During the semester the students earn 20 credits: debris flow and flash floods; fluvial morphodynamics; impacts, conflicts and risks of coastal flooding; effects of climate change and global warming; drought, weather radars for flood forecasting (including fieldtrips). During the courses several open source free software is used creating numerical methods base for different phenomena and procedures. Optimization mathematical rules, R, Q-GIS, GISWater, Hec Ras, hydraulic 2D software FlatModel and other software are learning.

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives (acquisition of knowledge) for the students include:

• a broad and cross-boundary scientific knowledge on flood risk management
• a comprehensive knowledge base and understanding of the current theory and practice relating to flooding and flood management
• a broad scientific knowledge about conservation, restoration and management measures to overcome challenges imposed on water by humans and by climate change
• an extended knowledge on a basin-wide approach to flood risk managemen

The acquired competencies (application of knowledge) include the ability to:

• analyze the reciprocal relationships between the physical system, the institutional framework and the socio-economic environment, identifying future social and climatic pressures and needs and the consequent trends in system management
• apply specific practical skills, such as identifying the major physical processes in a given river basin or coastal zone and their interaction with the associated assets and receptors
• identify the links between all issues related to flooding in order to apply an integrated approach using the best tools to support decision making for the sustainable management of floods
• review scientific literature and carry out independent research (such as writing a state of the art paper based on research and practice literature)
• apply sophisticated hydroinformatics and modelling tools and best practices to address the problems of flood risk management
• occupy an independent and responsible position as a flood risk professional
• communicate his/her knowledge and research results to the scientific and non-scientific communities (such as presenting papers/posters to scientific congresses, general lectures to policy makers and interested non-specialists)
• acquire independently further knowledge and techniques, and operate in a team