UNESCO Promotes Training in Integrated Water Resources Management

4 February 2009

UNESCO is organizing jointly with the Center "Cooperation for Sustainable development of the Republic of Kazakhstan" an evaluation seminar for a pilot university course on Integrated Water Resources Management in Almaty on 4 February 2009.

The pilot course is presented for comments and for the consideration by Kazakhstani Universities for use in their teaching activities.

Alongside the university representatives and the experts of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Environment and the Committee of Water Resources of the Ministry of Agriculture, specialists of international organizations and non-governmental organizations will attend.

The course has been developed with UNESCO’s support based on the notion that high quality Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is essential for sustainable development.

IWRM framework for water resources management is globally widely accepted and is based on a number of key principles, including the river basin as the unit of management, consideration of all different water resources available and taking into account the various users of water.

It is hoped that the pilot course and its supporting materials will contribute to enhanced water management education in Kazakhstan to support decision-making.

The introduction of the course is timely due to the recent development in the regional basin departments and the establishment of basin councils.

UNESCO will provide guidance and support to selected universities willing to test the course to develop the content and adapt it to their teaching.

The course contributes to the water education Theme of the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO and the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.