Nodes

IWC Africa Water Research Node at Monash South Africa

The mission of the Water Research Node is to make 
a significant contribution towards creating leadership and capacity for integrated water management. This aim is pursued through research projects, post-graduate education, and short courses.

IWC Water Node activities

Research

The Water Research Node aims to promote and facilitate novel, interdisciplinary and user-inspired research.

Current research areas:

• Cooperation and knowledge integration across several boundaries related to water resources, e.g. service sectors, levels of governance and knowledge disciplines
• Science-management-policy interfacing
• Learning and adaptation for resilient social-ecological systems
• Equitable and sustainable sharing of the benefits derived from freshwater ecosystems
• Strategies for conserving freshwater ecosystems

Education

Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management

This program is based on the successful IWC flagship Master of Integrated Water Management currently offered from Brisbane, Australia. The Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management runs over two years and comprises four compulsory course units (first semester) and a research thesis (three semesters).

The course is designed and taught by international leaders in a broad spectrum of disciplines from four world-class universities. It gives our students the research, strategic and managerial skills they need to advance their careers in the water sector and become future leaders in integrated water management.

A combination of coursework and research sets this course apart from the normal research-based structure of a masters degree.

Download the Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management brochure

Capacity development

To address the growing need for skilled and experienced water professionals in South Africa and Africa, the modules offered as part of the Master of Philosophy in Integrated Water Management are also available as short courses. This option is ideal for people working full-time or living outside of Johannesburg.

Our short courses are designed and taught by academic leaders and practitioners  representing various disciplines. All courses give an international perspective and prepare participants with skills in integrated water management for local and international contexts.

• Science of Water
• Water, Sustainability and Development
• Water Governance and Policy
• Project Management

Collaboration and partnerships

The Water Research Node functions as a networked entity and collaborates with stakeholders and partners to further its research and education objectives. It collaborates with relevant units from Monash Australia, in particular the Monash Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Arts and School of Biological Sciences.

As an African Node of the IWC, the Water Research Node also has links with relevant units from the University of Queensland, Griffith University and The University of Western Australia.

Within Southern Africa, the Water Research Node engages in collaborative initiatives with several research and academic organisations:

• CSIR
• Water Institute at University of Pretoria
• University of the Witwatersrand
• University of KwaZulu-Natal
• The Copperbelt University in Zambia
• University of Namibia
  

Our valued implementation partners include:

• The Inkomati Catchment Management Agency
• Living Waters Initiative of WWF-SA
• North-West Department of Agriculture
• Conservation and Environment
• South African National Parks
• The South African National Biodiversity Institute

Monash South Africa (MSA)

Located in Johannesburg, Monash South Africa is an international campus of Monash University (Australia). There are currently 2 700 students enrolled in an increasing number of academic schools. MSA offers students the opportunity to obtain a degree on an attractive, secure, state-of-the-art campus and to benefit from small classes and highly personalised attention.

Monash University

Monash University is one of Australia’s leading public universities and 
a member of the elite Group of Eight (Go8); eight universities that undertake over 70 % of all research conducted in Australian universities and over half of all basic research performed throughout Australia. Monash is a truly international university with eight campuses (including Malaysia and South Africa) and centres in England and Italy.