Celebrating a Decade of Bilateral Collaboration in Urban Water Management -

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As we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Dutch Training & Exposure Programme (DUTEP), we reflect on a decade of fruitful collaboration between Indonesia and the Netherlands in the realm of integrated urban water management. Established in 2014, DUTEP is an annual capacitybuilding programme that serves as a strategic instrument for modern bilateral knowledge cooperation, bringing together Indonesian and Dutch partners from education, the corporate sector, and government to address one of the pressing challenges faced by both Jakarta and Rotterdam – urban water management

A Unique Capacity-Building Initiative

DUTEP is designed to enhance the capacities of Indonesian mid-career government officials by providing them an opportunity to spend a period in Rotterdam – also known as the Dutch delta city and Jakarta’s sister city – where they undertake research internships at renowned Dutch organisations working on water management.

“More than 60 DUTEP alumni have already been visiting Rotterdam to learn and to be trained in the field of water, water management and how to create a resilient city,” said outgoing mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb. According to Aboutaleb, DUTEP is a good example of a new way of bilateral cooperation between cities – by observing the Dutch context, candidates can adopt practices applicable to their own context back home in Indonesia.

At the same time, the DUTEP alumni network serves as an important resource for the Dutch water sector with opportunities to open doors in Indonesia.

Maria Qibtya, Head of Human Resources Development Agency DKI Jakarta, adds: “DUTEP is considered very useful in the process of developing the capacity of DKI Jakarta employees whichtruly impacts solving water management problems in DKI Jakarta. We hope that this programme will continue and develop not only related to water management alone, along with the repositioning of DKI Jakarta from a capital city to a global city”.

A Prime Example of Public-Private Collaboration

DUTEP is a prime example of public-private collaboration, where higher education, the business sector, and the government work closely, making substantial financial and in-kind contributions to the programmes success. The consortium consists of the Jakarta City Government, the City of Rotterdam, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Water Authority Delfland, Van Oord, Deltares and the Port of Rotterdam. Nuffic Southeast Asia fulfils the role of program coordinator and is supported by RVO’s Partners for Water. A very positive development is that the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of the Republic of Indonesia (PUPR) is participating for the first time in this year’s programme.

“With the Netherlands’ expertise in water management, participants are expected to gain valuable knowledge and international experience, which will serve as a foundation for innovative solutions in Indonesia,” the Head of the Human Resources Development Agency of PUPR said. The Agency further emphasizes the significance of DUTEP as a key opportunity for strategic knowledge exchange and capacity-building, aimed at achieving the goals of the MoU Water between Indonesia and the Netherlands (2022-2027) and enhancing ongoing bilateral cooperation.

Furthermore, involvement of Partners for Water in DUTEP enhances collaboration at both the urban (DKI Jakarta) and national (PUPR) levels, strengthening the connection between urban and national collaborative networks.

In July 2024, Nuffic Southeast Asia and Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences hosted a hybrid pre-departure briefing for the selected DUTEP candidates for the 2024 programme to prepare them for their departure to The Netherlands.

The five DUTEP participants hosted by the City of Rotterdam will delve into various aspects of sustainable urban water management, such as the management of green open spaces in waterside areas while incorporating conservation functions, and an analysis of Rotterdam’s success in becoming a climate-resilient city.

Meanwhile, Water Authority Delfland will host three participants who will investigate sustainable solutions for the eutrophication problem in stormwater ponds, explore blue-green infrastructure to address Jakarta’s flooding issues and examine the impacts of river naturalization on alleviating water stress in Indonesia’s Brantas River.

The two participants hosted by Van Oord will investigate levee construction within the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) programme and the implementation of wateroriented urban planning for flood disaster mitigation in the low-lying Rawa Terate subdistrict.

Finally, at Deltares, two participants will concentrate on critical environmental challenges related to water management in Jakarta, including identifying the most effective mitigation policies and strategies against land subsidence.

The last weekend of August 2024 marked the start of the programme for this year’s DUTEP cohort. During the first days, they explored the city of Rotterdam.

The Next Decade for DUTEP

As DUTEP enters its second decade, it is hoped that the programme continues to serve as a prime example of a successful public-private partnership, demonstrating how international cooperation can lead to sustainable solutions for challenges related to urban water management. With its flexible set-up, the programme has also potential to be implemented in different sectors, timeframes and countries in its next decade. If you’re interested in partnering with DUTEP, please reach out to Nanya Burki for more information.

More information about DUTEP