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Introduction to Public Health Engineering in Humanitarian Contexts

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

About this Course

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The world is facing unprecedented humanitarian needs. Today’s humanitarian crisis tend to be greater in number, often in urban settings, longer in duration and broader in regional impact. They generate human sufferings on a greater scale, disrupt essential services, such as water supply or sanitation and put health of large population at risk. Engineers and technical specialists in water, sanitation, energy, environment, and in other related fields play a vital role to respond to these challenges and growing needs. In the humanitarian sector, they are called the public health engineers and today they are increasingly needed! Why public health engineering matters so much in humanitarian crises? And how its related activities are carrying out in such complex environment? This is what this MOOC is all about!
The EPFL, EAWAG-SANDEC and ICRC have decided to partner to guide you through this introduction to the fascinating field of public health engineering in humanitarian contexts.

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Shareable Certificate

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Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.71/5 (104 Ratings)

Christoph Lüthi

Dr.

Strategic Environmental Sanitation Planning Sandec/Eawag

44,116 Learners

3 Courses

Javier Cordoba

Water & Habitat Unit / ICRC

10,037 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating96%(2,186 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Public Health Engineering

The first week introduces the topic of public health engineering and see how engineers can have a significant impact to reduce the mortality and morbidity encountered in many humanitarian contexts. In order to do so, engineers should have a good understanding on how infectious diseases are transmitted. This is why you will be introduced to different environmental transmission pathways of diseases and you will see some measures to be taken to prevent the spread of some diseases. Real study case examples will be introduced to support the understanding.

3 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 80 min), 8 readings, 3 quizzes

11 videos

Teaser1mCourse overview6mWhy public health engineering matters?9mEnvironmental transmission pathways6mWaterborne pathogens11mIntroduction to water quality criteria5mHow does drinking water become unsafe?10mWater quantity6mIntroduction to vector control8mCase study - Plague in Madagacar10mSummary Week 11m

8 readings

About the course5mFurther reading5mWeek description and objectives1mIntroduction1mInfectious diseases1mWater quantity and quality requirements1mVector control1mSummary1m

2 practice exercises

F-Diagram10mWater consumption worldwide5m

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Humanitarian contexts

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 69 min), 5 readings, 3 quizzes

9 videos

Introduction to humanitarian contexts12mPlanning and assessment7mCase study - Bringing precious water in rural environment4mCase study - Responding to emergencies6mUrban contexts11mImpact of protracted armed conflicts on essential urban services6mA Call for a Better Urban Approach8mCase study - Water and Iraq 1991 -20038mSummary of the week3m

5 readings

Week description and objectives1mIntroduction1mHumanitarian response1mUrban challenges1mSummary1m

2 practice exercises

The fundamentals principles in action15mExam of week 235m

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 70 min), 8 readings, 1 quiz

8 videos

Introduction to water supply systems9mCase study - water supply in emergencies52sWater Source Selection10mIntake8mAbstraction12mWater Treatment14mWater Distribution, Transport & User safety10mSummary4m

8 readings

Week description and objectives1mIntroduction1mWater source selection1mIntake & Abstraction1mWater treatment1mWater Distribution, Transport & User safety1mFurther info on "Household water treatment and storage"10mSummary1m

1 practice exercise

Exam of week 335m

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Sanitation

3 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 86 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz

11 videos

Introduction to sanitation5mSanitation products9mExcreta management in humanitarian crisis15mSanitation technology selection9mOn-site collection and storage technologies11mCollection and storage/treatment - Anaerobic technologies7mConveyance technologies: Case study on Ebola waste management2m[Semi] Centralized treatment technologies - Treatment stages5m[Semi] Centralized treatment - Aerobic Technologies11mAnaerobic Technologies: Case study - Prisons running on biogas1mSummary Week 44m

7 readings

Week description and objectives1mIntroduction1mSanitation systems10mSanitation technologies10mFurther information on sanitation technologies10mSummary10mCase study - The battle against sewage in Gaza10m

1 practice exercise

Exam of week 435m

Reviews

4.7

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TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH ENGINEERING IN HUMANITARIAN CONTEXTS

by AWJun 30, 2020

Very good introductory module to public health engineering. Covers a good range of material and indicates very good resources for further reading if desired.

by BRNov 10, 2019

I learnt a lot from this course, it contains all the objectives which should know before going to the Humanitarian crisis.

by DGMay 7, 2020

Excellent course to learn the skills of PHE in humanitarian contexts

Thanks to all the Instructors

by EMJan 1, 2019

Learning about the Public Health engineering in humanitation contexts really enriched my knowledge and transformed my way of thinking regarding to the waste we produce in our society.

View all reviews

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Introduction to Public Health Engineering in Humanitarian Contexts

Introduction to Public Health Engineering in Humanitarian Contexts

About this Course