Water Research Institute launches its first MOOC

On Monday 4 February the Water Research Institute will be launching its first MOOC - ‘The Challenge of Global Water Security’.

The free course is open to anyone who would like to learn more about the unprecedented challenges that are putting world water resources under ever greater pressure.

Developed by an interdisciplinary team of affiliated researchers from the Water Research Institute, it will be delivered through FutureLearn - the first UK-led provider of massive open online courses (MOOCs).

Professor Isabelle Durance, Director of Cardiff University Water Research Institute, explains how the course will give learners a better understanding of the challenges associated with water security worldwide: "Water is a key resource for ecosystems and human wellbeing, prosperity and security.

“In the next 30 years, UNESCO estimates that three to four billions of people worldwide will have insufficient water for food production. One billion of people will live in cities with perennial water scarcity, and 80% of the world’s population will live in areas with high water security threats.

“Securing water globally for human needs, while sustaining natural capital for future generations, is one of the most urgent challenges of this century.”

Through a range of short videos and case studies, the course will investigate how demographic change, urbanisation and climate change create real uncertainties in the availability of water resources worldwide, and give an interdisciplinary overview of current and future problems from the perspectives of socio-economic, ecologic and geographic scientists.

The four-week course is designed to encourage critical thinking and interaction between learners. At each point, they will be able to share their views on water security from the country in which they live. They'll be free to discuss their own experiences and to reflect on the water security issues and solutions introduced by the course.

If you would like to learn more about water security around the world, please register for the course on FutureLearn.