Free Water Education for Local Communities

Water is one of the most precious and most contested resources in Palestine. Communities live with chronic scarcity, restricted access to their own water resources, ageing networks and the growing pressures of climate change. In this reality, knowing how to manage water well makes a real difference to health, livelihoods and food security, and that knowledge should be available to everyone.

An-Najah National University sees itself as a partner to every community it serves. Drawing on its research centers, faculties, laboratories and student volunteers, the University opens a wide range of learning opportunities about good water management to the public, free of charge, so that farmers, families, students, teachers and local officials can make better decisions about the water they use every day. The University's Water Research Unit states its commitment clearly: its services to the Palestinian community are offered "either free of charge or at cost," with community training and awareness provided without charge to participants. This work is guided by the University's Water Policy, which commits An-Najah to offer learning opportunities on water management to the local community, and contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Free Learning Opportunities for Local Communities

An-Najah believes that knowledge about water should be shared, not kept within lecture halls. The University offers community members a range of educational opportunities, from public lectures and awareness days to field training and specialized courses, that are open to the community and provided at no cost to participants. They are designed for the people whose daily choices shape water use: farmers, women, teachers, school students, young people, local officials and professionals in the water sector.

• Who can join: Farmers, women, teachers, school and university students, young people, local officials, NGOs and water-sector professionals.

• What we offer: Public lectures, awareness days, conferences, practical workshops, field training, school activities and specialized short courses.

• Topics: Water efficiency and saving, safe water treatment and storage, efficient irrigation, rainwater harvesting, safe reuse of treated wastewater, water quality and water rights.

• Who teaches: Water Research Unit, UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Water Resources Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Engineering, SAGE Center, Community Service Center and Sustainability Office.

• Cost: Workshops, lectures, awareness events, school activities and online courses are free for community participants. Specialized technical services, such as laboratory testing, are provided at cost.

Public Lectures and Awareness Days

The University regularly opens its doors for public events that put water at the center of community conversation. The UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Water Resources Management has led World Water Day celebrations with partners such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Palestinian Water Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture, bringing together school and university students, experts and members of the public. Conferences such as the Environmental and Water Challenges Conference, organized by engineering students with the Palestinian Hydrology Group, the Palestinian Women Water Network and Seeds Association, invite community organizations and students from across the West Bank to learn about water pollution, resource management and sanitation.

Workshops for Farmers, Women and Teachers

The University's Water Research Unit has run training workshops for farmers, women, teachers and other community groups since 1994. Participants learn how to treat and store water safely, irrigate efficiently, and reuse water without risk to health or soil. Alongside the workshops, the Unit delivers seminars, lectures and publications that translate research into practical advice. The Unit grew out of the University's Water and Environmental Studies Institute, which has long linked research on groundwater, wastewater and water quality with practical community training.

Through these workshops, participants learn:

• how to conserve water at home, at work and on the farm, and reduce unnecessary consumption;

• how to protect wells, springs, cisterns and groundwater from pollution;

• the principles of wastewater treatment and how treated water can be reused safely;

• why monitoring water quality matters and how to act on test results; and

• how agricultural and industrial activities affect local water resources.

Field Training for Farmers

Agriculture is the largest user of water in Palestine, so the University gives particular attention to farmers and agricultural producers. The Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine offers field training, demonstrations and research-based guidance in which farmers practice water-saving techniques on real farms. Key topics include:

• efficient irrigation techniques and reducing water losses;

• matching irrigation to the needs of each crop;

• soil-water conservation and sustainable farming;

• responsible use of treated wastewater in agriculture; and

• protecting groundwater from agricultural pollutants.

Learning by Doing in Schools

Some of the most lasting lessons are learned outdoors. Through its greening program, the Community Service Center works with schools across Nablus to plant trees and install water-saving irrigation, involving pupils and teachers at every stage. Students see for themselves how drip irrigation delivers water only where it is needed, and learn why choosing the right site and the right water source matters. University students on the Community Service and Sustainable Development course take the same lessons home: each plants a tree in a family garden and plans how it will be watered through the summer.

Courses and Training for the Water Sector

The University also builds the skills of people who manage water for whole communities. Its Water and Environmental Studies Institute trained staff of the Palestinian Water Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Applied Research Institute–Jerusalem to use GIS to identify sites for rainwater harvesting, with support from FAO and funding from ICARDA. The UNESCO Chair offers short courses for universities and industry, the SAGE Center runs specialized courses such as Water Harvesting in Drylands, and, through the EU-funded FORWARD project, the University is developing a water management training module for local service providers and civil society.

Free Online Learning

Learning does not have to stop at the University gates. Through its SDG Training Academy, the University's Sustainable Development Office offers free and open-access online courses on sustainability, including Environmental Stewardship in Communities, Resilience and Climate Adaptation for Communities and Community Education for Sustainability. These digital resources extend sustainability learning, including the responsible use of natural resources such as water, to people who cannot attend in-person activities.

Learning with Local Partners

Many of the University's learning opportunities are delivered together with municipalities, local councils, the Palestinian Water Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture, NGOs and other academic institutions. Working with local partners keeps each program relevant to community needs, from water-quality monitoring and wastewater reuse to efficient irrigation, and helps participants put good water-management practices into action in their homes, farms, schools and institutions. Read more on our Sustainable Water Collaboration page.

Youth Engagement

Young people are tomorrow's water managers. In 2026, An-Najah hosted the Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change (LCOY Palestine) with the Environment Quality Authority and the Green Voices Network, where an interactive workshop, "Imagine Your Water-Resilient City," challenged young participants to design solutions for cities facing water stress.

Through these open and free learning opportunities, An-Najah National University empowers local communities with the knowledge and practical skills they need to conserve water, protect water resources and contribute to a more sustainable water future for Palestine, reflecting the University's commitment to accessible community education and to SDG 6