water issues - update may-2011
TRANSCRIPT
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2011MAY
INTERVIEW | Wim DeetmanALUMNI | Results tracer survey revealedIN FOCUS | Building a glacier in the desertONLINE | Sanitation and Water Management Toolbox
UPDATEMAGAZINE UNESCO-IHE INSTITUTE FOR WATER EDUCATION
Let’s keep in touch!
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editorial boardErwin PloegerJoop de SchutterAndrás Szöllösi-NagyStefan Uhlenbrook
editorial committeeJan Willem FoppenAnn van GriensvenJeltsje KemerinkJan Herman KosterHenk Lubberding
editor-in-chiefAlida Pham
sub-editorJoy Maul-Phillips coordinationManuela Porceddu
editorial contributionsSelda AkbalLeonardo AlfonsoGiuliano di BaldasarreEllen BrandenburgWim DouvenJan Willem FoppenCarol HoweEwoud KokLaura KwakMichael McClainRoy Meijer (TuD)Arthur MynettMaria Laura SorrentinoMicha Werner
designPeter Stroo
printPrints & Proms/Rotterdam
published byUNESCO-IHEPO Box 30152601 DA DelftThe Netherlands
t +31 15 215 1715f +31 15 212 2921e [email protected] www.unesco-ihe.org
In UPDATE freedom of expression and opinion is encouraged. Opinions need to be expressed fully and clearly in the content. It should also be clear whose opinion the article represents. The Editorial Committee reserves the right to refrain from publishing articles, editorial contributions and letters to the editor or to publish them in consultation with the author.
The Editorial Commitee encourages editorial contributions from readers. The sections known as The Column, Op-Ed and Report from the Field are intended to provide a platform for such contributions. Please note that editorial sections are subject to change.
UPDATE Magazine is interested in hearing more from the Institute’s alumni, especially about projects they are currently undertaking and the organisations to which they are affiliated. Please send your updates to the editor by sending an email to [email protected].
about the magazineUNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education produces a biennial magazine called UPDATE. We print 15,000 free copies per issue, which are sent to our counterparts across the world. UPDATE features institutional information related to water education, research and capacity development activities undertaken by UNESCO-IHE, its alumni and partners.
We try to make every issue of UPDATE Magazine as eco-friendly as possible. The paper used to make this UPDATE is produced by Sappi and is one of the Triple Star papers delivered to us by Papyrus. This paper is PEFC certified. PEFC stands for the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, an independent, nonprofit, non-governmental organization that works with forest managers, paper and timber companies and their external certifiers to assure that the world’s forests are managed sustainably for the benefit of future generations.
institute for water educationUNESCO-IHE is the largest international postgraduate water education institute in the world and the only institution in the UN system authorised to confer accredited MSc degrees and promote PhDs. The mission of UNESCO-IHE is to contribute to the education and training of professionals and to develop the capacity of sector organisations, knowledge centres and other institutions active in the fields of water, the environment and infrastructure, in developing countries and countries in transition.
Since 1957, the Institute has provided postgraduate education to over 14,500 water professionals from 162 countries, the vast majority of whom come from the developing world. Currently the Institute counts 130 registered PhD fellows, and numerous research and capacity development projects are carried out throughout the world.
ARE YOU AN ALUMNUS?We are living in an international world where email is the fastest way of keeping in touch across the globe. UNESCO-IHE follows this trend and we are increasingly sending you information by email. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us and send us your most up-to-date contact details. Your details will only be used to send you information about UNESCO-IHE. We will respect your privacy at all times and will not share your information with others without your prior consent.
Diversity is key
Welcome to a new issue of UPDATE Magazine in which you can read about the very diverse areas in which the Institute is active, through its efforts in the areas of education, research and capacity development programmes. Much work remains to be done to meet global water challenges. Setting up a global campus as a means to strengthen international academic collaboration and intensify existing relations with partners and institutes is the next step forward.
The future education of UNESCO-IHE is to be characterised by a consistent application of innovative, learner-centred didactical approaches to produce graduates who become the much needed water experts. Thus, the Institute aims to offer innovative, internationally appealing global water education programmes, while at the same time pursuing enhanced and effective cooperation with its partner institutions to create new international learning alliances.
This global campus will be an interdisciplinary environment in which a new generation of water professionals is able to explore insights into water problems from many different perspectives, and contribute to the development of creative, integrated and sustainable solutions. They will become water leaders rather than followers. Solid knowledge and understanding of one discipline as well as cognitive competencies outside that discipline blended with functional, personal, values/ethical and meta-competencies are to be acquired.
UNESCO-IHE in collaboration with its partners have a key task in transferring knowledge and research in achieving the world’s development goals over the next decade. We must all recognize that there is a definite and strong need to develop, strengthen and maintain local and regional capacities to conduct professional training, academic education and research in water-related subjects.
I hope you will enjoy reading this issue of UPDATE Magazine.
Professor András Szöllösi-Nagy Rector, UNESCO-IHE
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10 | Alumni Tracer Survey The Results
14 | SWITCH 2006 - 2011 A Global Partnership
18 | Artist Ap Verheggen Cultural Ambassador presents SunGlacier
4 | Interview with Wim Deetman, IHE Delft Foundation Board Member
12 | Interview with Maria Kennedy, newly appointed Professor
ABOUT THE COVERThis cover photo was shot at the ATH Resources coal mine located in the north of Edinburgh in Scotland. The specialists are checking the growth of the reeds in the waste water purifica-tion beds. The water has been pumped out of the coalmines and is being purified by the reeds.ATH Resources operates surface coal mines and is one of the largest producers of coal in the UK, providing coal principally to the electricity sup-ply industry and also the industrial and house coal markets. Throughout the development and operation of its projects, the company focuses on the restoration and rehabilitation of the sites and land is returned to a number of uses includ-ing agriculture, forestry, nature conservation and other forms of development.Photo © Monty Rakusen/cultura/Corbis
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2011MAY
INTERVIEW | Wim DeetmanALUMNI | Results tracer survey revealedIN FOCUS | Building a glacier in the desertONLINE | Sanitation and Water Management Toolbox
UPDATEMAGAZINE UNESCO-IHE INSTITUTE FOR WATER EDUCATION
Let’s keep in touch!2 | Short news7 | Column Climate Change8 | Colombia mission
11 | Mara flows11 | Opinion Damming Eastern Africa’s Rivers16 | Updates Flood Resilience Group17 | KULTURisk20 | Mobile phone data collection field report21 | Publications22 | Project progress report Scusa23 | Joint programmes24 | Past events26 | Staff news28 | Online water resources
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NEW
WASTEWATER TREATMENT LAB A new wastewater treatment lab was recently established at UNESCO-IHE. The lab was built in the framework of the SALINE research project and financed by UNESCO-IHE and Prof. Ekama from the University of Cape Town. The new lab provides ten research stations with state-of-the-art experimental bio‐chemical wastewater treatment equipment for MSc, PhD and post‐doc sanitary engineering students.
GROUNDWATER RESOURCES ASSESSMENT CENTRE IS RELOCATINGThe International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC) had been hosted at the Deltares offices in Utrecht, the Netherlands. In line with the recent decision by the Dutch govern-ment, IGRAC, a UNESCO Category 2 Institute will be relocated to the UNESCO-IHE premises in Delft in the summer of 2011. The Centre will operate under the auspices of UNESCO and will have a partnership structure which includes international bodies such as the World Meteorological Organization. Established in 1999 at the 5th International Conference on Hydrology, IGRAC aims to facilitate and promote worldwide exchange of groundwater knowledge to improve assessment, development and management of groundwater resources.
www.igrac.net
26-30 SEpTEMBER 2011
phD WEEK True to tradition, the annual UNESCO-IHE PhD week will take place from 26-30 September at the Institute in Delft. During the event, PhD fellows will present their research and meet with the management and staff of the institute to discuss various research topics. UNESCO-IHE currently has more than 130 PhD fellows in various research ar-eas. During the PhD week, a course will be given by the SENSE research school, entitled ‘Environmental Research in Context’. The aim is to support PhD can-didates in their research and develop-ment by offering practical planning tips, providing information on the discipli-nary and multidisciplinary research of the SENSE Research School, explaining the social context of environmental research, and strengthening interactions with other PhD students. The course is designed for starting PhD students from within the SENSE Research School. A programme will be made available on www.unesco-ihe.org/research.
ADApTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN CUBA UNESCO-IHE was granted EC funds though EuropeAid to carry out two pro-jects in Cuba. One project is on adapting to climate change and mitigating water scarcity by innovative urban water management. The other is on strength-ening the Cuban food production and aquaculture sector through resource optimization and recovery. These pro-jects started this year and are intended to help reduce water shortages in Cuba, as well as to increase food security through the recovery and optimization of resources (water, energy, nutrients) in the food processing chain. They will strengthen the expertise of Cuban water professionals and experts from the food sector by transferring the knowledge generated through the project to local graduate and post-graduate schools.
NEW LIBRARY CATALOGUE The UNESCO-IHE online library catalogue has recently been fully updated and can be accessed through the UNESCO-IHE website at www.unesco-ihe.org/about/facilities/library. The online repository contains all the bibliographical data on the collec-tion, abstracts and PDF documents, as well as an instruction manual for using the new catalogue and PiCarta. The full-text PDF files can only be accessed on UNESCO-IHE premises or through login authentication via the UNESCO-IHE portal. The new catalogue also contains a direct link to PiCarta, the Dutch Union Catalogue. PiCarta (www.picarta.nl) is the gateway to library collections of nearly all Dutch University Libraries and the Royal Library of the Netherlands. UNESCO-IHE alumni are eligible for the alumni services, including free access to the library catalogue and to PDFs of all MSc theses.
SHORT NEWS
DELFT URBAN WATER ADDS TO DUTCH EXpERTISEResearchers from Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands), UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, the Deltares research institute and the KWR Water Cycle Research Institute have set up the Delft Urban Water research platform. By combining expertise in the field of urban water management, they aim to tackle future problems of increasing urbanization, flooding and a worldwide shortage of high-quality water. More than twenty professors and over 100 PhD students will be carrying out research related to urban water management. The establishment of the platform will make it possible to efficiently and dynamically integrate a range of technologies at the scale of buildings, neighbourhoods and cities. Working in concert with industry partners, advisory agencies and other institutions around the world, researchers at the Delft Urban Water platform are developing innovative concepts and technologies on the cutting edge of their disciplines, as well as integrated solutions for the city of today and tomorrow.
www.delfturbanwater.nl
Contact: Roy Meijer, TU Delft Science Information Officer, [email protected]
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SpATE IRRIGATION pROJECT STARTS The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has recently granted USD 1.2 Million USD for the Spate Irrigation for Rural Growth and Poverty Alleviation project. The project will develop spate irrigation policies and capacity building pro-grammes in Ethiopia, Sudan, Yemen and Pakistan. The project is expected to run from January 2011 to December 2014. In the past few years, UNESCO-IHE and MetaMeta, a Netherlands based private company, have jointly documented good practices and training material, all of which were used to share experiences within and between countries. This has led to a compendium of improved practices on water diversion and engineering, organization and governance, improving agronomy, moisture management and non-agricultural activities. The pro-ject intends to promote spate irrigation at a national policy level as well as at an operational level.
