Target area:	Technical Support
Sub-target area:	Technical support
Target countries:	Kosovo
Duration:	05/2020 – 04/2024 (Phase I)
Partners:	Skat Consulting Ltd. (Switzerland) Environment Agency Austria (EAA)
Budget line:	Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Government of Kosovo

Project description

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.

In its first phase (2020–2024), the Program aims to establish the planning framework, the knowledge and the institutional capacities needed to transform the country’s water resource management.

By working with decision-makers, civil society and citizens on tackling key water challenges, this Program will help replace an outdated, traditional, and fragmented approach with more comprehensive and dynamic ways of managing water resources at river basin scale, in line with the principles of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 Water Framework Directive.

Inception Phase:

Consultancy Services to conduct skills needs assessment and design of support to educational institutions (curricula development, etc.), including:

• Thorough baseline analysis to identify current and future needs of the Kosovar society/labour market in terms of expertise in the field of water resource management, as well as the needs of young water professionals in terms of education and continuing training opportunities.
• Review of existing water related education options, both in public and private education institutions.
• Analysis of other ongoing or past initiatives from relevant Swiss and other donor funded projects in Kosovo and in the region, to build on their activities and lessons learnt and to seek synergies.
• Lead design of the programme’s interventions to support educational institutions for developing skills of water professionals.
• Participate in the key events of the participatory planning process and workshops for developing the project’s interventions.
• Contribute to the Programme Document where required, e.g., on context analysis, objectives system and Logframe, intervention approach, etc.

Implementation Phase:

Expert services to foster implementation of the educational and skills development activities under Programme Phase I,

• Improving the educational system and the study programmes so that knowledge, skills and competencies of the graduates match with the needs in IWRM.
• Developing of training measures for the staff of the water community.
• Supporting MA, PhD and PostDoc studies and research.