On completion of the course, students will be able to analyse the reciprocal relationships between physical systems, institutional frameworks and the socioeconomic environment, and identify future social and climatic pressures and needs and the consequent trends in system management; apply specific practical skills, such as the ability to identify the main 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 to the sustainable management of floods using the best decision-making support tools; review scientific literature and carry out independent research; apply sophisticated hydroinformatics and modelling tools and best practices to address the problems of flood risk management; and occupy positions of responsibility as flood risk managers.

Generic competencies

Generic competencies are the skills that graduates acquire regardless of the specific course or field of study. The generic competencies established by the UPC are capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship, sustainability and social commitment, knowledge of a foreign language (preferably English), teamwork and proper use of information resources.

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;
• The fundamental knowledge leading to the understanding of socio-economic issue related to flooding;
• A broad scientific knowledge about conservation, restoration and management measures to overcome challenges imposed on water by humans and by climate change, and;
• An extended knowledge on a basin-wide approach to flood risk management.

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

• Analyse 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.