WATER CHALLENGES OF URBANISATION
YOUNG SCIENTISTS WORKSHOPDuring the International Water Week (IWW) at the Amsterdam RAI congress centre, a four-day young scientists workshop will be held on water challenges related to urbanization. The workshop will bring together some 35 international PhD students and young professionals from the industrial sector. They will prepare for the workshop by writing a scientific paper on the topic of ‘Water challenges of urbanization’, in which they will address global problems associated with the rapid growth of cities around the world. The workshop is scientifically supervised by three professors of water management and several senior water professionals. The workshop outcomes include a joint vision on opportunities to solve urbanization issues. The Young Water Professionals Programme is organized by Waternet, IWA and Amsterdam RAI in collaboration with UNESCO-IHE, the Netherlands Water Partnership and the Royal Dutch Water Network.
Amsterdam RAI will be organizing the first International Water Week in November in Amsterdam with the International Water Association (IWA), the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) and Waternet. The theme week offers a range of events and meetings for professionals in water tech-nology and water management, providing a small-scale but real-time showcase of the accomplishments that are possible when good water technology meets good water management. During the International Water Week, technical tours and excur-sions will be organized to visit some of the marvels of Dutch engineering.
The event includes the internationally renowned Aquatech Amsterdam trade exhibition and Aquaterra, the world forum on delta and coastal development. In addi-tion, Integrated Aqua Solutions (a unique showcase of innovative water projects) will premiere during the week.Much of the week’s programmes will also focus on students and young profession-als under the age of 35. The IWW 2011 Amsterdam will be a platform for high-lighting the challenges the water sector faces, the opportunities at hand, and how water professionals can be involved.
www.internationalwaterweek.com
ApRIL-JUNE 2012
THE BIG CHALLENGEThe Big Challenge is calling on 100 talented young research-ers from all over the world to develop solutions for the world’s most critical issue: WATER. The challenge will be launched at the 6th World Water Forum, in March 2012, and will then continue in Delft, the Netherlands. Twenty groups of five Top Talents will have three months, April to June 2012, to develop innovative and intelligent solutions to real challenges related to water. The Big Challenge is organised by IBM, UNESCO-IHE and H2O Job. The themes used in the challenge are based on real water problems confronting businesses, governments or NGOs. During their time in Delft, the research groups will have ac-cess to an international network of experts. They will travel throughout the country to develop their solution: meeting up with stakeholders, investigating sites of interest, and present-ing their findings at a grand closing event. This hands-on, real-life experience will shape the future leaders of the world. For more information on eligibility criteria, ways to apply, sponsorship packages, the challenges and collaborat-ing companies see the website www.thebigchallenge.nl.
29 OCTOBER - 4 NOvEMBER, 2011
INTERNATIONAL WATER WEEK
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“I can play an active role in
strengthening the position of
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“I very much believe in UNESCO-IHE and its mission to contribute to meeting the water-related capacity building needs of developing countries and countries in transition,” he says. “During my tenure as Minister of Education and later on as President of the Board of NUFFIC, I have always supported the programmes and activities in the field of international higher education.” NUFFIC is the Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education and Research, and acts as intermediary between higher education institutes and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the development cooperation framework. “ The Dutch can and must be very proud of this Institute and the accomplishments it has made over the years. The global impact in the field and the large alumni network really show that UNESCO-IHE has earned its internationally renowned reputation. The Dutch are too modest to realize this and that is a pity.” Severe cuts were announced in the Dutch development cooperation budget of the recently installed Rutte Cabinet. This is the current Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). The coalition is a minority cabinet, but is supported by the Party for Freedom (PVV) to have a small majority in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands.
“ Being more creative in financially challenging times”Wim Deetman, Dutch politician and statesman, former minister of education and mayor of The Hague in the Netherlands, was appointed Chair of the IHE Delft Foundation Board in September 2010. Deetman who is currently a member of the Dutch Council of State, talked to UPDATE Magazine about how he sees the position of UNESCO-IHE in the Netherlands, important areas for the Institute to engage in and his role as chairperson of the Board.
BOARD MEMBER INTERvIEW
At this moment, the Dutch government is by far the most important sponsor of UNESCO-IHE. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science provides a base subsidy to support mainly the regular education programme, whereas the Ministry of Foreign Affairs funds fellowships and project-based capacity development and partnership building activities. ‘Water’ will however remain one of the four priority themes of Dutch development cooperation in the coming years. So, despite the anticipated budget cuts in fellowship (NFP) and capacity building (NICHE) schemes, there will be an important role for UNESCO-IHE to help the government achieve its water-related ambitions. “I recall that in the 1980s, when I was Minister of Education and Science, also many cuts were made in the budgets of the central government. It was in this period that we were able to realize many more innovations, particularly in the field of research and development. In financially challenging times one needs to be more creative. There is a larger acceptance of creative ideas,” Deetman elaborates.
“As the Chairperson of the IHE Delft Foundation Board, I see it as my role to support the Rector and my fellow board members in stimulating and encouraging new developments. I can play an active role in strengthening the position of UNESCO-IHE within the national political arena. I will be able to voice the Institute’s concerns and interests especially within the setting of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and if necessary the Dutch parliament.” The UNESCO-IHE Governing Board and the IHE Delft Foundation Board recently endorsed the proposal for new strategic directions and comprehensive reform of the current scope and functioning of the Institute. The Boards also supported the establishment of a global UNESCO-IHE campus of interconnected regional institutes. The global UNESCO-IHE Campus is to increase the delivery capacity of UNESCO-IHE through improved access by a significantly higher number of participants to high quality water and environmental education,
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training and research opportunities at a competitive cost. They will benefit from everything that a global campus network can offer: maximum exposure, shared scientific interest, enhanced quality and the sharing of business opportunities in the global education, training and research market for water and the environment. The Global Campus idea fits the main elements of the new policies adopted for internationalization of the Dutch tertiary education as developed by the National AWT (National Advisory Council for Science and Technology). The concept is in full correspondence with the report on ways to optimize the impact of development cooperation from the WRR (National Advisory Council for Government Policies). “ The global expansion within the proposed reform is a very good idea. It will make the Institute stronger, more financially autonomous,” Deetman explains. “It is very important for the Institute to have an increased and more diversified funding base that could stimulate new developments with other organizations and institutes in the world. This is important for the Institute and the Dutch government, but also for society at large.
The members of the board at its last meeting also recognized the need for the Institute to obtain the
university status (including the right to promote PhD students, Ius Promovendus). This is a necessary asset to provide academic leadership and guidance to university partners and research institutions within this global network. UNESCO-IHE can help the government in the implementation of their new vision on the internationalization of tertiary education, in which under Dutch national law the promotion right will likely be extended from the limited number of registered universities towards a wider group of institutions involved in high level research work. Obtaining the right to grant PhD degrees as a result of this process is the preferred option.
“I know that it is not easy to obtain the Ius Promovendus in this setting,” Deetman says. “But at the same time it is an important condition for the further development and financial stability of the Institute. We all have to make clear to authorities that to have the right of promotion is a win-win situation, for the Institute but also for the Dutch government and society at large.”
Deetman continues: “Research and knowledge institutes in the Netherlands have a lot of expertise with respect to dealing with a variety of water issues. So far we have
“There will be an important role for UNESCO-IHE to help the government achieve its water-related ambitions”
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PERSONALIA
2008Member of the Dutch Council of State
2002Thanks to the efforts of Deetman, The Hague was chosen as the seat of The International Criminal Court
1996-2008Mayor of The Hague
1989-1996President of the Dutch House of Representatives
1982-1989Minister of Education and Science
1978-1981State Secretary of Education and Science
1972Deetman graduates from the Free University Amsterdam where he studied political science
Climate change is here to stay – for quite some time…Climate change and its impact have been receiving considerable attention in our world of water, and continue to be an important driver for education, research and capacity building at UNESCO-IHE. Can our present water resources be managed more effectively? Can we develop sustainable technologies that will allow future generations to enjoy access to fresh water? Is there a way to avert damage resulting from the impact of climate change? While we contemplate these pressing questions, ice caps on Greenland are melting away, Alaskan glaciers are disappearing, and permafrost is vanishing in Siberia. Is there anything we can do to influence these processes? Should we educate the world to be more aware of environmental issues? Further develop technologies to conserve water and energy? Organize another World Water Forum? Steps need to be taken; that much is clear. But will even our best efforts be effective? Will they stop global warming or lead us back to a stable status quo that will allow everyone to live happily ever after? Unlikely. Even if measures were to be implemented right now, it would not stop the Siberian tundra from emitting enormous quantities of methane, a gas that is many times more harmful than CO2. All signs indicate that the climate ball has just started rolling and is still going downhill - and is likely to continue for quite some time … Is there nothing we can do to prevent this? Could we stop driving cars? Ban all industries? Extinguish all forest fires? Hold our breath till we turn blue so we consume less oxygen? Organize even more World Water Forums? Clearly, all measures need to be explored and every relevant technology should be developed. However, the idea that our efforts will make it possible for us to control Mother Earth may be an illusion. Climate change has all the features of a strongly nonlinear system with feedback mechanisms and response times that are not yet fully understood. Have anthropogenic effects caused all the problems? Has our influence on climate change become dominant in recent years? According to geologists, atmospheric CO2 has already reached levels more than 100-fold higher than present values several times in the distant past – long before cars or industries were around to contribute. So where are we headed? And how soon is this going to happen? The answer depends on your time horizon. Is global warming a fact? All indications are that it is, if we look 50 years into the future. Can we expect another ice age? Most likely, according to climatologists, but not yet; we would have to look at a scale of several thousand years. So is there no end in sight? Sure there is! Climate change will eventually come to an end: when the sun enters its red giant stage, Earth is likely to be consumed by the expanding star. Even before that, all water will have evaporated due to increased solar activity; our planet is unlikely to support life by that time. The dramatic demise of planet Earth is still several billion years away, however. Meanwhile, at the time scale of human life, there is still plenty of education, research and capacity building to do – and there will be for quite some time …
Arthur Mynett is Professor of Hydraulic Engineering
been able to maintain and further develop this expertise, but it would be highly beneficial if we were to have an increased number of activities outside of the Netherlands. Building and maintaining an intense network throughout the world in which we can actively participate is really the way forward.”
He adds: “Another area that I believe the Netherlands should focus on is to see this expertise as an important economic factor that can generate a sustainable source of revenue if we are to make this expertise available abroad. Against this background it is of importance that we have a good network, activities and programmes overseas from which we can draw.
At the same time we contribute to sustainable development in those areas where it is most needed. International postgraduate water education should foremost be done on the basis of regional and networked educational institutions located in areas where water-related problems take place. The common denominator that connects the global network is UNESCO-IHE, the alma mater of trained water professionals.”
“Finally I would like to say that it is a great honour for me to succeed Henk Vonhoff in the role of chairperson of the Board. He did such a wonderful job,” Deetman says. “My task is to continue the work he did for the Institute.” Henk Vonhoff who was Chair of the IHE Delft Foundation Board since 2003 passed away on 25 July 2010.
COLUMN
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the Environment, the National Hydro-Meteorological Agency, the office of the Governor of Cauca, and the National Planning Agency. Two days were also spent flying over the affected areas in small planes and helicopters to take stock of the extent of inundation and flood damage.
RECOMMENDATIONSBased on the information they gathered and the discussions they conducted with various authorities, the team developed recommendations for the Colombian government on a more sustainable ap-proach to flood management. A number of Colombian universities, agencies and institutions have substantial expertise in the field of water and flood management; some of these experts were UNESCO-IHE alumni, who have worked in close coop-eration with Colombian universities for some 30 years, in particular Universidad del Valle in Cali. Despite this expertise, one of the issues identified by the team was the lack of an integrated approach to water management in general, and flood management in particular. The institutional set-up is fragmented and generally does not follow river basin boundaries, which often leads to an ad-hoc approach to flood management. This typically
Colombia calls in expert advice after flooding
The Colombian government declared a state of emergency in 28 of its 32 provinces. Immediate attention was given to rescue and response operations, but the scale of the event has led the govern-ment to start looking for more sustainable solutions. At the request of President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, a delegation of experts from the Netherlands (including UNESCO-IHE representatives) visited Colombia at the end of January. The aim of their visit was to help identify short, medium and long-term measures and to contribute international experience in inte-grated flood risk management.
