WASH Systems Academy

The WASH Systems Academy is an online learning platform developed to empower professionals around the world with the knowledge and tools they need to create lasting water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for all.

Access to water, sanitation and hygiene forms the very foundation of a healthy and dignified life. It is essential to improved health, education and livelihoods. Yet around the world, 2.1 billion people lack access to safe water and 4.5 billion people are without safe sanitation.

Ensuring WASH services last, needs holistic thinking and strong systems in place. Now, with the WASH Systems Academy free online courses, everyone can get to know the basics of how to deliver resilient water and sanitation services and be part of the change needed to leave no one behind.

Let's build strong WASH systems together.

Watch this video to see what the academy has to offer:

The WASH System Academy introduces and provides an in-depth exploration of a wide range of topics, with new exciting courses still underway. Check this space for the latest offerings.

Basics course

WASH systems strengthening: the basics

Specialist courses

Building blocks of sustainable WASH systems
Advocating for universal WASH services

Coming soon

Specialist course: Financing resilient WASH systems
Specialist course: Driving change for strong WASH systems
Specialist course: Fundraising for WASH

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Interactive, engaging and free—the WASH Systems Academy makes driving for change for this human right fun and available to all. Listen to podcasts, watch animations, connect with others in the forums, create your own materials and much more!

Self-register for the WASH Systems Academy anytime, anywhere.

Learn how to setup your account and register for new courses

Join us for our basic course! WASH systems strengthening: the basics will be your introduction to everything you need to know about system thinking and WASH. This foundational course consists of 9 interactive and engaging sessions dedicated to topics such as the origins and rationale for a systems strengthening approach, hygiene promotion, service ladders, how to leave no one one behind—among many other topics. You will also learn about the building blocks of the WASH system; what they are and how they collectively create sustainable WASH systems.

By the end of the basic course of the Academy you will have a solid understanding of:

• What exactly is a WASH systems strengthening approach
• How and why it was developed
• How to start applying it in your work

If you are at the start of your career or are a senior WASH expert that wants to understand what a systems strengthening approach entails and how you can integrate it in your work, this free online course is for you.

Read more about the basics course

When WASH systems are strong and resilient they deliver services that meet people's needs. When they are weak, services are poor, unreliable or fail altogether. The WASH systems strengthening approach looks at the WASH system as a whole, through the lens of 9 critical "building blocks" as monitoring, finance and policy and legislation. Each session in this course focuses on one of these building blocks of a sustainable system.

Read more about the building blocks course

This latest addition to the Academy aims to get started and/or boost your advocacy for sustainable WASH services for all. Build on the lessons learned from successful advocacy initiatives around the world, listen to experts share their insights and tips and connect with individuals who are passionate about advancing change.

Read more about the advocacy course

The WASH Systems Academy is a collaborative platform. Many organisations in the WASH sector are already engaged in strengthening WASH systems, so let's combine efforts to accelerate systems change!

There is a possibility to join us in developing new upcoming specialist courses. We are looking for collaborators for the following new specialist courses:

• WASH systems strengthening away from home
• Monitoring for sustainability
• Sustainable WASH Financing
• Sanitation system strengthening
• Asset management for strong systems
• What a waste – from waste to energy
• Advocating for SDG 6
• Learning and adaptation for system strengthening
• Leaving no one behind: equal access to WASH services
• WASH system strengthening in fragile states

If you enjoyed our sessions, you can also join us in upcoming courses to stimulate discussions in the course fora—we are looking for course facilitators. We also welcome any relevant and useful materials and suggestions on how we can improve. For this or any of the above send an email to training@ircwash.org 

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WASH Systems Academy is a platform initiated by IRC and set-up with funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.