Although the main emphasis of the network was on research, training activities have received increasingly attention as one of the important NBCBN activities. The following main strategic lines are followed for project support for training activities in the network:Support to network members to attend the 3-month diploma course in River and Hydraulic Engineering at the Regional training Centre RTC of the Hydraulics Research Institute HRI (fellowships)Organization of short training courses in topics of high interest to the region with the support of other organizations ( UNESCO-IHE, CapNet ...)Organization of specialized training activities that support the network research activities. During the regional workshops, specified training sessions were programmed. Initial steps are made to introduce distance learning activities. The Network aims to support the development of lecturing materials that support the research activities after which it will be posted at the NBCBN collaborative platform. These materials will be freely available for the researchers in order to enhance their knowledge.In order to disseminate the research results the Network encourages research groups to develop training and lecturing material to be used in both distance learning and/or face to face regional training modules.
Modelling Tools for River Engineering: Applications on River Morphology for the Nile Basin
NBCBN in coordination with UNESCO-Chair in Water Resources in Sudan organized a training course on River morphology in the period from 25th to 29th September 2011, Cairo, Egypt. . The aim of this knowledge sharing event is to transfer the knowledge gained through the regional collaborative research activities organised and supervised by the river morphology research cluster hosted in Sudan to a larger community of water professionals and to build capacity of professionals in Nile Basin countries in the field related to river development and management.
The course was designed to disseminate and exchange the art of knowledge in the river morphology processes (deposition and sediment transport, bank erosion, river meandering, flood inundation) and the application of modelling tools to river morphology. The main objective is to transfer knowledge and to train participants having firsthand experience on modeling, model techniques, presentation and interpretation of model outputs. Exchange of experiences and discussions on future capacity building needs in the field of river morphology was one of the main targets of this event
23 water professionals from the Nile basin dealing with river morphology aspects attended the course based on their backgrounds and experiences. The course was very much appreciated by the participants, and the course participants recommended repeating this type of knowledge sharing events including 3D models.
Climate Change Adaptation: Strategies and Tools
NBCBN-SEC in collaboration with Cap-Net and UNESCO-IHE organized the second training Course on climate change adaptation. This course was organized in Cairo, Egypt in the Period from 17th - 21st July 2011.
The main objective of the training course is to strengthen the capacities of the Nile basin water professionals in dealing with climate change issues. This course in particular targeted participants with basic knowledge and experience in climate changes issues and its relation to the water sector, focusing on climate change variability, techniques and instruments for adaptation.
Regional knowledge Sharing workshop and Training on: Climate Change Adaptation, Strategies and Tools.
Introduction
Africa especially the Nile Basin area is one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change and climate variability, a situation aggravated by the interaction of ‘multiple stresses’, occurring at various levels, and with low adaptive capacity. Two deltas in Africa are in dangerous to be flooded due to climate change; one of them lies in the Nile basin which is the Nile delta. Drought is the other impact of climate change which may affect huge areas in Africa. Therefore adaptation to climate change tools, scenarios and approach is very crucial to be addressed and disseminated. Climate change is likely to aggravate water stress currently faced by some countries in the basin, while some other countries, currently not experiencing water stress, will become at risk of it. Consequently it is very much important to build the capacity of the Nile basin water professionals, managers and governmental staff to ensure they apply the concept and approach within their own water resources management process and planning.
Recognizing this challenge facing the Nile basin countries, NBCBN took on-board the climate change in its second phase started in 2007. In October 2008, NBCBN participated in the implementation of a TOT course on “IWRM as Tool for Adaptation to Climate Change - acting today, preparing for tomorrow – in collaboration with the Cap-Net. Also NBCBN succeeded to launch its Multi-Disciplinary research programme dealing with climate change in October 2008. This was followed by other initiatives from NBCBN to focus on climate change capacity building activities, one of these activities was the partnership between UNESCO-IHE and NBCBN in the research project Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts on the Nile River Basin (ACCION), this research project involves eight Post-Doc research students from NBCBN members working on different case studies from the basin. During the conference of NBCBN in November 2010, the Network announced its future strategy for sustainable capacity building for the Nile basin water professionals. One of the main focus themes is climate change including Research and Knowledge sharing activities. Since climate change is a hot common issue for the Nile basin and all involved key players in the field of Capacity building, NBCBN agreed in its published work plan to work in close cooperation with its partners and sister institutes to organise joint CB activities in the Nile basin. Therefore NBCBN sees the positive added value of continuous collaboration with Cap-Net and UNESCO-IHE to organise jointly a follow-up knowledge sharing session on Climate Change focusing on adaptation strategies and tools including case studies from the Nile basin that was developed in the ACCION project. This course is planned for the future to be an annual event that focuses on participants from the Nile Basin and other African countries.
Course Objectives
The main objective of the training course is to strengthen the capacities of the Nile basin water professionals in dealing with climate change issues. This course in particular targeted participants with basic knowledge and experience in climate changes issues and its relation to the water sector, focusing on climate change variability, techniques and instruments for adaptation.
As an output of this course the following are some recommended actions to be taken in future climate change capacity building activities for the Nile basin professionals:-
•This regional meeting should be replicated on both regional and local levels in the Nile basin countries with support from NBCBN, to promote the climate change concepts and adaptation and to expand the professional capacity dealing with climate change in the basin.
•More advanced versions of this event dealing with climate change and focusing on more technical issues and applications is needed for the Nile basin water professional community.
•NBCBN will launch a regional virtual network (using its ICT facilities) of climate change professionals from the basin in addition to a network of institutions and stakeholders working on climate change issues. This regional network will be based on the formation of local networks of professionals and institutions.
•The proposed regional network will include a regional information portal on climate change data, projects, experts,…).
•NBCBN in its future climate change capacity building strategy should include development of educational programs (Undergraduate and Master courses) focusing on climate change.
Training Course on
"Climate Change Adaptation: Strategies and Tools
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