REqUEST FOR INpUT FROM EXpERTSThis flood event has been high on the Colombian political agenda; the govern-ment has recognized that the magnitude of the floods and the extent of the damage caused may require a new approach to flood management. A more comprehen-sive approach to flood management is needed to avoid a repeat of such wide-spread damage in future rainy seasons, and to adapt to the expected increase in floods due to climate change. To gain a better understanding of how to improve flood management in
Months of heavy rains during the extreme wet season of 2010-2011 triggered landslides and floods at an unprecedented scale across Colombia, leaving over 350 people dead, displacing some 2 million people and causing over $6 billion in damage. Scores of dike breaches, including a major failure of the dikes along a navigation link canal, inundated thousands of square kilometers of land not normally flooded during the wet season, leaving many communities uninhabitable for months.
MISSION REpORT
Colombia, President Santos requested his Ministry of Transport to ask the Netherlands Embassy in Bogotá to provide advice. His request was based on an awareness of the extensive experience in water and flood management in the Netherlands, as well as the long-standing Dutch-Colombian cooperation in the water sector dating back to the mid-1970s. There are also strong ties between UNESCO-IHE and various universities and research institutes in Colombia, and many UNESCO-IHE alumni hail from Colombia. In response to the President’s request, the Netherlands Embassy in Bogotá and the Netherlands Water Partnership formed a team of experts from the Dutch water sector which travelled to Colombia at the end of January. The aim was to provide an analysis of the situation and propose a more sustainable approach to flood man-agement in Colombia. The team consisted of flood experts from UNESCO-IHE, Deltares, Royal Haskoning, Royal Boskalis Westminster and Antea Group (formerly Oranjewoud), among others. To understand the extent and impact of the floods and to see how the management of flood events is organised in Colombia, the team met with various ministries and government agencies, including the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of
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focuses on small-scale levees that may provide protection to local communities, but may equally exacerbate flood issues at the basin scale. The main overall recommendation given to the government was therefore to develop a more integrated approach to managing flood risks. Institutional reform will also be needed so issues can be ad-dressed at the basin level. A shift in focus from flood protection to risk reduction has brought about a more sustainable approach to flood management in Europe; this same paradigm shift would also ben-efit Colombia. A good start was made in 2010 with the introduction of a new policy on Integrated Water Resources Management. While the policy is still in the pilot phase of imple-mentation, the recent flood events did highlight that integrated flood risk man-agement is very much a part of that policy.
FEEDBACK TO THE pRESIDENT AND FOLLOW-UpFollowing briefings with the various min-istries, the team wrapped up the mission by discussing the recommendations with President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón. He took a keen interest in the recommen-dations and welcomed the idea of renew-
ing a partnership between the Netherlands and Colombia in the area of water manage-ment. Such a partnership would build on strong ties between the two countries in water management, which were estab-lished as early as the 1970s. The President immediately tasked sev-eral government ministers present at the meeting with following up on the recom-mendations made by the team; several ac-tivities have been initiated since then. One such effort is the pilot projects for the new policy on water management, extended to include aspects of integrated flood risk management, which are currently taking place in various basins across Colombia. This effort is coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment, with the support of the Netherlands Embassy in Bogotá. UNESCO-IHE will continue to be involved in these pilot projects, offering guidance and facilitating capacity building. Although all those concerned are aware that the recommendations offered for the medium and long term may not reduce flood risks in the coming rainy season, it is hoped that a more integrated approach to flood risk management will minimize the disruption and damage caused by future events in Colombia.
Scour hole left after the major dike failure along the Canal del Dique. The breach had recently been closed, but the damage to the community and the agricultural area behind the dike can be seen clearly
Meeting with President Santos at the presidential palace.
“A more integrated approach to managing flood risks is needed”
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Top four of training topics followed after studies Competences and skills acquired at UNESCO-IHE and required on the job
www.unesco-ihe.org/alumni
Competences and SkillsRespondents indicated that they have primarily acquired technical competences and skills at UNESCO-IHE, as well as competence in lifelong learning. The tacit knowledge inherent in that competence includes a broader worldview, critical thinking, reflective thinking and intercultural understanding. To a significant extent, the competences that the respondents need in their daily jobs consist of technical and management skills. The demand for governance competences is indicated to be higher than was acquired at UNESCO-IHE. Management competences were defined as the knowledge and skills that are needed to for day to day management of the organization. Governance competences included understanding of procedures and institutional structures, political consensus building and the ability and willingness to involve stakeholders in decision making processes. It must be noted that alumni of all age groups are included in this sample. In the past, the curriculum included more technical subjects than nowadays, which may lead to the impression that many alumni acquired mostly technical knowledge and skills at UNESCO-IHE. For the younger generation of alumni, a more varied picture would emerge from the data. In terms of additional non-degree training, the most popular training mentioned by the respondents covered project management skills, planning, coordinating, organizing and leadership skills. Impact on careerAfter studying at UNESCO-IHE, the majority of the respondents (76%) continued to work for the same employer (NB: this is a requirement of many fellowship programs). Half of them were immediately promoted to a better position.
In most cases, the working environment was conducive for using the knowledge and skills acquired at UNESCO-IHE, with 69% indicating that this was true ‘to a high or very high extent’. The graph shows the changes in job level comparing the level before and after the study at UNESCO-IHE. When looking at changes in employment over the longer term, the career paths of the respondents show marked advancements. NetworkTwo-thirds of the respondents said that they had benefited professionally from contacts made at UNESCO-IHE. 75% have professional contact with one or more of the people they met during their studies, and 19% of this group stated that they had maintained contact with 15 people or more. When asked about involvement with a United Nations or Dutch organisation after their studies, 25% indicated that they have been working for or with the UN (in the role of commissioner, consultant, sub-contractor or partner), while 21% reported to have worked for or with a Dutch public/private organization. Impact of study Over 70% of the respondents reported that their professional activities are very much related to the development of their country or region. This number is illustrated by the high percentages of respondents that have contributed to development studies (60%), development reforms (45%) and especially to development projects (86%).
* The survey was sent to alumni of IHE and alumni of UNESCO-IHE. For the purposes of the survey, UNESCO-IHE is used to refer to the institute throughout its history.
Distribution of job levels before study at UNESCO-IHE up to four jobs after study
alumni tracer survey
To which extent did you professionally benefit from the contacts (participants, staff, etc.) you made at UNESCO-IHE?
To which extent do you consider your overall professional activities to contribute to the development of your country/region?
In an effort to better understand the relevance and impact of the education offered by UNESCO-IHE, an alumni tracer survey was conducted in the last quarter of 2010. The results will be used to further improve the Institute’s services for future generations of water professionals. 6500 alumni were asked to participate in the survey. Questions were about education, career develop-ment, professional networks and skills and competences they had acquired during their studies at UNESCO-IHE*. A total of 1153 respondents completed the sur-vey, a response rate of 18%.
20.7% (239) of the respondents are female and 79.3% (914) are male. Ranked by country of origin, the largest group of respondents is from Indonesia, followed by Ethiopia and Tanzania. The majority of the respond-ents graduated in past two decades but with over 270 respondents that graduated before1990, the group also includes alumni from the earlier years of the institute, providing a complete career development picture of the alumni population anno 2011.
First results of the tracer survey reveal the relevance and impact of studying at UNESCO-IHE. Alumni generally in-dicate that through their studies they gained new knowl-edge and competences and increased their confidence required for tackling the challenges they face while pursuing their career. In the words of an alumnus from India: “I am very grateful to IHE, not only for enhancing my knowledge base, but also for shaping my personality … IHE
taught me to work in a group, communicate with different cultures and accept different ideas, practice critical and lateral thinking, improving leadership qualities, manage-ment skills and so forth, the list is endless!”.
The vast majority stays active in the field of water and en-vironment in the country or region of their origin, stead-ily making professional advancement by either improving their job positions or changing of employer. Most alumni further improve their competences by following short specialized courses. In keeping professionally updated, contacts with former classmates and professors met at UNESCO-IHE are highly valued.
The survey is currently undergoing comprehensive analysis. A preliminary preview is given on this page. In the next edition of UPDATE magazine further outcomes will be published.
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The Mara River crosses national borders, creating a situation similar to many other rivers in East Africa. Its water resources have not been significantly developed to date, but plans are in motion for major development over the coming years, including two dams and multipurpose reservoirs to supply water for irrigation, domestic needs and small-scale hydropower. Although it is in many ways a typical transboundary river, the Mara is also unusual because it is the only perennial river flowing though the Mara-Serengeti Ecoregion, where the migration of more than two million wildebeest, Plains zebra, and other ungulates attracts millions of tourists annually. Over-abstraction or regulation of flows in the Mara could have severe ecological consequences. Modifications of river flows may also affect hundreds of thousands of people living beyond the reach of the proposed projects, people who rely on the river for water, fish, and other ecosystem-dependent basic needs. To maintain the environmental services of the Mara River and to enable sustainable development, the environmental flow needs of the river must be determined and protected. UNESCO-IHE joined WWF and other partners in determining an initial set of environmental flow recommendations for the Mara River, which have been endorsed by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission. Now, in cooperation with the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Egerton University (Kenya), UNESCO-IHE is working closely with Kenyan and Tanzanian water authorities to conduct detailed exploratory studies of the relationships between flow and key ecosystem processes, including nutrient and energy regimes in the
river and the productivity of fish and papyrus in the wetland where the Mara empties into Lake Victoria. The bulk of the research is being carried out by East African PhD students under the joint supervision of professors from UNESCO-IHE, the University of Dar es Salaam, and Egerton University. Detailed studies of the river’s flow and flooding regimes are underway, with a focus on those components of the flow and flooding regimes that are most ecologically relevant. Parallel studies are examining key ecological processes, the variability of those processes as a function of changes in flow regime, and the related ecosystem services that people depend upon. Scale modelling of the river basin is being used to assess the combined effects of land use and climate change, enabling the simulation of flow regimes into an uncertain future. These PhD studies are enhanced by associated MSc theses. The project is embedded within a larger development programme financed by the US Agency for International Development, which facilitates the transfer of knowledge to partner agencies and community associations of water users. The MaraFlows project is just one of more than a dozen ongoing collaborative projects supported by the UNESCO-IHE Partnership Research Fund (UPaRF), which is a unique and highly effective funding arrangement between the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGIS) and UNESCO-IHE. These
combined research and educational programmes
draw expertise from across the research cores of UNESCO-IHE and match it with key international partners to
maximize impact.
pROJECT
Flows for people and Ecosystems
Eastern Africa is blessed with remarkable rivers, from the Blue Nile and the headwaters of Lake Victoria to coastal rivers draining the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Eastern Arc Mountains. From time immemorial, these free-flowing rivers have shaped the region’s landscape, met the basic water needs of people and wildlife, and flourished as biodiverse ecosystems in their own right. Today, many East African rivers suffer from a deterioration in water quality, but, with unfortunate exceptions, most rivers are still largely undammed and free-flowing. The region has hydropower potential, but only 10% of the large options and 2% of its small options has been developed. East Africa has the smallest water storage capacity of any region in Africa and less than 5% of its cultivated land is irrigated. The historical explanation for the lack of river regulation and development is partly political and partly economic, but the countries in the region are setting ambitious goals for the coming 20 years. The grand vision is laid out in the Africa Water Vision 2025 and the ambitions of individual nations are taking shape in initiatives like Kenya’s Vision 2030. Although many are alarmed, and not without cause, by the prospects for unacceptable and irreversible damage to the ecology and ecosystem services of Eastern Africa river systems, I am hopeful. If it is done properly, now may be the time to embark on such an ambitious regional development programme, since many key enabling conditions are in place. First, as a water community we now know a great deal about structural and operational approaches to dam development that preserve environmental flows in rivers. Second, national policies and institutions across East Africa have been reformed to incorporate principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Countries like Kenya and Tanzania have taken this commitment further by passing new water laws and regulations, assigning the highest priority in water allocation planning to river flows for basic human needs and environmental protection. Third, I can attest from my own experience that water authorities in Kenya and Tanzania are serious about environmental protection and open to collaboration with a range of national and international stakeholders to achieve environmental objectives. UNESCO-IHE is collaborating with water authorities across East Africa and engaging many university partners in applied research and capacity-building projects. Our efforts, and my optimism, are bolstered by the presence of more than 1100 UNESCO-IHE alumni in the region. The challenges in East Africa are real, but so are the needs. Now is the time for scientifically sound and environmentally sustainable river basin development, and UNESCO-IHE and its partners should remain a positive facilitating force.
Michael McClain is the Head of the Water Engineering Department
OpINION
Damming Eastern Africa’s Rivers
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Nurturing an environment of academic curiosity
Professor Maria Kennedy has 19 years of research experience in the field of desalination and membrane related technology for potable and industrial water treatment and reuse. Maria was also involved in several international training projects in the field of desalinating brackish water/seawater in the Palestinian National Authority (West Bank), Jordan, St. Maarten, Israel, Bahrain, Iran, Oman, and Yemen. “I firmly believe that education can play a key role in eliminating some of inequalities in the world. When I first started working at UNESCO-IHE, I was inspired by the idea that I could contribute in some way to developing the capacities of people in developing countries and countries in transition, and enabling people to effectively solve their water issues,” Professor Kennedy explains. “ What is so interesting about this area of work is that it really touches upon everyone’s lives, because clean drinking water is something everyone needs. It is a prerequisite for a healthy and sustainable economy and growth thereof. Water is available in abundance in the developed world, but many of us take it for granted. Some of the major issues and bottlenecks in developing countries concern the treatment of this scarce resource.” Asked about becoming the first full-time female professor at the Institute, she elaborates: “I consider it a real privilege to have been appointed Professor of Water Treatment Technology in UNESCO-IHE, and to follow in the footsteps of Prof. Jan Schippers and Prof. Gary Amy, both of whom have been a huge source of inspiration to me during the past 19 years. Becoming a professor was never one of my main objectives – I simply really enjoyed all of the educational, research and capacity building and training activities that I participated in over the past 19 years. The fact that this led to over 100 Masters theses, 6 PhD theses and over 120 peer-reviewed journal and conference publications was an added bonus. The ultimate goal was always to contribute in some small way to solving real water related problems in the developing world.
NATIONALITYIrish
EDUCATIONPhD degree, College of Industrial Chemistry & Material Science, University of Limerick, Ireland
AFFILIATIONSMember of the Board of Directors of the European Desalination Society (EDS)
Member of the International Desalination Association (IDA)
Member of the International Water Association (IWA)
PROJECTS IN THE FIELDProfessor Maria Kennedy was involved in numerous research and capacity-building and training projects in the Palestinian National Authority (West Bank), Bahrain, The Netherlands, Iran, Jordan, Israel, USA, St. Maarten, Oman and Yemen.
INTERvIEW
Maria Kennedy was recently appointed Professor of Water Treatment Technology in UNESCO-IHE’s Urban Water and Sanitation Department. In her new post, she also heads the Water Supply Engineering core. UPDATE Magazine interviewed Professor Kennedy about what inspired her throughout her academic career and what priority research areas she will embark on.
The Water Supply Engineering core that Maria Kennedy heads is involved in the generation and transfer of knowledge related to both appropriate low-cost and advanced water treatment technologies, and water transport and distribution. The group addresses a wide range of water treatment issues, including the further development and wider use of desalination and membrane related technology, removal of arsenic, fluoride, iron and manganese from groundwater, low-cost treatment technologies such as natural coagulants and biofiltration, natural treatment systems such as soil aquifer treatment, bank filtration and artificial recharge and recovery, and water transport and distribution. In the future, Professor Kennedy hopes to expand the research to include advanced disinfection/oxidation processes for water and wastewater treatment and reuse. “One of our key assets is the large number of highly motivated Masters participants and PhD fellows,” she adds. “ The MSc participants come to UNESCO-IHE holding a Bachelor’s degree and with a few years of work experience, and most of them have a fixed goal to achieve when they return to their home countries. The students are very aware of the real problems in water treatment and water transport and distribution in the developing world. The work we do here to try and come up with solutions for these issues is often conducted in the context of a very diverse group of people in terms of experience, expertise, varying backgrounds and cultures. “In the Masters programme in Water Supply Engineering, we try to create water professionals with a broad knowledge of water treatment issues and at the same time sufficient depth to be able to solve real problems once they return home”. She continues: “a key priority in the core is to ensure that our research results are applied to solve real problems in the developing world. In addition, it is vital to maintain a high academic level in our Masters and PhD programmes. I believe the higher the level of education, the higher the level of success and impact that can be achieved by the MSc participants and PhD fellows after they return to their home countries. ”
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“A key priority is to ensure that our research results are applied
to solve real problems”
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About SWITCH The UNESCO-IHE led SWITCH project has set out to achieve more sustainable urban water management in the “City of the Future”. With support from the EC through its 6th Framework Programme, a consortium of 33 partners from 15 countries have worked together for five years to create innovative sci-entific, technological and socio-economic so-lutions that can be replicated around the world. Action research, demonstrations, training and wide dissemination have created a ‘SWITCH’ in thinking about urban water management.
Why Focus on Cities?By 2030 over 60% of the world’s popula-tion will live in cities. This rapid escalation in population combined with climate change, escalating costs and other risks inherent to conventional urban water management are causing cities to face ever increasing difficulties in efficiently managing scarcer and less reliable water resources.
Learning AlliancesCity level “Learning Alliances” are at the heart of the SWITCH transition process. These multi-stakeholder platforms have helped break down barriers to information sharing, speeding up the process of uptake and innovation.
Managing Water for the City of the Future
BELO HORIZONTE – Rainwater collection and creek restoration
LODZ – Blue-Green network
ZARAGOZA – Stopping leaks
HAMBURG
BOGOTA – Cleaner pro-duction for tanneries
CALI
BIRMINGHAM – Green & Brown roofs
LIMA – Greening the slums
2006 >•SWITCHKick-offMeeting•LearningAlliancesestablishedin9cities•DemonstrationsbegininTelAviv,LodzandZaragoza
2007 >•Accra,Hamburg,BirminghamandAlexandriacreatevisions
for their cities. •UNESCOannouncesSWITCH-in-AsiaPacific•CaliandLimabecomeSWITCHcities•SWITCHScientificMeetingheldinTelAviv•InternationalUrbanWaterResearchSchoolestablished
2008 >•Strategicplanningunderwayin7cities•SWITCHScientificMeetingheldinBeloHorizonte•FilmdocumentariesonAccra,Beijing,LodzandAlexandria
launchedatEXPO08andWorldWaterForum•SpinoffdemonstrationsinLodz
ACCRA – Capturing nutrients
unesco-ihe global partnership SWITCH2006-2011
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SWITCH has produced a wide range of products for cities to use as they take the journey to sustainability:
SWITCH in the City shares the experiences of twelve global cities with demand-led research, multi-stakeholder engagement and scaling up of research projects.
SWITCH Training Kit includes methods and tools on Learning Alliances, scenario building, water management options and development of long-term strategies.
Climate Adaptation Manual helps cities to assess their risk and implement plans to adapt to climate change using case study examples from around the world.
CityWater decision-making tools allow cities to explore social, economic, environmental and technical options for water management. City Water Balance covers aspects of water quality, quantity and lifecycle energy consumption, City Water Economics tackles cost recovery options and City Water Drain assesses stormwater management and flooding risks.
SWITCH Transitioning Manual provides the framework and the examples to make key step changes to facilitate a SWITCH towards sustainable urban water management practices.
SWITCH Water Sensitive Urban Design and Sustainable Urban Drainage Manuals provide creative and artful ways to incorporate stormwater into urban planning along with best practice guidelines for stormwater management under extreme conditions
BEIJING – Rainwater and mushrooms
CHONGQING – Landsca-ping with greywater
TEL AVIV – Natural systems for reuse
ALEXANDRIA – Sanita-tion in settlements
BIODIvERSITY/ENvIRONmENTHealthy waterways are fundamental to sustainable water management. In Bogota cleaner production practi-ces have allowed the tanners to halve heavy metal discharges. Brown roofs in Birmingham are increasing native species habitat and biodiversity while reducing runoff.
FOOD SECURITY As cities grow traditional farming areas are being displaced to make way for housing, often in the form of slums and informal settlements. Many cities depend on these areas for food security. Accra, Tel Aviv and Beijing are exploring ways to retain these peri-urban areas by treating and recycling nutrients and waste water.
LIvABILITYA city’s livability can be measured by its citizen’s access to green space and water features. Emscher, Belo Hori-zonte and Lodz are restoring their ri-vers to more natural states. Recycled water is being used in Chongqing for landscape enhancement and in the Lima slums, landscape plant produc-tion is greening the city.
REDUCED FLOODINgExtreme events are becoming the norm with flooding. In concert with the community Emscher, Lodz, and Belo Horizonte are using retention ponds and natural systems to slow the water down. Birmingham is experimenting with green roofs to achieve the same effect.
wATER SECURITYClimate change is increasing the risk of water shortages for many cities. To combat this Alexandria and Zaragoza are finding ways to reduce leakage from the water system. Beij-ing and Belo Horizonte are capturing rainwater locally. Other cities are treating and recycling their water.
2009 >•25citiesparticipateWorldWaterSummitinDelft•SWITCHScientificMeetingheldinDelft•LodzCityCounciladoptsBlue-Greennetwork•CaliLAcontributestonationalpolicyforupperCaucariver
and adopts SWITCH principles for new developments
2010 >•SWITCHScientificMeetinginLodz•TelAvivadoptswatersustainabilityindicatorsintocity
strategic plan•PeruadoptsNationalguidelinesonreuse•UpscalingofSWITCHdemonstrationsinLodz,Belo
HorizonteandBogota•Zaragoza,UNandSWITCHconferenceforWWD
2011 >•SWITCHco-chairssessionatWWDandresearchunderpins
UN urban water activities•UFMGleads16BrazilianUnis.infurtherresearch•UNESCO-IHPhostsfinalSWITCHconference•Beijingpatentsrainwatersystem-upscalesto±500sites•SWITCHToolkitavailable
EMSCHER – Restoring river connectivity
SWITCH TOOLKIT
For research results, products and tools visit the SWITCH websites:
www.switchurbanwater.euwww.switchtraining.eu
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Flooding calls UNESCO-IHE to Australia and the USAUNESCO-IHE’s Flood Resilience Group (FRG) travelled to Australia in mid-February to work with the Centre for Water Sensitive Cities (CWSC) in Melbourne to find ways of collaborating on water systems and flood resilience. FRG also took part in the Resilient Tampa Bay 2011 conference last February in the USA, contributing vital expertise to improve flood resilience.
