Many regions of the world are increasingly facing challenges when it comes to managing water, and the nature of these challenges differs from one location to the next.
It may relate to having too little water while water demands are growing explosively (water scarcity), too much water (flooding), and water of poor quality rendering them unfit to sustain the ecosystem or challenges related to providing water for people, industry and agriculture.
Addressing these challenges requires that water managers apply an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, involving hydrological, biophysical, chemical, economic, institutional, legal, policymaking and planning aspects.
The Water Management Programme provides such an integrated and interdisciplinary approach. The programme brings together the scientific study of water resources with practical planning and management skills. Participants are encouraged to study water management from a multi-disciplinary perspective and to seek integrated solutions.
Twelve months of blended and innovative learning methods, including lectures, laboratory and field work, case studies, group work, role-plays and self-study, are complemented by six months of applied research in the field of water management theory and practice.
The Water Management Masters Programme aims to develop knowledge, insight and skills required to design, implement and evaluate water management policies and strategies to achieve effective governance of water resources. Once they have successfully completed this programme, graduates will be able to:
Young and mid-career professionals, in technical or management positions, with responsibilities for, or interests in, water and environmental resources, quality issues or provision of water and sanitation. The programme is open to participants from a range of academic backgrounds, as long as they have a Bachelors degree in an area that contributes to water management, including engineering, economics, law, social sciences and natural sciences.
The Water Management programme culminates in an MSc dissertation. This starts with a six-week period to develop an individual research proposal. During the proposal development a number of short courses are offered on special topics covering the latest developments in Water Management, e.g. Water & Climate.
For information about admission requirements, fees, fellowships and more, visit the prospective students section.
The actual research takes place over a period of about six months. The participants undertake applied research in a field directly pertaining to their professional experience, interest and conditions.
Specializations within the MSc Programme are: