NBI Induction Course

About This Course

The Nile is one of the major international rivers of the world, and is shared by 11 countries in East and North Africa. The Nile River Basin has been characterised by many things, including water scarcity, rapid population growth, widespread poverty and conflict over control of the Nile waters. The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) is a major regional undertaking to steer countries away from further conflict, and move towards all-inclusive cooperation in the sustainable management and development of the shared Nile water resources, for the benefit of all Nile riparians.
The NBI Induction Course provides an introduction to the environmental and socio-economic setting of the Nile Basin, reviews the numerous efforts at fostering cooperation amongst the Nile countries, and discusses the successes and lessons of these efforts. At the end of the course, trainees are expected to have improved their understanding of the development challenges in the Nile River Basin, and enhanced their appreciation of the relevance and significance of the NBI as an instrument for fostering regional peace and security and promoting sustainable development in the Nile region.

Target participants

The course is primarily targeted at nationals of Nile countries involved in in Nile Basin Initiative processes and is designed to equip them with the necessary background knowledge to enable them participate effectively in Nile Basin Initiative processes or discussions.
The course may also be of interest to staff of donor agencies active in the Nile region; academics and students of transboundary water management; professionals working in the areas of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), transboundary river basin management, environmental resources management, international water law and diplomacy, and conflict management; and people of all walks of life, residing within the basin or other parts of the world, who have a curiosity about the enigmatic Nile River and its management.

Requirements

To be able to follow the course, trainees are required to have basic knowledge of geography, natural resources management, water management and international water law principles. Trainees also need to have basic computer skills to be able to launch and view multi-media instruction materials, download and read course notes, and participate in a discussion platform.

Course Staff

Dr. Nicholas Azza

Nicholas Azza holds a Doctorate in Freshwater Ecology/Limnology and has 25 years of working experience in Integrated Water Resources Management in the Eastern Africa region, including the Nile Basin. A large part of the above time was spent working on transboundary waters. Azza has served and provided services to the Nile Basin Initiative in various capacities as a member of the Project Steering Committee for the Applied Training Project; Uganda’s National Liaison Officer for the Sio-Malaba-Malakisi and Kagera River Basin Projects; NBI’s Regional Water Policy Specialist; and more recently freelance consultant on transboundary water management.

Mr. Tom Waako

Mr. Tom Waako holds a Master of Science Degree in Engineering Hydrology from IHE Delft, the Netherlands. He has experience of more than 24 years in Integrated Water Resources Management, with over 15 years dedicated on the transboundary dimensions of the Nile basin. He has worked as a Program Officer at the Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat since 2003 in which time he has coordinated various institutinal and program realted interventions of NBI. For the induction course, he will provide support for this course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which language will be used?

English is the language used in multi-media instructional materials, for communication between trainees and moderators and in discussions on the discussion platform.

Are there plans to develop courses in other languages such as French and Arabic?

In the medium to long term and based, among other things, on feedback on the English course, the NBI may consider translation of the English course to other major languages used in the Nile region.

Who is eligible to participate in the course?

Admission is open to anybody interested in the course but priority will be given to citizens of the Nile riparian countries and to people involved in one way or another to the Nile cooperation process.

Do I have to pay to take the course?

The course will be free of charge to persons admitted to the course.

What is the benefit for me if I do the course?

It will help you understand and appreciate transboundary challenges and opportunities in the cooperative basin management.

How much does the course cost?

There are no course fees for you, as it aims at strengthening capacity and deepening knowledge of transboundary water resources in the Nile Basin.

What are the requirements for admission to the course?

Applicants must preferably be citizens of the Nile riparian countries or involved in promoting Nile cooperation. Applicants must also have attained a basin level of education (secondary school level) and have basic knowledge of knowledge of geography, natural resources management, water management and international water law principles. Trainees also need to have basic computer skills to be able to launch and view multi-media instruction materials, download and read course notes, and participate in a discussion platform.

What equipment do I need to be able to participate in the online course?

Participants need a computer or mobile communication appliance like a smart phone or tablet plus internet connectivity to be able to participate in the online course.

What materials will I receive for the course?

Participants will receive course notes in PDF format and have access to online multimedia materials.

Is a certificate awarded at the end of the course?

A Certificate of Successful Completion of the course shall be issued to participants who successfully complete the course. Participants who enroll to the course but are unable to attain the score required for the certificate of successful completion will receive an acknowledgement of their participation in the course.

What do I need to receive the Certificate of Successful Completion of the Course?

To be able to receive the Certificate of Successful Completion of the Course, participants must fulfil the following requirements: (a) complete all three modules and 19 lessons of the NBI Induction Course; (b) take the knowledge check quizzes of the 19 lessons; (c) take the graded quiz for the three modules and obtain a score equal to or greater than 50 marks (out of a maximum 100 marks); (d) participation actively in the discussion platform; (e) write a short essay on water governance in the Nile Basin (special report); and (f) provide feedback on the NBI Induction Course (for improvement).

Is the NBI Induction Course accredited?

At present (2019) the NBI course is not accredited with any education accreditation body.

I am a university student. Can I obtain credit points from this course that I can transfer to my University Course?

Credit points are a standard measure of work load (study hours) in university courses. At present (2019), the NBI Induction Course is not linked to any regular university course. Therefore, it will not be possible to transfer credit points from this course to your university course.

When will the next course run?

Please contact e-courses@nilebasin.org.

What is the process of application for the course?

On this page, when you scroll to the top, you will find enrol button. Click on this button and add your registration information on the page displayed.Click " create My NBI elearning course account". Then the booking is complete and you will have enrolled.

What is the deadline for application of the course?