The Australian CWSC has developed a global reputation for managing water systems in times of water stress in reaction to the decade-long droughts across large parts of Australia. Their multi-million dollar flagship project is looking at how the city itself can act as a water supply catchment. This work is supported by a number of fun-damental projects on understanding the best way to treat storm water using green infrastructure systems. The aim is to identify the best way to change the current institutional and governance regimes to arrive at a ‘water-sensitive city’ where water, environmental and socio-economic systems are as sustainable as possible. With the recent catastrophic flooding in the Australian states of Victoria and Queensland, there was a stronger need for collaboration to further develop competen-cies and understand how to best prepare for, manage and recover from floods in Australia. The FRG was asked to demonstrate how this is being dealt with in the Netherlands and in other FRG areas of work. Several FRG members were invited to visit Brisbane (Queensland) to see how the clean-up from this year’s floods has progressed and to share Dutch experience and world-leading competence in this area. The trip was hosted by the International Water Centre (IWC) in Brisbane. During that visit, Professor Chris Zevenbergen (UNESCO-IHE) gave an explanation on the history of contemporary flood risk management in the Netherlands. With officials from the State of Queensland, Brisbane City Council and others, the possibility of joint studies looking into clean-up efforts and social networks following the Queensland flooding was discussed. Professor Richard
MISSION REpORT
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The EU-funded project KULTURisk was recently launched at UNESCO-IHE. The €4.4 million collaborative project coordinated by UNESCO-IHE aims to develop a culture of risk prevention through a knowledge-based approach that assesses the socio-economic benefits of risk prevention techniques.
The recent catastrophic natural disasters - droughts and heat waves, devastating flooding, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis - have had extreme consequences. Floods occur frequently, accounting for more than 40% of all natural hazards worldwide and half of all deaths caused by natural catastrophes. In the last dec-ade of the 20th century, floods were responsible for the loss of about 100,000 human lives and affected over 1.4 billion people. The recent catastrophic floods in Pakistan, Australia and Japan are examples of increasing flood risk worldwide. The number of flood fatalities in Africa has dramati-cally increased by more than an order of magnitude in the last 60 years. These dramatic figures indicate a need for urgent actions. Clearly, risk prevention still needs to be improved to reduce human losses and economic dam-ages. In the KULTURisk project, the aim is to prevent disasters from happening (if possible) and to take steps to reduce their im-
pact. Developing a culture of risk prevention will require improved awareness of past disasters, com-prehension and communication of current and future hazards, and preparedness for future events. To facilitate this process, KULTURisk evaluates the ben-efits of different risk prevention initiatives. After reviewing state-of the-art risk prevention strate-gies, the project will conduct a cost-benefit analysis, comparing the methodical and structured use of current risk prevention options to traditional post-disaster recovery methods. The ultimate aim is to use the results of this research to improve public awareness and train professionals in risk prevention. Water-related hazards are the first focus of the project, in view of how frequently flood-ing takes place. Changes in land use and climate may increase the likelihood and adverse impacts of water-related catastrophes in the near future. To identify risks and effective approaches, KULTURisk will conduct case studies char-acterized by different types of water-related hazards (floods, debris flows and landslides, storm surges) and different temporal and spatial scales. It is essential to research and promote awareness of prevention measures in con-trast to the relatively high costs and severe impact of traditional post-disaster recovery strategies.
developing a culture of risk prevention
Ashley (FRG) will also contribute to the scientific inquiry and review by the Chief Scientist of Queensland that is paralleling the formal legal commission inquiry. Several more formal initiatives have started in addition to the Dutch-supported assessment of the social aspects of the clean-up in Brisbane. In addition, a number of joint projects combine flood resilience with water-sensitive approaches, identify optimal ways to manage the entire water cycle and ensure resilience in times of floods and droughts; the lessons learned here will be valuable all over the world. Representatives from UNESCO-IHE’s Flood Resilience Group also travelled to Florida, USA last February for the Resilient Tampa Bay 2011 conference. This three-day meeting at the University of South Florida brought togeth-er over 100 local participants with leading Dutch experts to develop ideas to prepare Tampa Bay area communities for emergencies such as urban flooding, storm surge and the long-term threat of rising sea levels. Recommendations were made for local governments and planning agencies to consider a number of measures to improve flood resilience. These included protecting vi-tal infrastructure and transportation, improving economic development conditions through adequate storm water mitigation, reducing flooding, preserving natural habi-tats, planning for accidents and minimizing the impact of hurricanes and other natural disasters. The State of Florida has more repetitive loss structures - homes or businesses which have sustained flood losses more than 4 times in the last 10 years - than any other state in the USA. There are over 600 repetitive loss structures in the Tampa Bay region.
pROJECT REpORT
www.floodresiliencegroup.org www.kulturisk.eu/home| [email protected]
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exploring the boundaries of science and technology
building a glacier in the desert
ART pROJECT
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CULTURALAMBASSADORSHIPPROGRAMMEThe UNESCO-IHE Cultural Ambassadorship programme builds a pact between culture and science. The Institute appoints individuals who possess widely recognized talent in the arts, sciences, literature, entertainment, sport or other fields of public life, bestowing the title of Cultural Ambassador on these talented people. These individuals demonstrate a strong desire to help mobilize public interest in and support fo the purposes and principles of UNESCO-IHE, and the United Nations at large. The Cultural Ambassadors demonstrate the commitment and proven potential to raise awareness of the aims, objectives and priorities as outlined in the vision and mission of the organization, thus extending its public outreach.
Through his artworks, Ap Verheggen intends to raise awareness on climate change issues from a different perspective. “SunGlacier is part of a chain of projects that will represent a new mindset on climate change,” the artist said. Verheggen said he was initially inspired by the world of the Arctic and its ancient art, the Inukshuk. As he discovered the harsh environment in which the local communities lived, he found that the speed, flexibility and creativity with which they were able to adapt to changing conditions lent a positive twist to climate change. In Uummannaq, a small town in northwestern Greenland, the temperature rose rapidly from 40°C below zero to 20°C above zero, melting the ice and making it almost impossible for the inhabitants to travel by dog sled, their main means of transporta-tion. The long journeys across the ice to other, smaller villages were no longer possible. Moreover, the way houses were constructed also had to change, since they were built not on bedrock but on permafrost. Permafrost is soil at or below the freezing point of water that has remained frozen for two or more years. Rising temperatures had fundamentally changed the very ground beneath their feet. These and many more events encouraged Verheggen to contemplate the cultural adaptations that climate change brings. He wants to challenge people by introducing a sense of discovery, adventure and curiosity through connecting unrelated and thus unex-pected elements of nature. The artist uses this example as a metaphor for the resilience and capacity of human beings to adapt to changes in climate. SunGlacier will show that creating ice in the desert is possible. Although it may seem contradictory or counter-intuitive, the sculpture is going to freeze when it is placed in the sun. The more sunlight it collects, the more ice it will produce. “SunGlacier will demonstrate that a great deal can be achieved with current technol-ogy in response to emerging and urgent threats. I would like to jumpstart a creative approach to adapting to climate change, exploring the boundaries of science and technology and realizing the seemingly impossi-ble,” the artist said. See the artist’s website for more information on the SunGlacier, the cool(E)motion project and exhibitions.
On World Water Day, on the 22nd of March, Dutch artist and filmmaker Ap Verheggen was nominated Cultural Ambassador to UNESCO-IHE. Verheggen’s best-known work to date is ‘cool(E)motion’, an internationally acclaimed art project in which he placed two sculptures on melting icebergs in the Arctic. The artist has now embarked on a new project in which he is exploring options for creating a glacier in the desert.
Ap Verheggen is a creative artist using a myriad of channels. He makes sculptures, designs objects, writes and produces documentaries. People across the globe are confronted with his sculpture work. For instance, Verheggen’s Terra Incognita, one of the world’s largest bronze art works (52 meters in length) is exhibited at the Shell offices in Rijswijk, the Netherlands. He is fascinated by nature and tries to incorporate such elements into his sculptures. His work is sometimes referred to as surreal as it connects reality with something unexpected.
www.apverheggen.nl/exhibitions
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Recent research by Leonardo Alfonso, UNESCO-IHE post-doc researcher in hydroinformatics, indicates that mobile phones may be used as monitoring devices in gathering data. “According to the International Telecommunication Union, there currently are 5.3 billion mobile phones in the world. The potential to utilize this technology to collect information is tremendous, provided that we can convince the community to actively participate.”
MOMOXA Mobile Monitoring Experiment (MOMOX) was thus carried out in 2010 in the Dutch town of Pijnacker where local people were asked to go to the closest water level gauge, read it and use their mobile phones to sms their reading. This data was made available immediately on a website, where participants were able to see their contribution and decision-makers were able to determine the current state of the water system. For this purpose, a platform was developed to receive, process and display the data. The experiment was carried out in three stages. First, testing was done to check the tech-nical platform and correct possible programming errors. Second, a one-day field study with 15 participants was carried out in order to analyze possible human errors in the readings. These included observational errors due to the various measuring scales in the existing gauges, but also unexpected errors such as the inability to include the negative symbol when typing some of the SMSes. Some of these technical issues were suc-cessfully solved by comparing the data received with the actual range of the gauges.
RESULTSThe experiment showed that in order to involve a sufficient number of participants and keep them motivated, effective communication with the community is imperative. Involving social scien-tists in future research is therefore a must. Also, finding ways to reduce costs for participants to send their SMS is worth exploring. Finally, pri-vacy issues with regard to obtaining participants’ mobile phone numbers and accessing their loca-tion must be considered in larger experiments. To this end, local regulations need to be followed. The technical platform and the successful results of this initial experiment are currently used within the framework of the EU-funded KULTURisk project. This €4.4 million collabora-tive project coordinated by UNESCO-IHE aims to develop a culture of risk prevention of natural disasters. This requires communication and understanding of current and future hazards. Raising awareness about risks involved using social outreach activities within the local com-munity is under development in the MOMOX 2 experiment. Alfonso elaborates: “The outcomes of this research could serve to reduce the impacts of natural disasters by involving the local com-munity, thus complementing the traditional engineering-only approach. This is currently the case in my country Colombia for instance, which is currently facing catastrophic floodings and landslides, claiming many lives.”
Measuring processes in the hydrological cycle is a vital part of modern water management. In developing countries the lack of water related data for decision-making is a common concern, where monitoring networks are generally insufficient.
Local communities send SMS to help manage water
FIELD REpORT
www.momox.nl | [email protected]
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EFFECT OF ALGAL BIOFILM AND OPERATIONAL CONDITIONs ON NITROGEN REMOvAL IN wAsTEwATER sTABILIzATION PONDs
mohammed babu
ROLE OF SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND BASED IRRIGATION CANALS
SARFRAZ MUNIR
application to machai maira branch canals
MINIMIZING THE USE OF CHEMICALS TO CONTROL SCALING IN SWRO
tarek kamal abdalla waly
IMPROVED PREDICTION OF THE SCALING POTENTIAL OF CALCIUM CARBONATE
Water in Central Asia Past, Present, Future Authors victor A. Dukhovny, Interstate Commission for Water Coordination, Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Joop de Schutter, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, NetherlandsISBN: 9780415459624 | WWW.CRCpRESS.COM
Central Asia is the cluster of countries located in the basin of the Great Aral Sea. This area, known as Ariana, was once home to the ancient civilizations of 4000-3000 BC and is an important geopolitical centre today, where the USA, Russia, China, EU, Iran and India participate in the regional water game. The Aral Sea Basin has always been a subject of interest to outside powers as a target of travel or political blame. At the same time, it was a source of prosperity and a place of work, love, history and strong cultural traditions for almost 100 million people. At present, the Aral Sea Basin is shared by independent states with differing interests that are compelled to collaborate closely in order to survive. Much has been written about this region, but few writers have touched on the deeper roots of the historical transformations that led to the present-day environmental degradation. The extremely arid climate in the region leads to highly sensitive natural and social conditions; it is a very fragile balance that is easily disturbed by any significant external impact or internal innovation. Thorough analysis of both the positive ambitions of the region and negative consequences they may have will provide vital insight into why important development initiatives of the recent past have always produced such negative consequences.
BIOLOGICAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT: pRINCIpLES, MODELLING AND DESIGN Selling over 1000 copies, this textbook became one of IWA Publishing’s bestsellers. Biological Wastewater Treatment is used in curricula at UNESCO-IHE as well as elsewhere.
2010 UNESCO-IHE ANNUAL REpORT
The UNESCO-IHE Annual Report for 2010 can be read and downloaded from the website at http://www.unesco-ihe.org/About/Annual-Report.
Urban Hydroinformatics Data, Models and Decision Support for Integrated Urban Water ManagementThis introduction to hydroinformatics as applied to urban water management shows optimal ways to use ICT in processing information for water management in the urban environment. The book covers the acquisition and analysis of data from urban water systems to instantiate mathematical models or calculations that describe identified physical processes. The models are operated within prescribed management procedures to inform decision makers, who are accountable to designated stakeholders. The models can be used in managing the major components of the urban water environment, namely water supply, treatment and distribution, wastewater and storm water collection, treatment and impact on receiving waters, and groundwater and urban flooding. Urban Hydroinformatics pays particular attention to modelling, decision support through procedures, economics and management, and implementation in developing countries.
Les voyageurs de l’eau
Lionel Goujon and Gweael Prie are two French engineers who left their work and home for a year to travel around the world in search of water issues. This publication is a result of their travels, presenting 51 local issues related to water management in various contexts and in various countries. The stories range from cleaning water using UVlight in Cambodia, the fight against eutrophication of Lake Titicaca in Peru to the Three Gorges Dam in China. Far from theoretical discourse, the situations are real and varied, richly illustrated and documented. The publication is currently only available in French.
Authors Roland Price and Zoran vojinovicISBN: 9781843392743www.iwapublishing.com
Authors
Lionel goujon & gwenael Prie Ean: 9782100550746www.dunod.com
DISSERTATIONS
Full text versions of most of the UNESCO-IHE PhD dissertations are available through NARCIS. NARCIS provides access to 163, 228 full-text publications and research output from all Dutch universities, KNAW, NWO and a number of scientific institutes.
Visit the website at: www.narcis.info/repositories/repository/unesco
Alternatively you can also purchase the dissertations from CRC Press/Balkema, Taylor & Francis Group www.crcpress.com
pUBLICATIONS
22
Addressing the Sanitation Crisis in African Slums
The SCUSA project has been addressing sanitation issues in the poorest parts of African mega-cities for three years now, with one more year to go. The aim is to identify and implement potential solutions, monitor their progress and evaluate how useful they have been. The project has a demonstration site in the Bwaise III slum in Kampala, Uganda, located about 4 km from the city centre. At this stage in the project, it is possible to present some of the important findings so far. Most of the research work is carried out by four UNESCO-IHE PhD students, who focus on hydrology, sanitary engineering, and socio-economics in relation to sanitation in slums. The PhD students are assisted in their work by numerous MSc students from Makerere University, UNESCO-IHE, VU University Amsterdam, Utrecht University and EFPL in Lausanne, Switzerland. The research has revealed that the majority of sanita-tion facilities available in the slum are raised pit latrines. The largest part of the pit is above the ground surface in order to avoid contact with the groundwater only 10-50 cm below the surface. As a result, extremely high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus were found in most of the surface water in Bwaise, sufficient to cause severe eutrophication. This surface water consists mostly of grey water originating from household use, which is sometimes diluted with rain water. The nutrient concentration and the volumes of total nutrient mass leaving the area are also very high. Improved sanitary facilities could solve the problem, but there is no money in Bwaise to build and
Unsewered slums in African mega-cities face huge sanitation problems. Affordable and effective solutions are urgently needed. The Sanitation Crisis in Unsewered Slum Areas (SCUSA) project, supported by the UNESCO-IHE Partnership Research Fund in partnership with Makerere University and the Kampala City Council in Uganda, aims to identify and implement low-cost sanitation solutions.
Fetching water from the springMapoftheBwaise-IIIParish, the demonstration site of the SCUSA Project
maintain them. However, only about 25% of the popula-tion living in Bwaise III pays for their sanitation when visit-ing those raised superstructures. The fee is either paid per visit, on a flat monthly basis, as part of the house rent, or as a contribution in emptying the pit latrine. The rest of the population (75%) does not pay anything, although they also visit those raised superstructures. In addition, open defecation and the use of ‘flying toilets’ (plastic bags) are common. Emptying the pit latrines is still a difficult task. The lack of easy road access means that trucks cannot enter the area, so the latrines are usually emptied manually. Common practice is to simply hammer a hole in the wall of the pit latrine, allowing the contents to flow freely into one of the neighbouring drains. This approach leads to various kinds of adverse effects related to both nutrients and health. In the coming year, the researchers working on the SCUSA project will examine the entire nutrient pollution chain. In addition, more pathogen work will be done, as some of the first research results indicated that various pathogenic viruses (rotavirs, adenovirus, hepatitis-A) were present in surface waters in fairly high concentra-tions. Finally, efforts will be made to reduce nutrient concentrations through sanitation interventions. These include installing a number of grey water filters in Bwaise, assessing filter performance in the field and requesting user feedback, as well as researching the socio-economics of fecal sludge.
www.unesco-ihe.org/scusa | [email protected]
pROJECT pROGRESS REpORT
23Taking a fresh sample of a stormwater drain by PhD student Alex Katukiza and MSc student Hayelom Temanu, both from UNESCO-IHE
Joint MSc programmes offer exciting opportunities to work with international academic partners, each contributing its own specific complementary exper-tise. Decentralized delivery of existing specializations offered in Delft is the primary focus here. In line with this development, UNESCO-IHE’s proposal for a new Master’s programme on flood risk management has been approved for funding by the Erasmus Mundus grant committee. The new MSc will be offered in a consortium of four European universities, supported by a number of research institutes and key national organizations responsible for flood management. During the two-year programme, students will do three semesters of coursework, rotating through the four participat-ing universities: Dresden University of Technology (Germany), UNESCO-IHE (The Netherlands), the Technical University of Catalonia (Spain), and the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). The courses in the programme cover a wide range of topics relevant to flood risk management, including hydro-meteorolog-ical processes, modelling for planning, forecasting, control and decision support, hazard mapping, urban flood disasters, climate change, and socio-economic and institutional aspects of flood risk management. Each semester provides electives, and there are interna-tional field trips. In the final semester of the programme, the students conduct research and write a thesis, either at one of the participating universities or at an industrial partner. Associated members that offer these Master-level research positions include the European hydrau-lics laboratories of DHI (Denmark), Deltares (The Netherlands) and HR Wallingford (UK), as well as national authorities responsible for flood management in the Netherlands, Japan and elsewhere. The flood risk professionals graduating from the programme will have a broad vision of the processes occurring in river basins and in coastal zones at different spatial and temporal scales. They will be able to master the links between systems, processes and natural and socio-economic constraints that affect all the aspects of the water cycle. Various other joint programmes have already started on such topics as hydroinformatics, water supply engineering and sanitary engineering, and land and water development, in partnership with universi-ties in Colombia, Ghana and Thailand. The first batch of students in the Erasmus Mundus programme on ecohydrology started in 2010 in a consortium of four universities. In addition, in 2011 the Erasmus Mundus programme on environmental technology and engi-neering will be offered in a consortium with Ghent University (Belgium) and the Institute of Chemical Technology Prague (Czech Republic). Initial steps have been taken with several other partner institutes to explore options for additional joint programmes in future. Joint programmes currently being considered include agricultural water manage-ment for arid and semi-arid climates in conjunction with Haramaya University (Ethiopia), and hydrol-ogy and water resources in conjunction with HoHai University (China).
Joint Masters are booming
MSc pROGRAMMES
www.unesco-ihe.org/education/joint-programmes
24
pAST EvENTS10 FEBRUARY
WATER AND pEACE
UNESCO-IHE and the UN-Mandated University for Peace (UPEACE, based in Costa Rica) have decided to combine their exper-tise and knowledge on water and conflict resolution by establishing a joint initiative on the topic of water and peace. To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions was signed by the two Rectors on 10 February in Delft. The Institutes will develop a complementary research agenda on water and peace, the ex-change of teachers in relevant post-graduate programmes and joint supervision of research students on projects of mutual interest. A joint lecture series will allow for further integration of the specializations of UNESCO-IHE (water) and UPEACE (conflict resolution), from which students of both institutions would benefit. This is an outcome of the colloquium on the right to water and water rights in a changing world, organized on 22 September 2010 in Delft by the Netherlands IHP Committee, UNESCO-IHE, CPWC and other partners.
BUILDING CApACITIES IN MONGOLIAIn the World Bank-sponsored project ‘Strengthening Integrated Water Resources Management in Mongolia’, UNESCO-IHE is responsible for the capacity development component. The first training courses were conducted in 2010, and a Mongolian university team visited the Institute for a curriculum training event. These train-ing courses will aid three Mongolian universities in setting up a joint Master’s programme in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) with the purpose of enabling Mongolia to train its own water professionals in the longer term. The country has a largely arid climate and suffers from depletion of groundwater resources, which are currently the main water sources for drinking water and animal husbandry. Increasing urbanization combined with a vulnerable climate make it extremely urgent to organize Mongolia’s water resources more effectively. Consortium partners include Deltares and Royal Haskoning.
International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating the sustainable manage-ment of freshwater resources. Responding to the urban challenge, ‘Water for Cities’ was this year’s theme. The AfricanMinisters’CouncilonWater(AMCOW)joinedUN-HABITATandUN-Waterinco-organizingtheofficialWorld Water Day 2011 event in Cape Town, South Africa.
WATER AND GOVERNANCE
UNESCO-IHE co-organized a UNESCO workshop on water and governance with the Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO, the Netherlands National Committee IHP-HWRP and the Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (CPWC). The event took place at the Delfland Water Board in Delft. The workshop focused on concepts and implementation of water governance at various levels. The day concluded with a roundtable dis-cussion and the opening of the Water Governance Centre.
CULTURAL AMBASSADORThe day also marked the nomination of Dutch artist and filmmaker Ap Verheggen as Cultural Ambassador to the Institute (see pages 18-19).
View his lunch seminar presentation online at www.unesco-ihe.org/About/UPDATE-Magazine.
