This course provides knowledge, builds expertise and provides tools on the planning, financing, procurement and contracting of sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects. This course provides knowledge, builds expertise and provides tools on the planning, financing, procurement and contracting of sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects.
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Drawing on the most recent developments in the area of social and environmental science as well as the expertise of practitioners this course will help you to understand what constitutes sustainable and resilient Infrastructure and teaches you how to achieve sustainable and resilient development goals through infrastructure development. In this context you will be introduced to SuRe®, an international voluntary standard for infrastructure and you will learn how SuRe® helps to make infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In the current global context of rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change and biodiversity degradation, developing sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects is one of the most urgent challenges.
Because Infrastructure lasts so long the kind of infrastructure we build today matters well into the future. That means, our infrastructure choices today influence the quality of the life of our children and their children. In the forthcoming 15-20 year we are going to build about 1.5 times the infrastructure that already exists today. We have to make sure that our decisions and investments are made wisely.
You will be introduced to SuRe®, an international voluntary standard for infrastructure and you will learn the set of criteria SuRe® applies in order to make infrastructure more sustainable and resilient. Drawing on the most recent developments in the area of social and environmental science as well as the expertise of practitioners this course will help you to understand what constitutes sustainable and resilient Infrastructure, motivates you to want more of it and teaches you how to achieve it so that more sustainable and resilient infrastructure will be built in future.
This course comprises of six weeks. In week 1-5, you will watch videos, read articles and review and reflect your learning and thoughts through engaging quizzes and activities. In week 6 you will critically reflect and apply your learning on a specific project in a written essay. You will also help others in providing and receiving meaningful feedback on their project.
What you'll learn
This MOOC aims to improve the understanding of sustainable infrastructure, its social, economic and environmental relevance, its complexity, challenges and opportunities. Also, we will introduce various tools that help both the constructing, public and financial sector to assess and evaluate infrastructure projects in order to ensure their sustainability. Among these tools, we will discuss in more detail SuRe®, an international voluntary standard for infrastructure development.
Learning Objectives of this course:
- Understand the concept of sustainable infrastructure as a cornerstone for sustainable development.
- Become aware of its importance and understanding key bottlenecks and obstacles for sustainable infrastructure development which is an important element within the sustainable development goals.
- Gain particular insight into both local capacity constraints and structural constraints based on examples/situations in different infrastructure areas both in developing and developed countries.
- Learn about SuRe®, an international voluntary standard for infrastructure development and understand its criteria that help to make infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
- Get to know further tools and instruments to assess and evaluate infrastructure projects and learn when and how to apply them.
- Better understand the dynamics and interactions between the planning, implementing and financing stakeholders.
- Become aware of the importance of the procurement and contracting phase in order to also legally ensure the sustainability of the project.
- Be able to apply and practice those tools and their learning on specific and currently running infrastructure projects.
Syllabus
Week 0: Welcome & Introduction
Course Overview
Definition of and introduction into sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
Week 1: Infrastructure and the Environment
Challenges on the environmental system and how sustainable and resilient infrastructure can help to relieve them.
Introduction into SuRe® Standard.
SuRe® Standard and the environment and practical applications.
Week 2: Infrastructure and the Society
How sustainable and resilient infrastructure help to promote a better society.
SuRe® Standard and the society and practical applications.
Week 3: The Governance of Infrastructure
The Governance of Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Projects.
SuRe® and Project Governance and practical applications.
Week 4: Tools for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure – the SuRe® Standard
Introduction and applications of tools that assist the development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure.
Week 5: Sustainable Infrastructure Procurement
Principles of sustainable infrastructure procurement and their implementation.
Week 6: Synthesis and final course work.
Reflection and learning application on a specific project in a written essay.
