The IDEAL – Importance of water eDucation in the EuropeAn Elbe/Labe region project offers an interdisciplinary education program consisting of seven practice-oriented block courses (2–3 days each) starting from February 2026. The courses focus on key topics in water protection, including pharmaceuticals in wastewater, ecotoxicological methods, wastewater treatment, ecological assessment of water bodies, invasive plant species, sediment analysis, and geographic/GIS analysis of aquatic ecosystems. Taught at locations in Germany and the Czech Republic (Dresden, Prague, and Ústí nad Labem), the program is open to students from various disciplines, emphasizes comparison of methods and assessment approaches across borders.
To obtain certificates and, if applicable, academic credits (by arrangement), it is necessary to complete three modules at different universities.
Overview of modules:
- C1 Pharmaceuticals in wastewater (March 2026; TU Dresden)
- C2 Ecotoxicological Methods (August, September 2026; TU Dresden)
- C3 Aspects of wastewater treatment (May 2026; TU Dresden)
- C4 Ecological status of water bodies (May 2026; CZU Prague)
- C5 Invasive plant species (Sep 2026; CZU Prague)
- C6 Sediment analysis (April 2026; UJEP Usti nad Labem)
- C7 Geographical analysis / GIS (Sep 2026; UJEP Usti nad Labem)
YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE COURSES VIA THE FORM HERE
CURRENT COURSES
C1 – Pharmaceuticals in wastewater, in March 2026 at TU Dresden Medical Faculty, Germany
- What can you learn? This course aims to introduce interdisciplinary-minded students from Saxony and Czechia to wastewater analysis in a practical way. The course covers information on European water monitoring directives (WFD, UWWTD), laboratory guidelines, and the basics of compound analysis. Further topics include sample preparation, SPE and LC-MS, data analysis with Excel or R, and pharmaceutical pollutants in wastewater. Students learn how these substances are detected,evaluated and graphically represented, and how they affect surface waters.
- What do you need? A safety training is mandatory on the 1st day | Basic knowledge of lab practices such as pipetting, handling and disposal regulations for general used substances and solutions | Advanced knowledge/practice of Excel and R is an advantage | The course can be taken independently of others and does not build on any other course in this module in terms of content | limited on 16 students
Specific schedule of the student course C1 (3-days):
- Preparation day in Dresden: Monday 23.03.2026
- 13:00 to 17:00 at Dresden University of Technology
- 18:00 to 21:00 Group activities - Old town tour in Dresden
- Lab day in Dresden: Tuesday, 24.03.2026
- 9:00 to 16:00 at labs of Dresden University of Technology
- Day of analysis, assessment, evaluation: Friday, 27.03.2026
- 9:00 to 15:00 online (incl. short questionnaire, evaluation of the course)
C2 - Ecotoxicological Methods, in aUGUST AND sEPTEMBER 2026 at TU Dresden, Germany
The C2 – Ecotoxicological Methods course will take place in August and September 2026 at TU Dresden, Germany, and is aimed at students interested in assessing the (eco)toxic effects of water pollution. Participants will gain insight into relevant European legal frameworks (WFD, UWWTD), the structure and application of biotests (in vivo, in vitro, OECD, ISO), effect-based methods focusing on mutagenicity, hormonal activity and herbicide toxicity, as well as contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides. The course combines an online preparation day, one intensive laboratory day in Dresden, and a final online day dedicated to data analysis and evaluation. The course is taught in English, participation is free of charge, and the number of participants is limited to 16 students.
- What do you learn? Relevant legal frameworks at European level (WFD, UWWTD) | General structure of biotests | Overview of important biotest guidelines (in vivo, in vitro, OECD, ISO) | Assessment of the reduction of (eco)toxic effects during wastewater treatment | Identification of wastewater polluted river sites using in vitro biotests | Contaminants of emerging concern (pharmaceuticals, plasticiser, pesticides, etc.) | Sample preparation (Filtration, SPE) | Effect-based methods with focus on mutagenicity, hormonal activity, and herbicides toxicity
- What do you need? participation in safety training on the 1st day (virtual) |basic knowledge of lab practices such as pipetting, handling and disposal regulations for general used substances and solutions | sterile working practices and working with GMOs are advantageous |course can be taken independently of others and does not build on any other course in this module in terms of content | limited on 16 students
- Specific schedule of the student course C2 (3-days):
- 31. August (online), 1./2. September (laboratory part, Dresden), and 4. September (evaluation, online) and a registration deadline of 17. August 2026.