22 MARCH 2011
WORLD WATER DAY
24 FEBRUARY
100th phD DEGREE AWARDED TO SARFRAZ MUNIROn 24 February, Sarfraz Munir success-fully defended his doctoral dissertation and was awarded a PhD degree for his research on the role of sediment transport in the operation and maintenance of supply- and demand-based irrigation canals, as applied to the Machai Maira Branch canals. This study investigated the hydrodynamic relationships that can pre-vent sediment deposition in downstream, controlled, demand-based irrigation canals, while catering to the crop water requirements of the area. It has been found that the maintenance needs can be minimized by managing sediment trans-port through better canal operation and management. Munir is UNESCO-IHE’s
10 FEBRUARY
JOINT DOUBLE DEGREES AWARDED TO INDONESIANS
Ten Indonesian students graduated from the joint double degree MSc pro-gramme on Integrated Lowland Development and Management Planning. The programme is jointly given with Sriwijaya University in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. The first batch of students graduated earlier in February 2010, also in a group of ten students. The programme is especially suited
for Indonesian government staff at ministry, provincial, district and municipal levels who are involved in lowland development and management planning, both rural and urban. The programme will be conducted for several years to come and is supported by the Indonesian National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS) and NUFFIC NESO Indonesia.
www.unesco-ihe.org/research
See video interviews with Rector Badia Perizade and Professor Robiyanto Hendro Susanto on the website: www.unesco-ihe.org/About/UPDATE-Magazine.
100th PhD graduate since the first degree was awarded in 1994. Since the Institute started its PhD programme in the early 1990s, over 200 researchers have been registered. Currently, over 130 PhD fellows are working at the Institute on a number of research projects.
www.unesco-ihe.org/research
See a video interview with Sarfraz Munir: www.unesco-ihe.org/About/UPDATE-Magazine
25
FLASHMOBA surprise late-afternoon flashmob on the Delft market square by MSc students, PhD fellows and staff members from UNESCO-IHE attracted around 60 to 70 people who were dancing the African Vul’indlela dance. Interested passers-by joined in and made the day even more memorable.
DUTCH YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNGo online to see a video interview with Dirk Janssen, Dutch youth rep-resentative to the United Nations. Since his election at the end of 2010 at the 65th anniversary of the UN, Janssen has expressed a preference to address water-related issues during his two-year term as UN Youth Representative. Janssen attended the World Water Day celebrations in Cape Town, South Africa and was interviewed by IRC’s Dick de Jong.
See an interview with Dirk Janssen: http://watercube.blip.tv/file/4917536 Follow Dirk’s efforts on Twitter: @dirknaardevn
27 ApRIL
MSc GRADUATION155 Masters of Science participants from 40 countries received their degree during the annual UNESCO-IHE graduation ceremony on 27 April. The Old Church in Delft served as a picturesque location for the official academic gather-ing. Rector, Professor András Szöllösi-Nagy, welcomed the graduating water professionals to the large alumni family, followed by the graduation speech of Mr. Engida Getachew, Deputy Director General of UNESCO, an address by Mr. Theo van de Gazelle, Deputy Director General Rijkswaterstaat (the executive arm of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment) and a short speech by student representatives Ms. Sikhukulekile Ncube (Zimbabwe) and Mr. Satish Kamboj (India). At the occasion of the graduation, the Institute also recognized Professor Philip O’ Kane who is a renowned and outstanding hydrologist, Honorary Fellow of UNESCO-IHE. The ceremony was attended by participants’ family and friends, members of parliament, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rijkswaterstaat. High-level guests also included ambassadors (and representatives) from Cameroon, Honduras, Hungary, Iraq, Luxembourg, Palestine, Romania, Serbia, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Viet Nam.
See the website for video captures of the day: www.unesco-ihe.org/About/UPDATE-Magazine
1-4 MAY 2011
WATER FOR FOOD The third annual Global Water for Food Conference was hosted by the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska and the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. International experts explored potential solutions for growing more food with limited water
to feed the world’s rapidly growing popula-tion. The conference fostered international dialogue on key issues related to the use of water for agriculture. Earlier in February of this year, a high-level delegation from the University of Nebraska visited the Institute to explore potential collaboration between the University of Nebraska’s Global Water for Food Institute and UNESCO-IHE. This led to the signing of an MoU during the Conference. The two Institutes agreed to look more closely at developing a joint Master’s specialization, student exchange opportunities and joint research activities.
See video interviews with Ronnie Green, Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Vice President at the University of Nebraska, and Prem Paul, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development at the University of Nebraska. www.unesco-ihe.org/About/UPDATE-Magazine
11 ApRIL
INDONESIAN WINS GOLDMAN pRIZEThe Goldman Environmental Prize was awarded to Prigi Arisandi for his river restoration work in Indonesia on 11 April. Arisandi is a former UNESCO-IHE online course partici-pant (class of 2007) and was one of six people in continental regions worldwide to earn the annual prize. The Goldman Environmental Prize is the world’s largest annual prize hon-oring grassroots environmentalists. Winners receive $150,000 and a national platform that promotes worldwide awareness of their is-sues. Arisandi plans to use the prize money to establish a school focused on teaching about the conservation of natural springs, bringing profes-sionals from all over Indonesia to show them how the forest works, to help them see the importance of re-specting the water. See the October issue of UPDATE Magazine for an interview with Arisandi.
P. Arisandi, [email protected]
27 ApRIL
CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH DUTCH MINISTRYA new agreement between the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and UNESCO-IHE was signed on 27 April. The deal further strengthens the longstanding cooperation between the two organiza-tions and will focus on priority areas. These priority areas are the Delta countries in which UNESCO-IHE is very active as well as in China and the USA. These countries are of strategic importance in building Government to Government relations and in the transfer and exchange of knowledge. Water management is a priority for these countries. Main activities under the MoU will cover projects related to Coastal Zone Management, River Basin Management, Water Quality and Quantity, Floods and Safety, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Wetlands Management, River and Coastal Engineering, as well as Water Governance and Adaptation to Climate Change as cross-cutting and emerging issues. The signing marks the third phase of the formal cooperation between the two entities that started in 2003 and is expected to run until 2014.
26
STAFF CHANGESAppOINTED pERSONNELLeonardo Alfonso SeguraPost-doc in Hydroinformatics for Flood ModellingArthur MynettProfessor of Hydraulic EngineeringMaria RuscaSenior Lecturer in Management & Organisation of SanitationSergio Salinas RodríguezLecturer in Water Treatment TechnologyEwout HeeringaSocial & Cultural Officer
Ilyas masihLecturer in Water Resources PlanningPaolo ParonSenior Lecturer in Hydraulic Engineering & River Basin DevelopmentStephanie PetitjeanFellowship and Admission Officer Nora CauwenberghLecturer in Water Resource PlanningSolomon SeyoumLecturer in Urban Drainage and SewerageHector Garcia HernandezLecturer in Sanitary Engineering
CHANGED pOSITIONSguiliano di BaldassarreSenior Lecturer in Hydroinformatics SystemKarin HijmaSenior Human Resource Advisor Arthur mynettProfessor of Hydraulic Engineeringmicha wernerAssociate Professor of Hydraulic Engineering
DEpARTING STAFF Eddy AkinyemiSenior Lecturer in Sustainable Urban Infrastructure SystemsPetru BoeriuAssociate Professor of River Engineering Jay O’KeefeProfessor of Freshwater EcosystemsRoel meulepasPost-doc Research FellowNigel wrightProfessor of Hydraulic Engineering & River Basin DevelopmentElena OstrovskayaLecturer in Environmental Policy
NEW DEpARTMENTNewly established Education Bureau
CHANGED DEpARTMENTSPersonnel & Organisation to Human Resources management
CS - ICT to IT Department
STEFAN UHLENBROOKStefan Uhlenbrook, Professor of Hydrology at UNESCO-IHE, was recently appointed as the part-time Interim Director of Development for Academic Affairs, a position he will hold until the new vice Rector for Academic Affairs takes office. The appointment of an interim director and the establishment of an Education Bureau at the beginning of the year are in line with key recom-mendations in the mSc programme accreditation process. In this interview, Professor Uhlenbrook elaborates on his vision and ideas for the Institute.
“I am convinced that we have entered an exciting phase; I envision capitalizing on opportunities to set up a global campus as a means to strengthen international academic collaboration and intensify existing relations with partners and institutes,” Uhlenbrook said. “ We don’t need to wait another five years; we can start by sharing the impact of our academic work by adopting the OpenCourseWare concept, making lectures, data sets and other work available online.”
GLOBAL WATER RESEARCH SCHOOL“I am strongly committed to the idea of developing a global water research school, in which the PhD programme is strengthened and intensified with our partners,” Uhlenbrook continues. “Continuing this trend at UNESCO-IHE is vital. People want to develop joint, fully fledged MSc, PhD and post-graduate programmes and see us as their research partner. Building strong research programmes with partners in the South is important; there is a tremendous need for trained local people who can adapt existing knowledge to the very specific, integrated and local solutions needed. We may be involved as trainers or lecturers, act as a sounding board for ideas or become co-researchers with
local partners. The ultimate goal is the joint development of innovative and sustainable solutions to water problems.”
LIFELONG AND T-SHApEDDeveloping coherent programmes to support continuous professional development and lifelong learning is key. “Maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills is a prerequisite for staying employable. We need to address capacity development needs for (water) professionals more systematically.” Uhlenbrook emphasizes the stronger focus on delivering T-shaped water professionals by diversifying education and including management and entrepreneurial
components, while maintaining academic depth. “It is difficult to find the right balance, but we need to produce graduate students, future alumni, who are employable and go on to have maximum impact in their work, inside the water sector and beyond.”UNESCO-IHE covers all the key water issues from different perspectives and disciplines. “ We have strong components in engineering and natural sciences, and are increasingly focusing on social and political sciences as well,” Uhlenbrook elaborates. “Since all water issues are complex, the solutions originating from only one discipline are usually not sustainable, so an integrated and coordinated approach is needed.”
STAFF NEWSINTERvIEW
27
Professor Philip O’Kane was awarded the UNESCO-IHE Honorary Fellowship in April during the Institute’s Master of Science academic gradua-tion ceremony. Professor O’Kane has contributed significantly to enhancing the quality of education and research in Hydrology and Hydroinformatics and has supported the activities of UNESCO-IHE for several decades. For this reason UNESCO-IHE awards him Honorary Fellow of the Institute.Professor O’Kane is an Irish civil engineer and a distinguished member of the international hydro-logical community who lectured at the Institute for
over 30 years. He has contributed significantly to the establishment of a strong identity for hy-drology within the family of geophysical sciences. He served as the president for Hydrological Sciences of the European Geophysical Society and restructured the Hydrological Science section to highlight Hydrology as a Geoscience and to differentiate it clearly from Applied Hydrology. O’Kane spent most of his professional life as an academic at the universities of Dublin and later Cork, where he is currently a Professor of Civil Engineering.
professor philip O’Kane awarded UNESCO-IHE Honorary Fellowship
pETER LEEUWANGH
Peter Leeuwangh, guest lecturer in toxi-cology, passed away on 2 January 2011. Leeuwangh started
teaching at the Institute in 1974 and re-tired last year. He was highly motivated by the enthusiasm brought in by the students. In an earlier interview with Dr. Leeuwangh for the last issue of UPDATE Magazine, he said: “I am happy to see that the world has gradually become a different place and there is a better un-derstanding of an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges. Knowing that many UNESCO-IHE alumni form part of this global network of change gives me great comfort. It was such a great pleasure to have taught at the Institute.”
pAUL pOSTPaul Post, who worked for more than 30 years as a Senior Lecturer in Sanitary Engineering at UNESCO-IHE, Delft,
The Netherlands, passed away on 1 January 2011. He had retired from the Institute in 2004. He had a passion for teaching and was described by many as a man who was outgoing, sociable, funny and extremely dedicated to the profes-sion of teaching. His former colleagues characterized him as a typical civil engineer, practical and down to earth, focusing on practical and applicable sci-ence and engineering in a development context - a mission he fully dedicated himself to. As a mentor to the many (graduating) participants, he had an open-door policy: always approachable and ready to assist. Having travelled and lived in many countries, including Barbados, Palestine and Yemen, he was able to use much of his experience as case studies in the classroom.
professor Arthur Mynett is new professor of Hydraulic EngineeringUNESCO-IHE is pleased to announce the ap-pointment of Professor Arthur Mynett as the new Professor of Hydraulic Engineering and head of the Hydraulic Engineering and River Basin Development Core in the Water Engineering Department. Prof. Mynett started in his new position per 1 January 2011. The Institute is looking forward to his contri-butions to the core and the Institute as a whole.
