JSE-listed private education provider ADvTECH, in collaboration with the IIE MSA Centre for Water and the Environment, has launched a national, student-led citizen science project aimed at protecting South Africa’s freshwater ecosystems.

The Water Quality Monitoring Initiative equips university students with professional water testing tools to track and improve local water quality

A number of water courses will be tested for select chemical contamination and the presence of excessive bacterial and viral agents, as well as for the presence of micro-organisms to assess the health of the ecosystem.

This follows a student awareness drive in April and May 2025, and a three-month competition, running from July to September, during which student teams will now be vying for a R10 000 award based on the quality of their data and analysis.

“The campaign not only empowers the next generation of leaders to champion South Africa’s water quality and make a difference in the sustainability of their communities, but is also a concrete example of how student and citizen science can help address South Africa’s environmental challenges,” says IIE MSA head of environmental science Linda Downsborough.

She says public and private higher education institutions play a critical role in advancing environmental and water sustainability, and serve as hubs where knowledge is generated, shared and applied to tackle pressing global challenges.

“In addition to adopting ecofriendly policies and practices to minimise our environmental impact and uphold social responsibility, higher education institutions can play a significant role by embedding sustainability into academic programmes, teaching methods, and assessments to foster skills, values and mindsets that address complex sustainability issues.

“Our students do not have to wait until after graduation to make a difference in our communities and our country. This initiative demonstrates how students can already start making a meaningful contribution during their academic journey, by turning theoretical vision into real-world impact,” she says.

The 2025 pilot project, steered by IIE MSA, paves the way for a nationwide expansion in 2026.