The brochure summarizes the results of the innovation forum "Utility Partnerships 4.0", which was funded as part of the BMBF initiative "Innovation Forums for SMEs". The term "Utility Partnerships 4.0" is synonymous with the deliberate use of digital technologies to further educate and support partnership-based collaboration between foreign and German water and wastewater operators. In close exchange with numerous experts from water and wastewater companies, technology companies, development cooperation, the education sector and science, concrete needs, challenges and opportunities of such "Utility Partnerships 4.0" were discussed.

Roadmap for the development of utility partnerships

This brochure summarizes the goals and principles of international partnerships as they were discussed by German operators and experts in the development cooperation context. The results of the innovation forum show that the application and use of digital technologies can make an important contribution to increasing the efficiency and improvement of this training format. They should be seen as a roadmap that shows the players in the relevant sectors a concrete path and makes it easier for operators to get involved in a targeted manner.