their future professional careers.

Creative Contributions at the DWA Slam

In addition to participating in the World University Challenge, the students also took part in a creative “Slam” for which the DWA provided its own stage at the trade fair. The aim was to present topics such as sustainability, water resources, and environmental awareness in creative and personal formats.

Contributions ranged from speeches and poetry to music, performances, and interactive formats:

• Jamal Damoah shared his thoughts in a speech on why IFAT plays an important role for the future of sustainability (“Why IFAT Matters for the Future of Sustainability”).
• Umar Muhammad recited the poem “Where I Come From.”
• Md Saiful Islam, Rifah Muhaimina Rahman, and Miraj Rahmi Moula Chowdhury performed “Dispatch from 2050: The Legacy of IFAT 2026,” using rivers and oceans as narrative perspectives to illustrate the long-term impact of today’s water management decisions.
• Maham Akram and Mubashira Sitarish performed the Pakistani national anthem.
• Riham Serag, together with Cassie Tragert, Marco Antonio Juárez Sanchez, Maham Akram, and Mubashira Sitarish, shared insights from interviews with children about the importance of water.
• Nora Machuca and Paulina Balcazar explained how water and environmental issues affect their home countries.
• In his speech “Who Does Clean Water Belong To?”, Chabvuta Munashe reflected on the question of ownership and access to clean water.
• Henna Riika Halmetoja led a joint mindfulness and breathing exercise.
• Nabindra Raj Chaulagain, Ghazal Shahmardani, Kavina Mehta, and Atefeh Ferhadi each delivered speeches emphasizing the importance of sustainable water management.

International Perspectives on Global Challenges

The students’ participation in IFAT 2026 once again highlighted the international and interdisciplinary character of the Faculty of Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems. Participants brought experience from countries such as Pakistan, Sudan, Egypt, Mexico, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Zimbabwe, demonstrating how differently global water challenges affect various regions of the world.

At the same time, it became clear that sustainable solutions can only emerge through international collaboration, interdisciplinary thinking, and the exchange of diverse perspectives. IFAT provided an ideal platform for this — both in the professional competition and in the creative exchange on stage

Text: Silke Wiegand
Photos: Jan-Philipp Burmann City-Press GmbH; Cassie Tragert