WASHNet in collaboration with UNICEF, organized a thematic workshop titled “Engaging Academia for Applied, Evidence-Based WASH Solutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” at the Civil Secretariat, Peshawar.
The workshop brought together representatives from leading academic institutions, including NUST, GIKI, UET Peshawar, CECOS University, University of Agriculture Peshawar, University of Peshawar, and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, alongside government departments and development partners.
The discussions highlighted key gaps in coordination between academia, industry, and government stakeholders, which often result in fragmented efforts and duplication of work within the WASH sector. In this context, WASHNet was formally introduced as a government-led platform aimed at strengthening collaboration, knowledge sharing, and coordination across the sector.
Participating universities presented their ongoing, completed, and proposed research initiatives across various WASH thematic areas. The workshop also served as an interactive platform to gather ideas from academia, while participants were introduced to a curated list of priority research topics available on the WASHNet website to guide future research and encourage meaningful contributions.
Stakeholders further shared institutional and implementation challenges, particularly in engaging with government systems. The session facilitated valuable inputs on improving collaboration, aligning research with sector needs, and promoting practical, evidence-based solutions.
The workshop underscored the importance of sustained engagement and platforms like WASHNet in bridging gaps between academia, government, and development partners to enable more coordinated, impactful, and evidence-driven interventions in the WASH sector.