The Air Quality Management Resource Centre (AQMRC) in the School of Architecture and Environment is pleased to offer an exciting suite of Air Quality short courses. This new suite consists of five distinct courses covering the following topics with an online (Distance Learning) option for each:

• Air Quality Management
• Air Quality Management (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Monitoring
• Air Quality Monitoring (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Modelling
• Air Quality Modelling (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Assessment
• Air Quality Assessment (Distance Learning)
• Air Quality Action Planning 
• Air Quality Action Planning (Distance Learning)

Delivered as self-learning (materials access only) or blended learning (materials + live session), where each topic will provide you with a set of interactive web-based materials to work through in advance of a live online session with the course leaders and your peers, which will provide an opportunity to discuss the materials in more depth and undertake related activities to that topic.

Individuals are invited to book on as many or few of the days as they wish.

"I can use what I learnt all week to improve my Councils' AQ arrangements, write accurate review and assessment reports, review 3rd party reports and attract developer contributions to air quality via CIL and S106." Mike Jephcott, Senior Environmental Health Officer

What does it cover?

This course will cover the regulatory frameworks for Air Quality Management at a local, national and European level, including the Air Quality Framework and Ambient Air Quality Directives and the Environment Act 1995 (Part IV) and the process of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) in the UK.

The course will enable an appreciation of the linkages between air quality and wider issues, including public health, transport and planning policy and will develop a holistic viewpoint on the complex issues surrounding the implementation of LAQM in the UK, including an evaluation of its effectiveness and limitations. This course will also explain the sources and effects of air pollution focusing on the seven pollutants of concern with relevance to UK Air Quality Management.

This will provide an understanding of the importance and limitations of European and UK-based air quality legislation and will contextualise the development of the health-based air quality limit values and objectives and how to manage air quality from a health perspective.

Who is it for?

The courses will be of interest to students, practitioners and policy makers involved in air quality management in:

•         Environmental health/protection
•         Public health
•         Transport
•         Land-use planning

You will have the option to book on one or multiple topics as well as choosing your preferred method of study (Materials Access Only or Materials + Live Session).

As part of the booking process you will be registered as a UWE student and issued a UWE email and password, to enable access to the required online resources.

Extra information

IT requirements 

This programme is delivered fully online. UWE Bristol has invested significantly in online resources to support your study. We use the 'Blackboard' online platform to deliver an integrated learning experience to you. Access to this course will require you to be enrolled as a UWE student.

To ensure you able to access materials and can participate fully in the live sessions, if you plan to attend these, please see the following required computer specifications: 

• Operating system: Windows 7+, Mac OS 10.9 
• Web browser: Firefox is the optimal browser. However other browsers such as Google Chrome (version 79 or later) are also compatible. 

Additional requirements: 

• 256 MB RAM
• 20 MB free disk space
• Internet Access - 28.8 kbps speed or above (broadband connection highly recommended). Slower internet connections may cause issues with audio and video. 
• Microphone and speakers/headphones
• Webcam

We also recommend you check your firewall setting in advance, especially if you are using a work computer, to ensure your firewall will allow you to access our sites and programmes. 

For further information

Email: For specific questions in relation to the course, i.e. content, suitability, assessments, etc. please contact the Programme Leader, Dr Jo Barnes (Jo.Barnes@uwe.ac.uk). For all queries regarding administration aspects of registration, i.e. dates, fees, etc. please contact us using the online enquiry form link or phone number below.

Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81043 (option 1, then option 3)

Content

This course will cover:

• Sources and effects of key air pollutants
• EU and UK air quality legislation
• Air Quality objectives
• Introduction and overview of UK Local Air Quality Management

Learning and Teaching

How is the programme delivered?

There are two options to access each topic:

• Online Materials Access Only: This option will provide you with access to the online interactive materials for 12 weeks from 06 March 2023.
• Online Materials + Live Online Session: This option provides you with access to the online interactive materials for 12 weeks from 06 March 2023. The online materials will be released 6 weeks before the live online session and will be available for a further 6 weeks after this has taken place.

Study time

This course will take approximately 6hrs of individual learning (online materials), plus 3hrs live session time if selecting 'materials + live online session'.

It is recommended to work though the online materials in advance of the live session.