ABOUT PAUWES
The Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Science (PAUWES) was created in 2014 by the African Union Commission, in the framework of the Pan African University (PAU). Since its establishment, over 200 students from 31 countries across Africa have enrolled, and 73 students have been successfully graduated from its programs. The Institute is hosted by the Abou Bakr Belkaïd University of Tlemcen.
The institute is seeking a new generation of highly educated, well-trained students who are committed to working as changemakers in the field of sustainable water and energy. Africa’s top graduates are invited to participate in this highly innovative, collaborative, Master’s programme, grounded in the latest theoretical and practical learning. We train top students to become engineers and policy analysts, able to address Africa’s most pressing development challenges.
Training Engineers and Policy Experts
PAUWES offers four world-class graduate programmes, a Master of Science (MSc) in Water and a MSc of Science in Energy, with tracks available in both engineering and policy.

Campus
PAUWES is hosted by the Abou Bakr Belkaïd University of Tlemcen. Founded in 1989, it is one of Algeria’s premier universities, offering extensive infrastructure for modern learning. It accommodates approximately 42,000 student, with eight faculties and two schools for science, and technology and economic science.
The city of Tlemcen is situated in the northwest of Algeria, close to the Moroccan border and approximately 60 kilometres away from the Mediterranean Sea. Its name derives from the Berber word for ‘water spring‘. Its pleasant climate and Mediterranean flair, proximity to the sea, and cultural diversity makes it an attractive city for visitors. Centuries of rich history and culture have made the city a centre of a unique blend of music and art. Tlemcen’s textiles and handicrafts, its elegant blend of Arabic, Islamic, Berber, and Andalusian cultures, and its cool climate in the mountains have made it an important centre for tourism in Algeria. In 2011, Tlemcen was voted the capital of Islamic culture. Tlemcen has an international airport in the nearby town of Zenata.
PAUWES PROGRAMMES
Curriculum
1. Semester
- Introduction to Integrated Water Resource Management
- Water Quality and Sanitation
- African Water Resources and Scenarios
- Fluid Mechanics
- Hydrology
- Academic writing
- Project Design and Management
- African History
2. Semester:
- Human rights and gender
- Hydraulics (Open Channel Hydraulics and Flows under Pressure)
- Hydrology
- Sanitation and Water Treatment (Drinking Water and Sewage)
- Soil conservation
- Research Methods for Water engineering
- Communication, Marketing and Networking
3. Semester:
- Water economics
- Water for Agriculture 1: Irrigation Techniques & Drainage
- Water for Agriculture 2: Irrigation Project Design
- Physical Instrumentation & Measurements
- Applied Numerical Analysis and Modelling
- Geographical Information Systems
- Entrepreneurship
4. Semester :
Thesis
Curriculum
1. Semester:
- African water resources and scenarios
- Fundamentals of water science & engineering
- Introduction to policy analysis
- Water quality
- Introduction to integrated water resource management
- Project design and management
- African history
- Academic writing
2. Semester:
- Policy analysis for water resource management
- Hydrogeology
- Sanitation & water treatment
- Databases, indicators & statistical analysis
- Methods for policy research
- Geographical information systems
- Communication, Marketing, Networking
3. Semester:
- Water economics
- Hydrology
- Water for agriculture 1: irrigation techniques & drainage
- Law & policy of water for agriculture
- Law & policy of water quality & sanitation
- River basin management 1: management of extremes (draughts & flooding)
- River basin management 2: management of transboundary water resources
- Policy influencing and conflict management
4. Semester :
Thesis
Curriculum
1. Semester:
- African Energy Resourses & Scenarios
- Introduction to Energy
- Renewable Energy technologies
- Project Design & Management
- Thermal Sc. & Engineering Apps
- African History
- Academic Writing
2. Semester
- Energy Conversion & Storage
- Energy Economy, Finances & Management
- Energy for Sustainable Development
- Material Science
- Research Methods for Energy Engineering
- Human rights & gender
- Communication, Marketing, Networking
3. Semester:
- Hybrid systems
- Solar photovoltaic
- Solar thermal
- Wind energy
- Hydro & maritime energy
- Hybrid systems
- Solar thermal
- Bio-energy
- Geothermal energy
- Energy efficiency & demand side mangmt
- Instrumentation
- Externalities / impact analysis
- Entre- and Intrapreneurship
- Technnical performance assessment
4. Semester :
Thesis
Curriculum
1. Semester:
- African Energy Resourses & Scenarios
- Introduction to Energy
- Renewable Energy technologies
- Project Design & Management
- Thermal Sc. & Engineering Apps
- African History
- Academic Writing
2. Semester:
- Policy analysis for energy
- Energy Economy, Finances & management
- Externalities / Impact analysis
- Energy modeling & simulation for policy analysis
- Human rights & gender
- Communication, Marketing, Networking
3. Semester:
- Renewable energy policy & planning
- Development of renewable energy systems (grid)
- Development of renewable energy systems (non-grid)
- Rural energy supply
- Urban energy supply
- Policy influencing and conflict management
- Ethics and leadership
- Energy efficiency & demand side mangmt
- Entre- and Intrapreneurship
4. Semester :
Thesis

