To rapidly boost the knowledge necessary to seize opportunities and manage challenges related to water, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and the United Nations’ SDG Academy have unveiled plans to launch a free course on water.
Titled “Unique course Water – Addressing the global crisis”, the open online course that can be accessed at http://www.siwi.org/watercourse/ begins on Monday, January 14, 2019 and will run for over 12 weeks.
It consists of pre-recorded lectures, readings, a discussion forum, quizzes and a final exam. The course covers nine modules: “No One Will Be Left Behind”, “Climate Change”, “Water and Ecosystems”, “Water Governance Crisis”, “Water and Sanitation Services and Delivery”, “Transboundary Water”, “Food and Water”, and “Water and Energy”.
The idea is to equip students, business leaders and change-makers at all levels with tools to handle today’s and tomorrow’s water challenges. It is estimated that, by 2030, global demand for freshwater will exceed available supply by 40 per cent, forcing all sectors of society to adapt.
“Water is the defining issue of our age. We need a new awareness of the role water plays for humans, societies and nature. Both SIWI and the SDG Academy feel it’s urgent to spread this knowledge to as many people as possible,” says Dr. Therese Sjömander Magnusson, Chief Operations Officer at SIWI and Lead Faculty for the course.
SIWI was asked to organise the training to create the most up-to-date course possible with the latest research on topics like the link between water and health, why agriculture must rethink its water use and how water can be a tool for peacebuilding. The modules were filmed during the 2018 World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, believed to be the most important yearly event for the water community.
“Thanks to this, we’ve been able to create a unique course with many of the world’s leading experts. I hope many people will seize this rare opportunity to learn directly from them,” Dr. Magnusson adds.
She emphasises the broad scope of Water – addressing the global crisis. The course explains how water is crucial to all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and features both academic lecturers and practitioners. After the 12-week course, students will have a good understanding of key topics related to water scarcity, climate change, sanitation and much more.
“Not least importantly, the course prepares you to make a difference. This is really something that is needed across the globe to tackle the water challenges we are facing,” Magnusson says.
