Course Description

Fulfilment of expectations

In a world increasingly affected by climate change, a better understanding of both floods caused by storms and low water levels caused by droughts is of central importance, especially for employees in public administrations and consulting engineering firms. This seminar will enable you to better understand the current challenges, fundamentals and changes in water management and in particular urban water management and wetland management. In addition, the seminar provides the necessary knowledge to better prepare your working environment for both sustainable infrastructure and environmental strategies as well as new communication channels in water management.

Target Participants

Smooth work processes through access to more up-to-date knowledge regarding the effects of climate change on water management and environmental protection are of central importance for building and environmental authorities, consulting companies, industrial companies, executing companies and civic associations. This seminar is therefore aimed at employees who would like to deepen their understanding of both the scientific background and the concepts and technologies underlying solutions. This leads to more efficient and targeted decisions related to climate change impacts in modern sustainable water management.

Seminar Content (Six Modules)

1. Traditional Water and Wastewater Treatment: Get a broad overview of various standard water and wastewater treatment stages.
2. Wetlands to Control Water Pollution: Learn about the diverse possibilities of using natural water systems to improve water quality.
3. Sustainable Drainage Systems: Discover more about the use of wetlands, ponds, swales, permeable pavements and biological filters.
4. Natural and Semi-natural Wetland Systems and Processes: Learn more about the physical, biological and chemical processes within wetland systems.
5. Specific Industrial Applications of Treatment Wetlands: Learn about the potential use of natural water systems by various industries.
6. Sustainable Flood Retention Basins: Get an overview of how retention basins can be used by different interest groups at the same time.

Coursework

The assessment of the seminar (all modules) by coursework is optional (see also framework information below). The overall examination consists of an essay (100%) that includes a critical and analytical assessment of a controversial sustainable water management topic with reference to nature-based solutions of one’s own choice. This makes it possible, for example, to present a relevant and complex case study by employees of a municipality, for which there are several, sometimes controversial, solutions. New insights gained through participation in some modules should be tested in the case study. Various required sections of the essay will be discussed in detail during class. Feedback from other participants and the teacher allows insights into other ways of thinking and solutions.

Your Benefit:

• Basic knowledge: Gain a solid basic understanding of traditional water and wastewater treatment stages, methods and processes (Module 1).
• Practical relevance: Learn how natural technologies are applied in practice and how they positively influence the public sector and industries (Modules 2 to 6).
• Networking: Meet colleagues from other administrations, associations, industries and consulting offices to exchange experiences. Also build valuable new contacts with possible project partners (Modules 1 to 6).
• Future orientation: Prepare for future changes around climate change adaptation in water management by introducing nature-based solutions (Modules 2 to 6).

Target Groups:

• Employees from public administrations and offices (Modules 1 to 6)
• Those responsible for construction and environmental decisions in the public sector (Modules 1 to 6)
• Those responsible in industries with increased water requirements and/or where wastewater is generated (Modules 1 and 5)
• Senior employees of contractors who require more expertise for tenders (Modules 1 to 3 and Module 5)
• Employees who need sustainable water management knowledge for their professional activities (Modules 2 to 6)
• People with an interest in the management of natural hydraulic engineering systems such as wetlands (Modules 2, 3, 5 and 6)

Moderator and Teacher

DProf. Prof. Miklas Scholz, cand ing, BEng (equivalent), PgC, MSc, PhD, DSc, CWEM, CEnv, CSci, CEng, FHEA, FIEMA, FCIWEM, FICE, Fellow of IWA, Fellow of IETI is a Distinguished Professor at the Johannesburg University, South Africa. Miklas holds the Chair of Civil Engineering at The University of Salford in the United Kingdom and is also a Senior Expert in Water Management for atene KOM. He has published six books and 311 journal articles.

Prof. Scholz has a total of over 13,500 citations (over 8350 citations since 2018), which corresponds to an H-index of 57 and an i10-index of 226. He is in the top 2% of scientists in terms of the i10 index for the last five years. Miklas is also one of the top 2% scientists in the world. A bibliometric analysis of all publications on wetlands and corresponding authors with a minimum number of 20 publications and 100 citations shows that Miklas is ranked 5th in the world out of about 70 authors (including those who unfortunately died).

In 2019, Prof. Scholz received EUR 7 million for the EU H2020 REA project WATER retention and nutrient recycling in soils and streams for improved AGRIcultural production (WATERAGRI). He also received EUR 1.52 million for the JPI Water 2018 project Research-based Assessment of INtegrated approaches to nature-based SOLUTIONS (RAINSOLUTIONS).

This seminar is based on his new book (released November 1, 2023) entitled Wetlands for Water Pollution Control. This third edition can be requested at https://shop.elsevier.com/books/wetlands-for-water-pollution-control/scholz/978-0-443-13838-6. The discount is 15%. However, purchasing the book is not necessary. Course material will be provided.