UCT1 - Sustainable Water Management in Africa

17 July 2017 – 28 July 2017
Hosted by the University of Cape Town

This course adopts an interdisciplinary approach to examine the current water crises, trends and conditions in developing countries. It critically engages with the technical, social, cultural, economic, political, economic and environmental challenges of water demand, supply and treatment with an understanding of the role of water in society and in sustaining livelihoods. Further, it addresses the need to derive maximum benefit from each water resource used while incurring minimum burden and the need to secure “new taps” in a water sensitive urban design context.

 Campus on the slope of Table Mountain

Field Trip

A field trip will be included in which an analysis of water demand and supply in a small country town will be integrated with a survey of the impact of water supply, demand, quality and equitable distribution on sustainable livelihoods.

Target Audience / Prerequisites

The course will be offered as an inter-disciplinary Masters-level course that will benefit from a cohort of students of diverse educational backgrounds.

Prerequisites

All candidates will be required to hold a primary degree, equivalent to a 4-year degree in South Africa and to be able to communicate well in English.

Delivery Method & Learning Outcomes

Combination of lectures, workshop sessions, seminars and interactive tasks, together with a field trip.

Learning outcomes:

• A working knowledge of urban water management.
• A working knowledge of water scarcity, its link to climate change and its impact on developing nations.
• An understanding of key technologies for water supply, demand and quality, and their intrinsic link to the water-food-energy nexus.
• An appreciation for the circular economy and the nature of technologies under development to support it.
• An appreciation for the deep-seated role of water, its availability and its quality in the social fabric and the under-pinning of sustainable livelihood with an appreciation of the impact of culture, privilege and inequality.
• Engagement with IDTD research paradigm and role in integrated water management.

Assessment:

• In-course group work.
• A presentation at the end of the course’s contact period.
• A summative position paper to complete.

Credit equivalent at host university & contact hours

• 24 credits (This notionally equates to 240 hours of study time – 80 hours of which will be direct / contact time with the students [60 hours in lectures and 20 hours on the field trip]; and 160 hours of which the students are expected to spend on self-study. We generally assume a 2:1 ratio of self-study to contact time in these sorts of courses)
• 60 total contact hours (classroom)
• Approximately 20 field-trip hours (excluding self-study hours)
• The course will run over a 12 day period (Mon through to Fri week) with the Sunday as a free day.
• The field trip will occupy a three day period, out of Cape Town.
• All other days will be run as a 7 hour contact day, with the expectation of some preparatory self-study on 5 evenings

Lecturer(s) / Tutor(s)

Prof Neil Armitage
Dr Kirsty Carden
Prof George Ekama
Dr Kobus van Zyl
Prof Sue Harrison
Dr Jennifer Broadhurst
Dr Cheri Young
Dr Divine Fuh
Dr Horman Chitonge
Dr Mugsy Spiegel
Prof Kevin Winter
Dr Harro von Blottnitz
Prof Aqiel Dalvie

Accommodation

• Students must arrive by the weekend (Saturday, 15 July 2017) prior to the start of the Programme.
• Students will be able to check in from 2 pm.
• Check-out date: the weekend (Saturday, 29 July 2017) after the end of the Programme.

Students have the option to stay longer, at their own cost, and provided the accommodation facility is alerted in good time to ensure availability of rooms.

Costs

Figures are estimates only. Click on each item for details.

Required and / or Recommended Insurance(s)

All students must secure a comprehensive insurance policy from their home country, covering all aspects of their visit to RSA (including travel insurance, medical care, accident & emergency cover, repatriation etc.All students must secure a comprehensive insurance policy from their home country, covering all aspects of their visit to RSA (including travel insurance, medical care, accident & emergency cover, repatriation etc.) 

Further Information

For further information about this course, please contact Ms Kiki Rakiep This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Ms Nicola Latchiah This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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