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Module details for 2021/22.

15 credits

FHEQ Level 7 (Masters)

Module Outline

Infrastructure-systems provide the foundation for a large proportion of modern economic activity. Such systems enable people, resources, energy and information to move around the world. The production and operation of infrastructure presents significant policy and managerial challenges as it is typically organisationally complex and requires a variety of public and private organisations to work together to plan, design, build and operate it. While the physical and information infrastructure of modern societies is very diverse, infrastructure sectors, such as transport, communications, energy, water and waste, and oil and gas, as well as the physical assets of modern societies (such as schools, hospitals, sports facilities, etc.), all share common problems, creating the possibility of learning across sectors. By adopting a business model focus, this course enables such cross sector learning.

This cross sector learning is important because the production and operation of infrastructure has historically presented a range of public policy challenges, due to the high fixed costs, inherent monopoly problems and significant demand for infrastructure services found across many sectors and settings. To address these problems, a range of different governance-structures and regulation models have been employed, from public ownership to the heavy regulation of private monopolies. The public policy importance of infrastructure systems has increased due to the increased concern about their major contributions towards CO2 emissions, with the greening of infrastructure systems, particularly energy systems, now recognised as an essential part of modern climate change policy. These heavy regulatory burdens create novel public policy and innovation management problems that have been explored in a variety of SPRU research projects that the course will draw on.

This course explores innovation in infrastructure from a variety of public, private and civil society perspectives to produce an integrated understanding of how innovation takes place and which tools and techniques can be used to understand and improve the generation and operation of modern infrastructure. The course is focused on providing the skills and knowledge required for careers in strategically important infrastructure industries and projects involving clients, architects, engineers, contractors, government agencies, users and other stakeholders. The skills, knowledge and business-model focus of the course, together with the emphasis on learning across sectors, will generate transferable skills that will be valuable to students interested in the management and regulation of large complex organisations in a wide range of settings.

Module learning outcomes

Assess the unique challenges associated with each infrastructure project and create the right approach to successfully manage it.

Apply critically the frameworks and tools presented in the module to manage innovation in an infrastructure setting

Develop the skills needed to critically evaluate and manage the risks and uncertainties inherent in the provision and operation of infrastructure

Critique the regulation of public infrastructure and the relative benefits and risks of different kinds of regulation and goverance models

View timetable

Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Prof Andrew Davies

Assess convenor
/profiles/666

Dr Katherine Lovell

Assess convenor, Convenor
/profiles/364595

Dr Ralitsa Hiteva

Convenor, Assess convenor
/profiles/334683

Prof Tim Foxon

Assess convenor
/profiles/187722