Prof. Mynett, who previously held the position of part-time professor of environmental hydro-informatics with the HIKM Department and Delft University of Technology, has over 30 years of experience in R&D on civil and maritime engineer-ing. He has done extensive R&D on applications of information and communication technologies in environmental hydroscience and engineering. His career in consultancy extends over 25 years; he has worked worldwide in the fields of hydrodynamics, coastal engineering, maritime structures, water resources management, environmental modelling and software systems development. During the last 15 years, Prof. Mynett has also gained exten-sive experience in strategic and corporate research management, including strategic planning as well as human resources and financial management of organizations.
See page 7: Column Arthur mynett, [email protected]
Appointment of the UNESCO-IHE Honorary Fellowship in a learned or professional society can be either to honour exceptional achievement and/or service within the professional domain of the awarding body or to honour contributions related to the domain from someone who is professionally outside it.
IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORIAM
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TheWaterChannel.tv revamped
ONLINE LEARNING TOOL
Sustainable Sanitation and Water Management Toolbox
The Sustainable Sanitation and Water Management (SSWM) Toolbox is a free and integrative online learning tool, particularly useful for water practitioners at the local level. It can also be used as an excellent and comprehensive information pool for students and as a ready-made training tool for all those working in the water sector. The Toolbox recognizes that sectoral approaches are not going to solve the global water and sanitation crisis. It high-lights that we need holistic approaches and must consider the entire water cycle from source to sea, and back again, putting human influence on the water and nutrient cycle at the centre. The SSWM Toolbox allows users to find relevant information and plan their own approaches from a holistic perspective. It combines process and planning tools, software and technological approaches and links them with publica-tions, articles and websites, case studies, training material and presentations. The Toolbox was developed by Seecon in cooperation with a number of partners, including CapNet, Global Water Partnership, International Water Association, UNDP, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and many others.
www.sswm.info
ZOTERO
Sharing research results has never been easierZotero is an easy-to-use research tool that helps you gather, organize, and analyze your sources, includ-ing citations, full texts, web pages, images, and other objects, offering a range of options for you to share the results of your research. Zotero includes the best features of older reference manager software like EndNote, such as the ability to store author, title, and publication fields and to export that information as formatted references. However, as a Firefox browser extension, Zotero also incorporates the best features of web applications, allowing users to interact, tag, and search for sources in advanced ways.
Zotero is seamlessly meshed with online resources. Because Zotero is integrated into your browser, it can detect when users are view-ing a book, article, or other object online. On many major research sites and online library catalogues, it can automatically save full refer-ence details on what you’re looking at, storing title, author, publication date and much more in the correct fields. Designed for optimal online use, it can easily send and receive information from other web services and applications. Zotero also has plug-ins for OpenOffice and MS Word, so you can keep track of your references in the journal-specific style of your choice. And it can be used offline as well, handy for frequent flyers.
Will Zotero be the next-generation tool for citing and managing your sources? Find out whether this tool will improve your work efficiency, and share your experiences with us!
www.zotero.org
In every issue of UPDATE Magazine, we would like to share relevant online resources with you for use by water professionals and others interested in water-related teaching and reference materials and scientific research findings, sharing the best (and worst) practices from the field. Send an email to [email protected] if you wish to share websites, blogs, twitter feeds, networks or communities with our readers.
AT YOUR FINGERTIpS
ONLINE WATER RESOURCES
TheWaterChannel.tv launched the redesign of its website on World Water Day, 22 March. The site is now more user-friendly, making it even easier to find videos that are interesting and relevant to your
preferences. There is a lot of new content, including news, cartoons and the Video Features archive. TheWaterChannel is now a fully fledged portal, showcasing recent and upcoming activities, includ-ing webinars and online contests. A range of interactive tools will be introduced soon, including an ‘Opinions’ section to support discus-sion among the community of water enthusiasts.
Please visit TheWaterChannel web-site and offer your feedback.
www.thewaterchannel.tv
29
MSc pROGRAMMES
MSc PROGRAMME IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEEnvironmental Planning and Management Db Environmental Science and Technology Db Environmental Technology and Engineering JemEnvironmental Technology for Sustainable Development JddLimnology and Wetland Ecosystems JWater Quality Management Db
MSc PROGRAMME IN MUNICIPAL WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE Sanitary Engineering Db | JddUrban Water Engineering and Management JddWater Supply Engineering Db | Jdd
MSc PROGRAMME IN WATER MANAGEMENT Water Conflict Management DbWater Resources Management DbWater Services Management DbWater Quality Management Db
MSc PROGRAMME IN WATER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERINGAgricultural Water Management for Enhanced Land and Water Productivity JddEcohydrology JemFlood Risk Management JemHydraulic Engineering and River Basin Development DbHydraulic Engineering - Coastal Engineering and Port Development Db | JHydraulic Engineering - Land and Water Development DbHydroinformatics - Modelling and Information Systems for Water Management Db | J | JddHydrology and Water Resources Db | JIntegrated Lowland Development and Management Planning J
Db Delft-based MSc specialisationJ Joint programmeJdd Joint double degree programmeJem Joint Erasmus Mundus programme
Innovative learning at the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education equips professionals with the research, managerial and technical skills needed to deal with challenges in the fields of water, the environment and infrastructure in their countries. For the latest information on the above courses, including content, dates, duration and tuition fees, please see our website: www.unesco-ihe.org/education.
SHORT COURSES 2011|2012
Applied Groundwater Modelling 14.06 - 01.07.11Aquatic Ecosystems: Processes and Applications 14.06 - 01.07.11Environmental Systems Modelling 14.06 - 01.07.11Flood Risk Management 14.06 - 01.07.11Industrial Effluents Treatment and Residuals Management 14.06 - 01.07.11Managing Water Organisations 14.06 - 01.07.11Urban Water Systems Modelling 14.06 - 01.07.11Water Treatment Processes and Plants 14.06 - 01.07.11Decentralised Water Supply and Sanitation 04.07 - 22.07.11Public-Private Partnerships in the Water Sector 04.07 - 22.07.11Solid Waste Management 04.07 - 22.07.11Watershed and River Basin Management 04.07 - 22.07.11Water Transport and Distribution II 04.07 - 22.07.11Climate Change in Integrated Water Management 04.07 - 22.07.11Modelling Urban Drainage and Sewerage 04.07 - 22.07.11Remediation and Handling of Contaminated Sediments * 29.08 - 02.09.11Spate Irrigation and Water Management under Drought and Water Scarcity 05.09 - 16.09.11Morphological Modeling Using Delft3D * 12.09 - 16.09.11World History of Water Management * 12.09 - 16.09.11Soil and Water Assessment Tool * 19.09 - 23.09.11Membranes in Drinking & Industrial Water Treatment * 03.10 - 07.10.11GIS and Remote Sensing 31.10 - 11.11.11GIS Modelling SWAT 31.10 - 11.11.11Coastal Systems 16.01 - 03.02.12Coastal and Port Structures I 13.02 - 02.03.12Conventional Surface Water Treatment 13.02 - 02.03.12Water Quality Assessment 13.02 - 02.03.12Negotiation and Mediation for Water Conflict Management I 13.02 - 02.03.12Lake Ecology ** 20.02 - 09.03.12Coastal and Port Structures II 05.03 - 23.03.12Constructed Wetlands for Wastewater Treatment 05.03 - 23.03.12Environmental Engineering 05.03 - 23.03.12Environmental Policy Making 05.03 - 23.03.12Groundwater Resources and Treatment 05.03 - 23.03.12Negotiation and Mediation for Water Conflict Management II 05.03 - 23.03.12Stream and River Ecology ** 12.03 - 30.03.12Nanotechnology for Water Technology 28.03 - 08.04.12Advanced Water Treatment Technology 02.04 - 20.04.12Environmental Monitoring and Modelling 02.04 - 20.04.12Environmental Planning and Implementation 02.04 - 20.04.12Financial Management of Water Organisations 02.04 - 20.04.12Groundwater Exploration and Monitoring 02.04 - 20.04.12Hydrological Data Collection and Processing 02.04 - 20.04.12Integrated Asset Management Systems 02.04 - 20.04.12River Basin Modelling 02.04 - 20.04.12Service Oriented Management of Irrigation Systems 02.04 - 20.04.12Resource Oriented Sanitation 02.04 - 20.04.12Water Resources Planning 02.04 - 20.04.12East-African Wetlands for Water Quality ** 04.04 - 22.04.12Fisheries and Aquaculture ** 30.04 - 18.05.12Integrated Coastal Zone Management 23.04 - 04.05.12International Port Seminar 23.04 - 11.05.12Cleaner Production and the Water Cycle 23.04 - 11.05.12Tracer Hydrology and Flow System Analysis 23.04 - 11.05.12Urban Flood Modelling and Disaster Management 26.04 - 13.05.12Water and Environmental Law and Institutions 23.04 - 11.05.12Water Transport and Distribution I 23.04 - 11.05.12Modelling Wastewater Treatment Processes and Plants 23.04 - 11.05.12Introduction to River Flood Modelling 23.04 - 11.05.12Environment and Global Change: Uncertainty & Risk Assessment 01.05 - 11.05.12
* These short courses are NOT eligible for NFP fellowships.** These short courses are held at Egerton University in Kenya.
ONLINE COURSES 2011|2012
Cleaner Production and the Water Cycle 01.09 - 31.12.11Public Private Partnerships 01.09 - 31.12.11Solid Waste Management 01.09 - 31.12.11IWRM as a Tool for Adaptation to Climate Change 01.09 - 31.12.11Water Transport and Distribution 01.09 - 31.12.11Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment 01.09 - 31.12.11Participatory Approaches to Sanitation * 01.09 - 31.12.11Sanitation, Hygiene and Public Health * 01.09 - 31.12.11Greywater Management, Treatment and Use * 01.09 - 31.12.11Finances and Economic Instruments in Sanitation * 01.09 - 31.12.11Decision Support Systems in River Basin Management 15.09 - 30.11.11Modelling Sanitation Systems 01.11 - 29.02.11Service Oriented Management of Irrigation Systems 15.01 - 15.05.12Flood Modelling for Management 01.03 - 15.05.12Ecological Sanitation 01.03 - 30.06.12Integrated Coastal Zone Management 01.03 - 30.06.12Integrated River Basin Management 01.03 - 30.06.12Sanitation-related Urban Groundwater Pollution 01.03 - 30.06.12Water Quality Assessment 01.03 - 30.06.12Wetland Management 01.03 - 30.06.12Policy and Management in Developing Countries 01.03 - 30.06.12Biological WastewaterTreatment: Principles, Modeling and Design 01.03 - 30.06.12Water and Environmental Law and Policy 01.04 - 15.07.12
* These online courses are NOT eligible for NFP fellowships.
www.unesco-ihe.org/education29
COURSE INFORMATION | 2011| 2012
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