The ICWM-TOT aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary for curriculum development in the field of wetland management in their own region. The course will focus on the multi-stakeholder processes that play an important role in wetland management and the need for transboundary and cross-sectoral co-operation to manage the natural resources of a river basin. The course will be relevant to all climatic zones.

One of the difficulties identified in wetland management is the division of management responsibilities between different administrative authorities in a river basin. This often results in fragmented and competitive approaches to water resources planning and management. The management of wetlands therefore requires a multidisciplinary process that integrates the technical, economic, environmental, social and legal aspects of water management which does not end at country borders but needs to be carried out on a river basin scale.

Integrated wetland management is a process through which people can develop a vision, agree on shared values and behaviours, make informed decisions and act together to manage the natural resources of a river basin.

The primary condition for achieving integrated wetland management is the willingness of sectoral stakeholders to work together. To achieve the necessary cooperation, stakeholders in a catchment area need to be able to understand each other clearly. Steps to achieve understanding of the various views, and to explore how far such separate views can be shared, will be one of the main issues covered within the International Training of Trainers on Wetland Management (ICWM-TOT).