Desalination, along with wastewater reuse and water importation, can provide a means of increasing the available fresh water in regions of the world where water is scarce. If desalination is to be successfully implemented in developing countries to increase the supply of fresh water for municipal and industrial purposes, capacity building is urgently needed at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level. However, courses dealing with the technical aspects of desalination technology alone are not the solution to the problem. Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes involving an integrated approach to sustainable water management are needed; and desalination, wastewater reuse and irrigation management should be part of these programmes.