Integrated Water Resources Management in Kosovo
The ‘Integrated Water Resources Management in Kosovo’ (IWRM-K) is a 12-year transformational Program of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Government of Kosovo. Its implementation has been entrusted to the Consortium of Skat Consulting Ltd., St. Gallen Switzerland, and the Environment Agency Austria.
The IWRM-K is aiming at building long-lasting water resource management capacities in line with Kosovo’s socio-economic and political priorities, as well as at contributing to the needs of future sustainable development. It further aims at helping to replace the current fragmented approach with a more comprehensive and highly participatory approach to managing water resources at the river basin scale, aligned with the principles of integrated water resource management (IWRM) and the European Union Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD).
By working with decision-makers, civil society and citizens on tackling key water challenges, this Program is helping replacement of an outdated, traditional, and fragmented approach with more comprehensive and dynamic ways of managing water resources at river basin scale, in line with the principles of the EU-WFD.
At a Glance
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Research project | Integrated Water Resources Management in Kosovo (IWRM-K) |
| Administration | Prof. Dr. Lars Ribbe – Project Lead |
| Faculty | Faculty of Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems |
| Institute | Institute for Technology and Ressources Management in the Tropics and Suptropics (ITT) |
| Partners |
Program partners: - Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (MESPI) - Faculty of Civil Engineering at University of Pristina ‘Hasan Prishtina’ (UP-HP) - Inter-Ministerial Water Council and other ministries, municipalities, educational institutions, CSOs/NGOs and other. Implementation: - Skat Consulting Ltd., St. Gallen Switzerland - Environment Agency Austria |
| Sponsors |
- Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation - Government of Kosovo |
| Duration | Phase 1: May 2020 – April 2024 |
| Website |
General Project Objectives
IWRM-K program has a wide range of objectives that will be achieved through various activities. All of them will lead to the development of a sustainable modern model of water governance – securing a water future for every child, woman, and man in Kosovo.
Plans and Measures
- To gain a better understanding of water stresses, their root causes and corresponding management responses – all of which will be incorporated in the country’s first-ever River Basin Management Plans.
- The Program is mapping all successful water actions undertaken to date and scale up measures that have worked and address systemic deficiencies. Grant schemes are being designed to support practical solutions that will help reduce pollution and water use in farming and industry.
Legislation, Institutions and Knowledge
- Modern water legislation will be developed and introduced.
- The institutional and organizational capacity development for water resource management is being supported among partner institutions through a series of trainings and peer-to-peer exchange.
- Top water science courses are being introduced in national universities, while also creating on-the-job training opportunities for young professionals, experts, and researchers.
- The current water monitoring and Water Information systems are being upgraded.
Stakeholer Participation, Civil Society Organizations and Awareness Raising
- New stakeholder participation mechanisms will ensure democratization of water resource management.
- Stakeholders and CSOs are being empowered to partner with the Government on water resources management through targeted training and grants.
- A series of communication and awareness raising activities at national and local levels will spur action, and position water resource management as a top priority on the country’s political agenda.
Specific Program Objectives related to education
As part of IWRM-K, several educational and skills development opportunities are foreseen, targeting current and future water professionals. The education, research, and skills development activities are co-created in close consultation with Kosovo’s education stakeholders (e.g., higher education institutions - academic staff, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Kosovo Institute of Public Administration, MESPI, YWPs, Civil Society Organisations, etc.).
To respond to these requirements, the Program is set to apply a three-level approach in providing the necessary support:
- Improvement of the educational system and the study programs
- Development of training measures
- Support studies and research
To this end, among the most immediate needs, is the creation of interdisciplinary professional profiles that will be able to manage processes across multiple (water-related) disciplines (e.g., engineering, biology, chemistry, ecology, economics, law, social science).
Following this, the Program has supported establishment of a Master's Program in IWRM (MSc-IWRM) hosted by University of Prishtina ‘Hasan Prishtina’ in partnership with University ‘Haxhi Zeka’. The MSc-IWRM aims at bringing trans-disciplinary knowledge among the diverse target audience in terms of previous educational background and professional experience. By this, it will be instrumental in improving dialogue and bridging the gaps among different professions dealing with various aspects of water resource management and bring together different dimensions that are still considered unconventional to the water resource management practices and traditions in the region (e.g., social, gender, political, environmental). In such a way, future water professionals will be much better equipped with contemporary knowledge and skills to manage real-life water resource management challenges and uncertainties.
The key specific project goals will consist of:
- Supporting the Faculty of Civil Engineering at University of Pristina ‘Hasan Prishtina’ during the implementation of the Master Program on Integrated Water Resources Management
- Supporting the IWRM-K team in applying managing competitive grants scheme for research projects
IWRM in Kosovo | Picture Gallery
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Meeting in Person at Faculty 12 (Image: Xhesika Hoxha)
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Lake of Batllava (Image: Skat Consulting Ltd.)
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Students Working Group in Class (Image: Xhesika Hoxha)
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Waterfall of Mirusha (Image: Skat Consulting Ltd.)
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Man fishing (Image: Xhesika Hoxha)
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River of Drini i Bardhe (Image: Skat Consulting Ltd.)
Funded by:
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Logo (Bild: SDC)
Government of Kosovo Logo (Bild: Government of the Republic of Kosovo)
Skat Logo (Bild: Skat Consulting Ltd.)
Umweltbundesamt Österreich Logo (Bild: Umweltbundesamt AT)