Hands On Training

Building expertise on developing sustainable and resilient infrastructure

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

via

edX

Course Features

Duration

9 weeks

Delivery Method

Online

Available on

Limited Access

Accessibility

Mobile, Desktop, Laptop

Language

English

Subtitles

English

Level

Beginner

Effort

6 hours per week

Teaching Type

Self Paced

Course Description

Drawing on the most recent developments in the area of social and environmental science as well as the expertise of practitioners this course will help you to understand what constitutes sustainable and resilient Infrastructure and teaches you how to achieve sustainable and resilient development goals through infrastructure development. In this context you will be introduced to SuRe®, an international voluntary standard for infrastructure and you will learn how SuRe® helps to make infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.

In the current global context of rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change and biodiversity degradation, developing sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects is one of the most urgent challenges.

Because Infrastructure lasts so long the kind of infrastructure we build today matters well into the future. That means, our infrastructure choices today influence the quality of the life of our children and their children. In the forthcoming 15-20 year we are going to build about 1.5 times the infrastructure that already exists today. We have to make sure that our decisions and investments are made wisely.

This course provides knowledge, builds expertise and provides tools on the planning, financing, procurement and contracting of sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects.You will be introduced to SuRe®, an international voluntary standard for infrastructure and you will learn the set of criteria SuRe® applies in order to make infrastructure more sustainable and resilient. Drawing on the most recent developments in the area of social and environmental science as well as the expertise of practitioners this course will help you to understand what constitutes sustainable and resilient Infrastructure, motivates you to want more of it and teaches you how to achieve it so that more sustainable and resilient infrastructure will be built in future.

This course comprises of six weeks. In week 1-5, you will watch videos, read articles and review and reflect your learning and thoughts through engaging quizzes and activities. In week 6 you will critically reflect and apply your learning on a specific project in a written essay. You will also help others in providing and receiving meaningful feedback on their project.

Course Overview

International Faculty

Post Course Interactions

Instructor-Moderated Discussions

Skills You Will Gain

Prerequisites/Requirements

No Prerequisites Required

What You Will Learn

Be able to apply and practice those tools and their learning on specific and currently running infrastructure projects.

Become aware of its importance and understanding key bottlenecks and obstacles for sustainable infrastructure development which is an important element within the sustainable development goals.

Become aware of the importance of the procurement and contracting phase in order to also legally ensure the sustainability of the project.

Better understand the dynamics and interactions between the planning, implementing and financing stakeholders.

Gain particular insight into both local capacity constraints and structural constraints based on examples/situations in different infrastructure areas both in developing and developed countries.

Get to know further tools and instruments to assess and evaluate infrastructure projects and learn when and how to apply them.

Learn about SuRe, an international voluntary standard for infrastructure development and understand its criteria that help to make infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.

Understand the concept of sustainable infrastructure as a cornerstone for sustainable development.

Course Content

Expand all sections

Module 1: Welcome and Introduction

Module 2: Infrastructure and the Environment

Module 3: Infrastructure and the Society

Module 4: The Governance of Infrastructure

Course Instructors

Bruno OBERLE

Professor at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Professor for "Green Economy and Resource Governance" and head of the IRGC, International Risk Governance Center at the EPFL. Bruno Oberle has explored and shaped the interface between environmental ...

Katharina Rehfeld

Dr. at École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Katharina is an Environmental & Resource Economist with over 16 years of international experience. She received her PhD from the University of Heidelberg and worked for the Center for European Econom...

Katharina Schneider-Roos

CEO at Global Infrastructure Basel

Katharina Schneider-Roos is CEO of the non-profit foundation Global Infrastructure Basel (GIB). Katharina’s team has assessed over one hundred infrastructure projects across the world to identify a r...

Louis Downing

COO at Global Infrastructure Basel

Louis Downing is a sustainability and resilience expert and the Chief Operating Officer of the Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation. Louis managed the development of SuRe® - The Standard for Sus-ta...