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MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development

global challenges, engineering solutions
 
UPGRo: Hidden Crisis

Dick Fenner attended the first Project Workshop for the NERC funded UPGRo: Hidden Crisis project, which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the  second week of September. The project is addressing the reasons why many boreholes and water points in Africa fail shortly after construction, and is aiming to develop a more complete understanding of how to keep water flowing from boreholes, which will reduce waste and improve water services for Africa's poorest communities. The work is based on three countries: Ethiopia, Uganda and Malawi and in its first stage will undertake surveys of around 200 water points in each country. The Workshop brought together all the project partners from Africa as well as from the UK, Australia and Water Aid.

More details of the Hidden Crisis project, which is being led by the British Geological Survey, can be found at: http://upgro.org/consortium/hidden-crisis2/

 

Course Overview

Context

The need to engage in better problem definition through careful dialogue with all stakeholder groups and a proper recognition of context.

Perspectives

An ability to work with specialists from other disciplines and professional groups acknowledging that technical innovation and business skills also must be understood, nurtured and combined as precursors to the successful implementation of sustainable solutions.

Change

An understanding of mechanisms for managing change in organisations so future engineers are equipped to play a leadership role.

Tools

An awareness of a range of assessment frameworks, sustainability metrics and methodologies such as Life Cycle Analysis, Systems Dynamics, Multi-Criteria Decision making and Impact Assessment.