DeltaCap inception workshop in Bangladesh

Structure

The relationships and linkages among the Work Packages (WP) of DeltaCap were decided in the Kick-off meeting in October 2016. The Centre (WP2) was foreseen to be an ongoing activity evolving with the progress of the project. It is anticipated that the centre’s activities and functions will be further defined during the inception phase as other WPs identify their needs.

The Sustainable Delta Management Centre (SDMC) will evolve as a closely-linked cluster of several physical/virtual hubs. These hubs will have their own facilities and capacities for capacity-building, and will address the relevant areas of capacity-building and training needs identified by the WPs. A coordinating hub, based at a well-established knowledge institution, will have functional linkages with other hubs (e.g. BUET, IWM, BWDB Training Centre, DUET, CUET), virtual hubs (training provider institutions with specific capacities), and mobile facilities (for local level dissemination and awareness). Other virtual hubs (e.g. business cases/training product delivery enterprises) can be developed during the project.

Activities

The cluster will function collectively to achieve the main goal of the project, i.e. strengthening vocational/professional education and training capacities in Bangladesh for sustainable delta management and participatory water management. The activities of the centre will focus on capacity building and curriculum development in the following four threads:

1. Sustainable Delta Management: longer term planning and integrated assessment

2. Sustainable Delta Management: innovative collaboration/multi-stakeholder involvement

3. Participatory Water Management: information services at local level

4. Information services for Sustainable Delta Management

During the project period, the cluster of hubs will be established as an integrated and self-sustaining multi-disciplinary centre for capacity development and advancement of knowledge for sustainable delta management and participatory water management. Embedded and integrated into the respective institutional systems of the partners, the Centre will be able to continue its national and global activities even beyond the project life time.

Present Capacities of the Partners

Capacity at BUET

BUET has a longstanding capacity for design and delivery of training programmes, curriculum development, and knowledge generation and dissemination in the areas relevant to the project. Existing physical facilities, logistics and administrative support at BUET will be useful for efficient delivery and management of the trainings.

More specifically, BUET has the following capacities:

1. Coordination, design and delivery of the trainings

2. Coordination of knowledge dissemination at various levels

3. Curriculum development

4. Knowledge generation (research/synthesis)

Institute of Water and Flood Management (IWFM) has an interdisciplinary faculty strength covering a broad range of fields such as integrated, participatory and adaptive water management; delta planning and management; socio-economic analysis; climate modelling; water resources modelling; gender analysis; and disaster management. Ongoing collaborative research projects at IWFM include projects in the Urbanising Deltas of the World Programme of NWO such as Adaptive Delta Management, CORE Bangladesh and Living Polders. Other delta-focused research projects at IWFM include ESPA Delta and Dynamic Deltas. All these projects directly or indirectly address the goals of BDP2100, and are closely linked with the plan formulation activities.

Department of Water Resources Engineering (DWRE) educates future professionals to tackle the challenging engineering problems related to water resources planning, management and development. The department has advanced physical modelling facilities, and state of the art mathematical modelling capability and programming tools. The department is committed to generate new knowledge through research, and develop appropriate curricula for teaching and training. DWRE also conducts continuing education and outreach programmes, and has academic linkage with several universities. The faculty members of DWRE are actively involved with the BDP2100 process and several projects in the Nuffic NICHE and Urbanising Deltas of the World Programmes.

International Training Network (ITN) Centre of BUET plays an important role in developing a capable human resource base in the area of water and environmental sanitation, through training and research. It strives for expansion of knowledge base through networking. It has been successfully playing the bridging role between ‘academic & research institutions’ and ‘management & implementing organizations’. ITN-BUET works closely with Government organizations, International and Local NGOs, and development partners. ITN-BUET is currently the ‘national centre’ for South Asia Urban Knowledge Hub, a technical assistance project of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Bangladesh Government. ITN-BUET has state of the art training facilities (including facilities for on-line delivery of courses) and a pool of resource persons, from both within and outside BUET, for effective delivery of trainings in diverse areas.

Objectives

Develop capacity building for Sustainable Delta Management: longer term planning and integrated assessment.

•  Increase operational understanding of decision makers and planners about longer term planning and integrated assessment.
•  Improved practical decision making in view of socio-economic and environmental developments including climate change.
•  Improved understanding of BDP and SDG in relation to delta management.

Target group

People responsible for policy preparation, planning and implementation for water, land and natural resources management at the national level – organisations: WARPO, BWDB, GED, LGED, DoE, DoF, BADC, BIWTA, Urban Sectors (e.g. DWASA, KWASA, RAJUK, …), Local Governments (e.g. DCC, KCC, …).

Activities

1. Link to joint capacity needs assessment – the different elements as described above are discussed among the team and stakeholders in view of the desired outcomes of the training. This will lead to a shared view on the training needs in WP3. Also, a first identification of possible funding sources for the (prolonged) training beyond the project period will be identified in cooperation with WP2.

2. Preparation of the training – a curriculum will be developed including a list of relevant literature. Training material will be developed on the basis of the curriculum – readers, powerpoints. Case studies will be identified – case studies are real life situations for which specific elements of the training can be developed. The materials will be divided into modules to enable custom-made trainings for specific target groups. The curriculum will be used to explore funding opportunities (see under 1).

3. Training – the training will be held according to the agreements on how the training centre will operate. Participants to the training will be asked to fill in an evaluation form about process and contents of the training (to be developed).

4. Reflection/learning/feedback/way forward – based on the experiences during the training and the evaluation forms, the training will be improved, both in process and contents. Steps will be identified to repeat the training for a wider audience, depending on the funding opportunities as identified.

The following activities are foreseen over the next four years:

Organization

The training will be developed and delivered with the framework of the Sustainable Delta Management Centre. The relevant organisations (tbd) will be involved in the development of the training material and the testing and evaluation of the training.

Links with other work packages

WP2 – Institutional setting of the centre is important for further development and implementing/testing of the training

WP4-6 – Possible overlap in contents of the training/additionality of the different strands.

WP7-9 – these may set prerequisites for the training and provide support for implementing the training

Expected input from DAWB partners

Below is a short description provided of the inputs as expected from the DAWB Training needs will be based on the needs assessment and training gaps as identified. In close cooperation between the it will be determined What partner can provide what input to the training.

BUET

BUET will support in developing the training by providing training material, case studies to be used for the training, resource persons for conducting the training, and possibly provide training facilities.

WARPO

WARPO will support in developing the training by providing training material, case studies to be used for the training, resource persons for conducting the training, and possibly provide training facilities.

BWP

BWP runs a successful training course on IWRM and intends to develop an add-on training on ADM. BWP will support in developing the training by providing training material, case studies to be used for the training, and resource persons for conducting the training, presumably in close cooperation with CEGIS.