Land Management and Informal Settlement Regularisation
LMISR9
A joint programme of IHS and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge, MA, USA
Duration
1 month
Dates
2 - 27 July 2012
Tuition fee
2,500 euro
NFP Application deadline
1 October 2011
IHS Application deadline
1 May 2012
Lecturers
from IHS; UN HABITAT and fellows of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Cambridge, USA
The course will enable you to understand the underlying causes of informal occupation of land and slum formation, to acquire knowledge and skills to develop upgrading strategies to improve slums, and to formulate policies that create options to prevent new slum formation.
The course is intensive in nature and innovative, demanding a proactive attitude from participants. They are engaged in a number of specially designed learning environments that comprise lectures, practical exercises, case study analysis, role-playing games, video films discussions and controversial policy debates. The course draws from lessons learned through international experience and stimulates creative thinking as participants are exposed to contexts from a wide variety of countries.
Who is it for?
This course is designed specifically for those involved with land and housing policies, and those facing the challenges of providing shelter for the poor in cities in developing countries and countries in transition. This course responds to the UN Millennium Development Goal 7 Target 11, which advocates improved living conditions for 100 million slum dwellers up to the year 2020.
Diploma
Diploma issued jointly by IHS and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Building knowledge and skills to face the challenges of slums
Existing informal settlements need to be regularised and upgraded but their growth urgently needs to be decompressed, therefore an adequate land management scheme is called for. This should create tools and strategies that enhance and scale up the supply of adequate serviced land that is accessible for all, particularly to the poor. Land management is the basis for creating a viable alternative to households that have little choice but to resort to slums. Because housing cannot be dissociated from land a sound housing policy needs to begin with a sound preventive land policy.
- Module 1
Module 1 explains why land plays a key role in the development of cities, why it has become central to the formation of slums and how it impacts the production of settlements as a whole. It brings the economic perspective into informal land occupation, including understanding the impact of markets, and has a strong focus on policy evaluation, criteria for selection and development. The module provides not only with understanding but also helps improve skills in policy making.
- Module 2
Module 2 explains why property rights are central to land, why there is a wide variety of tenure systems, and how this interacts with the way the poor have access to shelter. It brings the legal dimension into land management and offers an in depth discussion regarding alternative land rights paradigms. This module enhances the ability to handle legal frameworks related to informal settlements, regularisation programmes, and development of new instruments.
- Module 3
Module 3 explains what are the alternative institutional and programme management aspects, what are the opportunities that should be considered and what is the role of the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), the private sector, governmental and knowledge-based institutions and funding agencies. The module emphasises on the implementation aspects of remedial as well as preventative programmes.
- Module 4
Module 4 enhances the discussion of specific case studies. Although reference to them is made throughout the course, participants are given the opportunity to present their experience, discuss it and apply knowledge learned during the course. It includes site visits to Dutch cases to get practical evidence on how poverty and dilapidated neighbourhoods are dealt with in The Netherlands.
“The course gave us a broader understanding of how the land market operates, the causes of informality, how other countries respond to it, and the various efforts exerted by different stakeholders to understand its existence in society. The course programme guided us from the start to the formulation our own action plans. We strongly recommend that this course continue so others may benefit.”
Part of the valedictory speech by Tabitha Siwale of Tanzania
Former Minister of Urban Development
Member of Parliament
Chief executive officer of WAT – Human Settlement Trust
Costs
The tuition fee for this programme is 2,500 Euros excluding travel, literature 75 Euros, insurance 36.50 Euros, visa and living costs. Cost of living in Rotterdam is about 870 Euros a month (including costs of accommodation).
Admission
In order to participate in this short course (LMISR) you should:
- Have at least a Bachelor’ degree from a recognised University or similar institute.
- If you did not complete a Bachelors degree in English you must show certificates with relevant test results (such as TOEFL min. 575/TOEFL computer-based min. 232/ TOEFL internet based 90, IELTS min.6.5 (no IELTS subtest <5.5).
- Have at least three years of work or academic experience relevant for the course.
Apply on-line now
To apply for a Short Course you should complete the application forms provided and send to IHS. The closing date for receipt of applications is 1 June 2010. Applications will be considered only if places are available. We recommend that you send your application forms as soon as possible.
Fellowships
There is a very limited number of fellowships offered by IHS for those candidates whose qualifications are outstanding and who have difficulty in finding sponsors. If you are looking for sponsors, we recommend contacting The Netherlands Embassy in your country as soon as possible to apply for the Netherlands Fellowship Programme. Most embassies set the deadline at 1 March 2010 to receive applications for the August course.
Many other national and international organisations provide fellowship funding, such as the European Union, World Bank, UNDP, and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (Habitat). We advise that you check with your employer or national government to determine local funding possibilities.
Be aware that requests for fellowships should be made well in advance to allow sufficient time for them to be processed. Letters of endorsement from appropriate authorities and letters of acceptance from the training organisation offering the prospective course often need to support applications. For the latter IHS will grant provisional admission to qualified candidates.
If you require assistance in searching for fellowship opportunities or have questions, contact us at admission@ihs.nl or contact your local branch of the IHS Alumni Association. IHS can provide you with a list of more funding agencies and contact addresses.
