34
holistic view of environmental issues, inter- or trans-disciplinary and cross-cultural
approaches, as well as a balance between the environmental, economic and social
dimensions needed to deal with complex water management issues under fl ood
conditions. Water management is one of the most critical environmental issues,
globally and locally. Tropical regions especially often have vulnerable water
resources, fl oods, and limited access to safe water. Thus, the unit focused on the
fl ooding in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, in 2011.
Participants looked into the fl ood risk not only through the “lens” of climate
change but also socio-economic change. Discussion extended to water quality and
quantity with respect to water security and health risk management during fl oods.
Lectures were given to students (on fl ood scenarios, impact, and control) to provide
them with basic knowledge and information on fl ood issues and their management.
Technical visits were arranged to learn from different stakeholders, including
Rojana Industrial Park which was damaged by the fl ood, Royal Irrigation
Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and the World Bank. Students
learned about fl ooding and management policies from different stakeholders, deepening their understanding through roundtable discussions. In addition, interviews
with citizens covering water access and management during fl oods were also
arranged through assistance from governmental offi cials.
To achieve the goals of the course, group working time was reserved for students
to have in-depth discussions and to making proposals. Three working groups were
organized with different themes selected by the students: fl ood management and
land use (Group 1), access to basic human needs in case of fl ood (Group 2), and
disease prevention after fl oods (Group 3). During the group work, students were
expected to make proposals for dealing with their theme.
For example, Group 3 focused on the challenging issues of providing basic public health needs for disease prevention. They learned to (1) identify the problems of
accessing basic human needs immediately after the 2011 Thailand fl ood, (2) analyze how early fl ood warnings and fl ood awareness infl uenced access and (3) propose possible measures to minimize problems of accessing basic human requirements
in future emergencies. They conducted an in-home questionnaire survey and street
intercept in Ayutthaya Province, which had been severely affected by the fl ooding.
The questionnaire had two main parts: accessibility of targeted public health needs
including early warning and fl ood awareness.
Table 2.2 JABEE criteria for expertise in the fi eld of environmental engineering
1. Ability to understand and appropriately address the fundamental principles of environmental
management, conservation, improvement, remediation and reduction of environmental load
2. Ability to observe, acknowledge and analyze phenomena relating to the environment
3. Knowledge and abilities of applied mathematics and at least two subjects from natural
sciences, mainly focusing on physics, chemistry, biology and geology
4. Ability to plan and execute surveys or experiments, to accurately analyze and examine the
acquired data, and to explain the results
5. Ability to identify environmental issues, to set agendas, and to propose possible solutions by
integrating knowledge and technologies
T. Akiyama et al.
holistic view of environmental issues, inter- or trans-disciplinary and cross-cultural
approaches, as well as a balance between the environmental, economic and social
dimensions needed to deal with complex water management issues under fl ood
conditions. Water management is one of the most critical environmental issues,
globally and locally. Tropical regions especially often have vulnerable water
resources, fl oods, and limited access to safe water. Thus, the unit focused on the
fl ooding in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, in 2011.
Participants looked into the fl ood risk not only through the “lens” of climate
change but also socio-economic change. Discussion extended to water quality and
quantity with respect to water security and health risk management during fl oods.
Lectures were given to students (on fl ood scenarios, impact, and control) to provide
them with basic knowledge and information on fl ood issues and their management.
Technical visits were arranged to learn from different stakeholders, including
Rojana Industrial Park which was damaged by the fl ood, Royal Irrigation
Department, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and the World Bank. Students
learned about fl ooding and management policies from different stakeholders, deepening their understanding through roundtable discussions. In addition, interviews
with citizens covering water access and management during fl oods were also
arranged through assistance from governmental offi cials.
To achieve the goals of the course, group working time was reserved for students
to have in-depth discussions and to making proposals. Three working groups were
organized with different themes selected by the students: fl ood management and
land use (Group 1), access to basic human needs in case of fl ood (Group 2), and
disease prevention after fl oods (Group 3). During the group work, students were
expected to make proposals for dealing with their theme.
For example, Group 3 focused on the challenging issues of providing basic public health needs for disease prevention. They learned to (1) identify the problems of
accessing basic human needs immediately after the 2011 Thailand fl ood, (2) analyze how early fl ood warnings and fl ood awareness infl uenced access and (3) propose possible measures to minimize problems of accessing basic human requirements
in future emergencies. They conducted an in-home questionnaire survey and street
intercept in Ayutthaya Province, which had been severely affected by the fl ooding.
The questionnaire had two main parts: accessibility of targeted public health needs
including early warning and fl ood awareness.
Table 2.2 JABEE criteria for expertise in the fi eld of environmental engineering
1. Ability to understand and appropriately address the fundamental principles of environmental
management, conservation, improvement, remediation and reduction of environmental load
2. Ability to observe, acknowledge and analyze phenomena relating to the environment
3. Knowledge and abilities of applied mathematics and at least two subjects from natural
sciences, mainly focusing on physics, chemistry, biology and geology
4. Ability to plan and execute surveys or experiments, to accurately analyze and examine the
acquired data, and to explain the results
5. Ability to identify environmental issues, to set agendas, and to propose possible solutions by
integrating knowledge and technologies
T. Akiyama et al.