Education

Globally, digitalization is playing an increasingly large role in our lives, challenging and transforming all industries. The humanitarian sector is no exception. This six-week course aims to help humanitarians build a holistic understanding of information and communication technology. Bringing together a broad range of perspectives from numerous professionals in humanitarian and technology fields, it aims to equip participants with the capacity to adapt to new needs, better assess risks and opportunities, make informed decisions and leverage digital tools effectively in the diverse contexts of humanitarian action.

Digital technologies and data have become critical in today’s world and an increasing number of processes heavily rely on digital at every level of society. Modern warfare is no exception to this trend. As emphasized by recent conflicts, warring parties, third states and private companies, compete in cyberspace and operate in digitally innovative ways, generating unprecedented consequences for civilian populations, as well as new challenges to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and to humanitarian operations. Humanitarian organizations must strive to improve their cybersecurity, to manage the balance between their technological independence and their ability to exploit new digital capabilities, while maintaining their capacity to use digital services despite this sphere being increasingly pervaded by the tensions generated by political or armed conflict. Most importantly, they must integrate such risks in their assessment of civilian population vulnerabilities and needs, to be able to better serve them. This course is meant to provide humanitarian staff, journalists or security analysts with a holistic understanding of the global digital ecosystem and of cybersecurity. Equipped with this knowledge, you will be able to better engage in developing, integrating, and evaluating actions in the “digital” area as an essential condition to ensure the success of digital transformation, to maintain diplomatic influence as well as access to vulnerable populations.

This course explores how technology innovation can drive sustainable development in low and middle-income countries. It provides a practical methodology and tools to design impactful solutions for poverty-related challenges, from concept to large-scale deployment. Emphasizing an entrepreneurial approach, the course teaches how to create sustainable business models, co-design solutions with key stakeholders, and prioritize affordability, durability, and efficiency. These principles aim to benefit not only those in poverty but society as a whole.

An introduction to new sanitation systems, economies and markets, which are driving innovative and multiple value creating approaches to sanitation delivery, sustainability and resilience developed by industry. New sanitation systems thinking leverages new sanitation technologies, circular economy and digitisation approaches that have the potential to transform sanitation access into multiple value creating marketplaces.