News from the CEPA e-mail list

International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management - upcoming course (19/01/09)

Good morning Everyone:

The highly regarded International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management course run by Wageningen International will be taking place in June of this year. This course has been run for several years and has included many Ramsar 'people' in the past. Please take note of the important deadline regarding the applications for sponsorship.

Please be sure to direct ALL correspondence on this course to Esther Koopmanschap (Esther.Koopmanschap@wur.nl) and not to the Secretariat.

With best wishes, Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat
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Please apply before 1 February 2009 to be able to meet the deadline of the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP)!
Please find more information below.

International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management,
a course focusing on the facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes and curriculum development (ICWM-TOT)
The Netherlands, June 8 – 26, 2009 

Wetland Management
One of the difficulties identified in wetland management is the division of management responsibilities between different administrative authorities in a river basin. This often results in fragmented and competitive approaches to water resources planning and management. The management of wetlands therefore requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates the technical, economic, environmental, social and legal aspects of water management which does not end at country borders but needs to be carried out on a river basin scale.

Aims and objectives
The primary condition for achieving integrated wetland management is the willingness of sectoral stakeholders to work together. To achieve the necessary cooperation, stakeholders in a catchment area need to be able to understand each other clearly. Steps to achieve understanding of the various views, and to explore how far such separate views can be shared, will be one of the main issues covered within the ‘International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management’ (ICWM-TOT).

The ICWM-TOT aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary for curriculum development in the field of wetland management in their own region. The course will focus on the multi-stakeholder processes that play an important role in wetland management and the need for transboundary and cross-sectoral co-operation to manage the natural resources of a river basin and its wetlands.

Programme topics
Concepts in wetland and river basin management
Concepts in wetland and river basin management (ecological, social and economic perspective) as well as ecosystem approach, Ramsar, CBD and other international agreements.

Facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes
Multi-stakeholder processes, tools and techniques to support the facilitation of multi-stakeholder processes in wetland management, public participation, stakeholder involvement in decision making and conflict management.

Fieldwork wetland management
Wetland management, stakeholder analysis and public participation in practice.

Adult education and social learning
Participatory learning principles, learning styles, the learning cycle, educational psychology, raising awareness, training skills.

Curriculum development
Curriculum development, development of a training programme for wetland managers.
The course will be interactive with a high degree of personal contributions by the participants. Besides lectures the course will include fieldwork, technical and social excursions. The ICWM-TOT will provide the opportunity of professional networking fostered by the institutions organising the course, as a follow-up after attending the training.

Who can participate?
The ICWM-TOT has been designed for (future) trainers in wetland management. The course programme is suitable for wetland managers and land use planners, policy makers, consultants, researchers and NGO staff who have affinity with training. The course will be relevant to participants from all climatic zones, but case studies used will be based in Central and South Eastern Europe and the Russian Federation.

Requirements for admission
Applicants should meet the following requirements:

Make sure that you clearly indicate the usefulness of this training in your application form, and outline your current or future involvement in water resources or wetland management and capacity development.

Certificate
Participants will be granted a Certificate of Attendance.

Fees and venue
The fee for this course is € 3200. This includes administration costs, lecture materials and field trips, but excludes board and lodging and travel expenses. Participants will be accommodated at the Wageningen International Conference Centre (WICC), Wageningen, The Netherlands, on basis of full board and lodging. Prices are available on request.

Fellowships
A limited number of fellowships are available from the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) for nationals of certain countries (please, find list below). NFP-candidates must FIRST apply to Wageningen International for admission to the training. Acceptable candidates will receive a PROVISIONAL Letter of Acceptance from Wageningen International. Candidates can then apply for a NFP fellowship through the Netherlands Embassy or Consulate in their own country. Applications for NFP fellowships should be submitted to Wageningen International before 1 February 2009.

More information: www.cdic.wur.nl/UK/Courses, www.nuffic.nl.

Wageningen International can NOT provide any funds to finance the participants and is also unable to assist applicants in obtaining sponsorship.

Application
The admission deadline for application directly to Wageningen International, with funding other than a NFP fellowship, is 7 May 2009. Early application is recommended.

Please, find this factsheet, the application form, the possibility to enroll online and information about other courses at http://www.cdic.wur.nl/UK/Courses/. If possible please enroll online!!

The direct link to the ICWM-TOT: http://www.cdic.wur.nl/UK/newsagenda/agenda/International_Training_of_Trainers_on_wetland_management.htm

More information:
Wageningen International, Wageningen UR
Capacity Development and Institutional Change Programme
P.O. Box 88, 6700 AB Wageningen,
The Netherlands
tel: +31 (0)317 486 800; fax: +31 (0)317 486 801; e-mail: training.wi@wur.nl
web: http://www.cdic.wur.nl/UK/Courses/

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Sandra Hails, CEPA Programme Officer
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 999 0176; Fax: +41 22 999 0169
E-mail: hails@ramsar.org
Web Site: http://ramsar.org
CEPA mini-Web site: http://ramsar.org/outreach_index.htm

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