Jordan Times
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
JUST starts offering master's degree in water demand management
By Rami Abdelrahman
AMMAN — The Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) started offering a master's programme in water demand management as of the current academic year.Organised by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation and the WEPIA water awareness programme through funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), certified courses leading towards a master's degree are offered to interested students and professionals working in water-related organisations through this programme.
Ministry Secretary General Saad Bakri highlighted the need for such a programme in view of the increasing demand for water that is coupled with shortage of supplies.
“The objective of such a course is to educate about the actions or measures that influence water use to achieve better utilisation of water sources,” Bakri said Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the programme's course sentitled “Introduction to Best Management Practices in Water Demand Management” held at JUST.
According to JUST Vice President Mahmoud Shayyab, this course represents a model of applying practices to theories aimed at serving the community.
One of the lead faculty teaching the course explained that the potential for improvement in the efficiency and productivity of water use is considerable. “Management of water demand could be the new frontier in achieving sustainable water use,” explained Ben Dziegelewski, who is president of the International Water Resources Association.
Among other speakers, Dave Brath, regional legal consultant at the US embassy, stressed the importance of teaching young generations to become regional leaders in water-related issues.
“This course is the centre-piece in US development concerns in the region, and Jordan is a leader in the field of water saving,” Brath, who represented USAID at the ceremony, said, describing the ministry's performance last year as “spectacular.”
Jordan is considered one of the water-poorest 10 countries of the world.
Mary-Ann Dickinson, a water management expert who will also teach in this course said, “The cheapest water is water you already have, that is why the public should be a partner in the water management.”
Wael Abu Elshar, the head of JUST's civil engineering department and one of the course teachers, said that 15 participants from the ministry, the Water Authority, USAID, WEPIA, the Jordan Press Foundation and other concerned organisations are already registered to study the “Best Management practices in Water Demand Management” course.
Ashraf Ali, a 24-year-old student enrolled in the programme, expects to gain good knowledge that would make him a professional in the water field.
“My bachelor degree thesis was on the use of UV light to kill microbes in the water. I will be able to share my knowledge with water experts through this programme,” explained Ali, who is Jordan's representative at the World Youth Forum for Environment.
An environmental sciences student at JUST, 20-year-old Sura Suleiman agreed. “This programme will help me know more about the water crisis in Jordan, and it will help me direct my future plans to become a water expert and contribute to saving our water resources.
“This is a new area, and opens doors for finding solutions to our water crisis” 21-year-old May Sultan who wants to earn a master's degree in water demand management, told the Jordan Times.