ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION. THE CASE OF DISTANCE LEARNING

Enviromnental issues are key to worldwide social and economie development. The awareness about the existence of this problem is, by now, globally widespread; however awareness by itself does not represent a solution to the problem. Today, more than ever, we need to develop study programs, from school levels up to the university (bachelor and master's degrees) in which disciplines allowing to train professionals on specific skills related to the various enviromnental issues as well as citizens who are aware about the reality of enviromnental sustainability. Briefly, training on this issue has to meet two basic objectives: I. Raise awareness among citizens through educational activities starting since primary school; Creating specialized and innovative technical- scientific competences at graduate and post-graduate level. And it was just starting from these considerations that the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO believed that it is strategically important to cooperate with the Water Academy to realize the Master's Course in "Water Awareness, Consciousness, Knowledge and Management". This Master's Course is structured on two main modules: Water Knowledge and Experiences (including 3 courses: Water and the Development of Civilizations in the Mediterranean Region up to the Contemporary World, Sustainability and Responsible Development, Geopolitics of Water) and Water Awareness and Management (including 6 courses: Water and Seas, Water in Intemational Relations, Fundamentals of Hydraulics and Soil Conservation, Applied Ecology, Juridical Scenarios for Land Policies).