Library Services

Staff
Prof. Abdetallif Zerga, PAUWES Director
Professor Abdetallif Zerga has been involved in solar photovoltaic research for nearly 20 years. A physicist by training, he holds a PhD in Physics from Tlemcen University in Algeria, where is currently a professor and previously served as Vice Dean of Academic Affairs. He completed post-doctoral research in France involving third generation solar cells, and has worked in France, Germany and the US. He brings industry experience to the academic world, having worked with start-ups and multinational companies on solar cell technology.

WOMEN ON CAMPUS
A key objective of the Pan African University and PAUWES is to promote and enhance access to higher education for all women across Africa. In order to attract and retain as many of the most qualified female candidates as possible, PAUWES accepts applications from women up to 35 years of age. During their time in Algeria, PAUWES, along with the Algerian authorities, makes the security and well-being of female students a top priority.
At PAUWES, female students are encouraged to represent their respective communities across many different forums, and are equipped with the resources and networks to advocate for women’s rights across Africa. If you also share the same goals as us, then PAUWES is certainly the right place for you!

STUDENT GUIDE
To help our Pan-African students during their stay in the city of Tlemcen, Algeria, we have developed a Student Guide with detailed information on life at PAUWES. You will find it here.

ACCOMODATION
The most common form of student accommodation is in the student residences (cité). This accommodation is provided by the Algerian State and PAUWES for the first year of your studies. In the places of residence students are provided with equipped and furnished modern single rooms with common bathroom facilities. The water and electricity supply is reliable and free of charge. Algeria uses the French electricity system – if that is different from what you have in your country, it’s advisable to buy plug adapters for proper usage.
In every residence is a qualified doctor to handle minor health problems or for medical consultations. A wide range of sports is offered in the residences, such as football, basketball, handball and indoor games such as pool, table tennis, gymnastics and chess. Indoor games can be played in the Salle de Sport every day of the week. Sports competitions are regularly organised especially amongst different residences. For those who aren’t so keen on sport: There is free wifi and a TV room.
Note: Female and male students do live in separate residences
HOW TO GET HERE
By Airplane
Tlemcen has an international airport as well as Oran, a city on the Mediterranean Sea, only 140 km away from Tlemcen. Flights are possible from Algiers, Paris, Lyon, Barcelona, Almeria, Marseilles, Montpellier, Casablanca.
Shipping Lines and Ferries
Oran and Algiers can also be reached by international shipping lines and ferries.
By Train
Tlemcen has a railway station. It is well connected by rail to Algiers and Oran.
Getting around
PAUWES is located at the Chetouane campus of technology and science, about 10 mins north-east of the city centre and easy to reach by bus or taxi. Campus facilities within Tlemcen can easily be reached by public transport.