Successful participants will be able to: understand the need for commercial accounting and the components of standard financial statements in irrigation, water and sanitation entities; assess the financial position of a water organisation through an analysis of financial statements; have an contextual overview of financial issues in the water and sanitation sector worldwide; are able to undertake a tariff analysis for water and sanitation services.

Additional information

Syllabus: Finance for urban water supply, sewerage and irrigation: types of costs; cost and fixed asset accounting; financial statements -balance sheet and income and expenses statement; profitability and financial ratio analysis; demand assessment; affordability and willingness to pay; direct and contingent valuation; vendors; Economics: supply and demand curves; marginal costing, price and income elasticity; tariffs: average historical costs, long run marginal costing; metering, billing and collection; budgeting, zero and priority based budgeting; asset management plans; sources of finance for capital investment; bond markets; development banks; project finance; retained earnings. Case studies in financial management.

Examination

It is possible to take part in the examination of this short course. If you obtain a passing mark for this examination and return to UNESCO-IHE within four years after completion of the short course to follow a full MSc programme, you will receive exemption for this short course/module. The costs for this exam are €250 extra and should be borne by yourself. Taking part in the examination is not compulsory.