Introduction

Water provision and governance of water involve complex institutional systems and coordination between different levels of government. In many countries, reforms for effective water management are hampered by an unclear allocation of roles and responsibilities, territorial fragmentation and limited capacity at the local level. Moreover, adding to the challenge of good water governance is the impact of climate change and its effects on water, food and energy resources.

This course discusses how water resources and services can be managed and allocated in an efficient and equitable way. We will take into account the institutional context and focus on the five building blocks for sound water governance: a powerful administrative organisation, a legally embedded system, an adequate financing system based on economic analyses of water services, a systematic planning approach and participation of stakeholders.

Key Information

This course is intended for policy makers and technical staff of organisations responsible for water management at different levels. Participants come national, regional and local governments, water authorities, service companies, NGOs and donor and development organisations.

This training will take place from 29 September 2025 to 10 October 2025. 

The course fee is € 3,595. This includes all training related costs as well as drinks and warm lunches during the training days. Group discounts are available if you participate with three or more colleagues.

This training will take place in The Hague, Netherlands.

After this course, you will receive a professional certificate of completion from The Hague Academy for Local Governance.

Learning objectives

This course will help you:

Acquire the knowledge, concepts and principles of integrated, multilevel water governance;

Identify instruments for increasing social and financial accountability of water management and water services;

Increase insight in the legal, political and institutional framework affecting water governance in your context;

Become acquainted with assessment tools and new approaches for dealing with the challenges of water governance;

Broaden your knowledge of international best practices in the field of multilevel water governance.

Experience

At De Biesbosch National Park, you will see how ecosystems can contribute to flood protection of a major city while delivering multiple other benefits to humans and biodiversity. You will also go deeper into the Dutch experience during a visit to Technical University (TU) Delft as well as a walking tour through sand dunes that contribute to the treatment of drinking water. Moreover, you will see practical examples of sustainable innovations in urban climate adaptation and water management.

Practical information

Find the practical information for the course here.

  • Payment

    After submitting your completed application, you will receive a confirmation of receipt. Once we have assessed your application and admitted you to the course, we will send you an invoice with payment details. The payment deadline is 4-weeks prior to the start of the training course.

    Payments can be made by bank transfer or by PayPal request. We offer the option of paying in one or two instalments. An advance payment of 50% secures reservation of a seat on the training until the payment deadline. Your participation in the course is guaranteed only after receipt of full payment before the 4-week deadline.

    If we do not receive your payment before the deadline, then we will cancel your reservation. Please note that The Hague Academy accepts registrations on a first-paid, first-served policy.

  • Visa Applications

    Some countries require a visa to enter the Netherlands. Please check with The Netherlands or the embassy for the visa requirements related to your country. Because of the length of time needed for the visa procedure, we advise you to start this process as soon as possible. Once we have received your payment for the course, The Hague Academy will send you an acceptance letter which will assist you in arranging your visa to The Netherlands.

  • Cancellation

    Under certain circumstances, participants may need to cancel their participation in the course. For cancellations before the payment deadline, we will reimburse the paid amounts minus an administration fee of €150.

    To prevent late cancellation, we strongly encourage you to start with your visa application procedure at least six weeks before the start of the training programme.

    We will charge a cancellation fee of 50% of the course fee for participants cancelling between four and two weeks prior to the start of the training. If you cancel your participation within the two-week period before the start of the course, then you have to pay 80% of the course fee.

    It is always possible to nominate a suitably qualified candidate to replace you without extra charge, in the event that you cannot attend the course.

    The Hague Academy for Local Governance reserves the right to cancel a course if the number of participants is insufficient or due to any other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, your payment will be 100% reimbursed. Other costs such as transportation or hotel cannot be reimbursed.

Scholarships

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs offers MSP scholarships for training courses in the Netherlands. The MENA Scholarship Programme (MSP) aims to enhance the skills, instincts, and abilities of professionals, empowering their organizations and communities to thrive in an ever-changing world.

For more information and eligibility criteria, please visit our Scholarships page. Note that scholarships have a separate application process.

Scholarships page

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