Course Content

List of course topics to be addressed.Ìý

  1. Introduction to Systems ThinkingÌýÌý
    - Looking at the world as a system of systems
    - Systems science and complexity science
    - Systems thinking and methods of decision making
    Ìý
  2. Introduction to System Dynamics
    - Components of system dynamics
    - System dynamics qualitative and quantitative modeling
    - Stella Architect softwareÌý
    Ìý
  3. A Systems Approach to Human Development
    - Concepts and models of development
    - Development challengesÌý
    - A systems approach to the SDGs
    - Modeling population dynamics
    - System archetypesÌý
    Ìý
  4. ÌýProposed Methodology
    - Characteristics and Stage
    - Modeling the Development Story
    - From Modeling to Decision-Making

Ìý Ìý5.ÌýÌý Nexus+ and Its Components Ìý
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Landscape Analysis
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Water Security in the Nexus
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Energy Security in the Nexus
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Land and Soil Security in the Nexus
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Food Security in the Nexus
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Health security in the Nexus
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Role of education and governance
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Security Across the Nexus
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Indicators and Performance Metrics across the Nexus

Ìý ÌýÌý6. Characterizing The Landscape In Which The Nexus Unfolds
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- The Landscape as a System
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Participatory Landscape Appraisal
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Core Data and Information
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Mapping Interactions across the Landscape
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Human SystemsÌý
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Natural Systems
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Engineered Systems
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- Economic Systems
Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý- From Appraisal to Dynamic Hypotheses

7. Case Studies
Ìý Ìý Ìý - The Water of Ayole case study
Ìý ÌýÌý Ìý- Analyzing and modeling the components of a case study
Ìý Ìý Ìý - Case studies in Uganda

8. System-based Methodology for the Management of Community Projects
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Role of non-technical issues in all stages of project management
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Right projects, done right, and for the right reasons. Who decides and participates?
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Collecting and analyzing data for systems modeling
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Defining issues and their dynamic hypotheses
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Social network analysis and GIS
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Methods of decision making and the importance of perspective (Zoom)
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Capacity, vulnerability, and risk analysis
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Developing an implementation plan
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Failure and the engineering mindset
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Deciding when faced with uncertainty and complexity
Ìý Ìý Ìý- Biases and cross-cultural communication
Ìý

  1. Sustainability and Sustainable DevelopmentÌý
    - Definitions
    - Integrating sustainability in community projects
    Ìý
  2. Systems Approach to Community Resilience and SecurityÌý
    - Importance of context and scale
    - Capacity and vulnerability
    - Critical infrastructure
    - Response to hazards, adverse events, and human migrations