cookieImage
2026-2027 / ENVT3040-2

Integrated and participative management of water resources

Duration

24h Th, 16h Pr

Number of credits

 Master in environmental sciences and management, professional focus4 crédits 
 Master in environmental sciences and management, professional focus (Codiplômation Université du Luxembourg)4 crédits 
 Advanced Master in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus4 crédits 

Lecturer

Johan Derouane, Joost Wellens

Coordinator

Joost Wellens

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course covers the key elements to consider for integrated and participatory water resources management at the watershed level, with a focus on sustainable development. It presents the principles, stakeholders, institutional frameworks, and planning tools of IWRM and examines their implementation through various case studies.

The course covers, in particular:

  • Introduction to IWRM: definitions, history, principles, and the evolution of water management approaches;
  • IWRM at the watershed scale: resources, uses, stakeholders, conflicts, and consultation mechanisms, with a focus on the Kou River basin in Burkina Faso;
  • Governance and organization of the water sector: roles of public and private stakeholders and users, community-based management, and public-private partnerships, based on case studies from Niger and Senegal;
  • IWRM planning: action plans and management plans, using the case of Senegal;
    Implementing IWRM in the field: participatory assessment, identification of stakeholders and issues, setting objectives, and identifying and prioritizing actions;
  • Governance of common-pool resources, particularly through the principles of Elinor Ostrom;
  • Integrated approaches and cross-cutting issues: the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, water and sanitation;
  • European and regional frameworks for water management: the European Water Framework Directive and the implementation of IWRM in the Walloon Region.


 

 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

 By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • explain the principles and challenges of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM);
  • analyze a water management issue at the regional or watershed level;
  • to identify the main water resources, uses, stakeholders, institutions, and conflicts related to water;
  • to understand the interactions between the technical, environmental, economic, social, and institutional dimensions of water management;
  • to propose and discuss a planning and consultation approach from an IWRM perspective;
  • to critically analyze water policies, plans, and governance mechanisms based on case studies.

 

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

 

 

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

The course combines theoretical and interactive sessions with the analysis of real-world case studies on the implementation of IWRM, based in particular on watching and analyzing documentaries.

The various activities aim to apply IWRM principles to real-world situations and to develop students' ability to analyze water management issues in an integrated and multidisciplinary manner. Applied exercises and integrative assignments enable students to simultaneously address technical, environmental, social, economic, and institutional dimensions.



 

 

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus


Further information:

Course material and reference works are available on eCampus.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

oral exam


Further information:

Presentation of group work: critical analysis of a specific IWRM case study. Cases to be chosen by each group. Work will begin during class and be supervised through work sessions and discussions. The main points will be discussed and approved during these sessions; each group will develop the topic and present it during the exam.

The work will be graded as follows:

  • Subject & Content (7 points): Does the subject correspond to an IWRM issue? Does it include the IWRM approaches, techniques, definitions, etc. covered in the course?
  • Presentation & Analysis (7 points): How is the work presented? Is the structure of the presentation clear (situation, context, issues, actors, enabling environment, solutions, etc.)? Is the analysis correct and/or realistic (SWOT, Ostrom guidelines, etc.)? Is the analysis well developed and critical?
  • Questions & Answers (4 points): Mastery of the subject by the whole group.
  • Quality (2 points): Quality of the presentation materials (clear and legible slides, easy to follow, etc.) and quality of the oral presentation.
The marks obtained will reflect the grading indicators below:

  • 10-11: The work has many significant shortcomings, learning objectives achieved to a minimal extent.
  • 12-13: The work has few shortcomings, learning objectives satisfactorily achieved.
  • 14-15: Errors and/or inaccuracies are considered minor. The work accurately reflects the skills and concepts covered in the course.
  • 16-17: The work demonstrates great rigor and originality. The results could be reproduced at a later date.

 

 

 

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Contacts

 
 

Association of one or more MOOCs