The course will include lectures, exercises and assignments, accompanied by PowerPoint or overhead sheet presentations. Further, interactive (a.o. computer) workshops and role plays will be organised. There will be a field trip to a relevant Institution in the field of Water Resources Planning.

Learning objectives

Successful participants will be able to evaluate, participate in and guide water resources planning activities applying planning techniques and water resources system analytical methodologies. Successful participants will be familiar with the economic concepts of water resources planning and will be able to communicate successfully with economists on the issues involved.

Target group

Young and mid-career professionals, managers, engineers and technicians who have the ambition to judge, participate in and guide multi-disciplinary water resources planning studies.

Course content

Framework for Analysis (FFA): Principles of processes of water resources planning at national and river basin level. Water sector analysis. Situation and function analysis. Planning objectives and criteria.

Multicriteria Analysis (MCO): Introduction to multicriteria analysis; Identification of planning objectives, Plan formulation and plan selection.

Cost-benefit Analysis (CBA): Introduction to economics (welfare economics, Pareto optimality, supply, demand and elasticity; discounting; externalities and property rights, economics vs. finance, value vs. price); Water as an economic good (scarcity, economic characteristics of water, obstacles to market allocation); Macro-economic relevance of the sector (economic-environmental linkages, economic and societal objectives, water and poverty, political economy and conflict, macro-economic context of water management); Water project economics (textbook, investment criteria, valuation); Managing water as an economic resource (textbook, water pricing, water markets).

Examination

It is possible to take part in the examination of this short course. If you obtain a passing mark for this examination and return to UNESCO-IHE within four years after completion of the short course to follow a full MSc programme, you will receive exemption for this short course/module. The costs for this exam are €250 extra and should be borne by yourself. Taking part in the examination is not compulsory.