D-LeaP's brand-new Utility Management Training (UMT) took off with an introductory series of webinars on 18-20 May 2021. Unlike later course modules, the induction module was open to everybody with interest in a comprehensive overview of what to expect when participating in the UMT - which is actually quite a lot.

UMT is a cooperative effort with IAWD as prime organizer, World Bank Group and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of the Sofia University as institutional partners, Energie AG and Sofia Water as utility partners, and support from competence partners like Siemens and s::can.

UMT is by design a Master class in Water Supply and Sanitation Management for utilities in the Danube region. The course combines trainings, demonstrations and live implementations to provide current and future water service sector managers with a set of advanced management tools and techniques to support educated decision-making.

The program's prime target audience are mid-career professionals managing water utilities in the Danube region.

UMT is buil around eight English language modules, spread over two years. Each module consists of an introductory webinar, a one-week residential activity and a follow-up work package during a three-month period. The course finishes with a graduation project. The University of Sofia will issue graduation certificates, including ECTS credits.

Participation is strictly limited to 20 participants, and the 2021 course is fully booked: Fifteen utilities from seven nations took the 20 available seats, and a 50:50 mix of female and male participants proved once again that our community is moving towards a healthy gender balance.

We wish the class of 2021 the deserved success and invite those who would like to join to inquire about the next UMT cycle, scheduled to start in 2022.

First class: The UMT participants 2021 in the intro session of the Financial and Organizational Module.