C3 – Aspects of wastewater treatment, in May 2026 at TU Dresden, Germany
- What do you learn?
Biological processes that remove organic carbon and nutrients with the help of microorganisms are at the heart of wastewater treatment. Therefore, understanding the state and activity of these organisms is essential to designing and operating wastewater treatment plants. This course develops and evaluates the fundamentals of wastewater treatment in connection with measurements of the respiratory activity of activated sludge organisms in laboratory experiments. Additionally, we will measure and evaluate the technical parameters of the aeration system on lab basis that are essential for determining the electrical energy requirements of a wastewater treatment plant. We will use scripts and tools for the assessment of the experiments.
- What do you need?
Interest in biological, chemical and physical aspects of wastewater treatment
| Participation in safety training on the 1st day
- Specific schedule of the student course C3 (3 days):
Preparation day: Tuesday, 26.05.2026, 9:00 to 13:00, online
Lab day #1: Wednesday, 27.05.2026 from 12:00 to 18:00, at TU Dresden
Lab day #2, Evaluation: Thursday, 28.05.2026, 9:00 to 15:00, at TU Dresden (incl. short questionnaire, evaluation of the course)
C4 – Ecological status of water bodies 22.-24.5.2026
This workshop focuses on both practical and theoretical aspects of assessing the ecological and chemical status of watercourses in accordance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Participants will gain an overview of the principles of hydrobiology, bioindication and hydrochemistry and become familiar with methods used to monitor the chemical, biological and hydromorphological status of water bodies. The programme includes field sampling of water and benthos, followed by laboratory analyses and identification of benthic organisms. Based on their own measurements and observations, students will evaluate the ecological status of a selected stream section and present their results. The workshop emphasizes teamwork, data interpretation and the integration of theory with practice.
What will you learn European legal frameworks for water protection (WFD)/ Principles of ecological and chemical status assessment of water bodies/ Basics of hydrobiology, bioindication and benthic organism identification / Field and laboratory methods for monitoring chemical, biological and hydromorphological status / Sampling techniques for water and benthos and subsequent data evaluation / Interpretation of monitoring data and integrated assessment of stream sections
What do you need Basic knowledge of aquatic ecology or environmental sciences/ Willingness to participate in fieldwork and laboratory activities/ Basic laboratory skills are an advantage but not mandatory/ Ability to work in teams and present results/
Day 1
- Intro lectures: WFD & hydrobiology
- Field trip: stream monitoring + sampling
- Evening: discussion & campus tour
Day 2
- Group rotation:
- Benthos identification
- Water chemistry analysis
- Evening: Prague walk
Day 3
- Ecological status assessment
- Student presentations & evaluation
C5 – Invasive plant species 22.-23.9.2026
This workshop focuses on invasive plants associated with watercourses and their surroundings, and on assessing their impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Participants will be introduced to the basic principles of invasion biology, the risks related to the spread of non-native species, and methods for monitoring invasive plants in the field. The programme is strongly practice-oriented and focuses on the identification of invasive plant species, data collection and evaluation of their occurrence, and assessment of their effects on the ecological status of water bodies. In the final part, students will interpret the collected data and present an evaluation of the studied stream section with regard to the presence of invasive species.
What will you learn:European and national context of invasive species management related to water bodies/ Principles of invasion biology and risks posed by invasive plants/ Identification of invasive plant species in aquatic and riparian habitats/ Methods for field monitoring and mapping of invasive species / Assessment of the impact of invasive plants on the ecological status of watercourses/ Evaluation and presentation of data related to invasive species occurrence
What do you need: Interest in botany, ecology or environmental protection / Willingness to participate in outdoor field activities/ No prior experience with plant identification is required / Ability to work collaboratively and discuss results
Programme – Invasive Plants (Short Version)
Day 1
- Intro lecture on invasive plants
- Field trip: survey of invasive species at the stream
Day 2
- Group activity: identification of invasive plant species
Day 3
- Inclusion of invasive species data in ecological assessment
- Presentation of findings