Carlos Diaz – författare

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in cooperation with the International Water Association (IWA), has developed a rating system that assesses the performance of water and sanitation service providers in a comprehensive way. AquaRating: Un estándar internacional para evaluar los servicios de agua y saneamiento aims to provide an industry standard for utilities. The innovative rating system seeks the improvement of the service delivered by means of a rigorous and systematic assessment. AquaRating comprises more than 100 assessment elements organized in eight rating areas: Service Quality, Efficiency in the Planning and Execution of Investments, Operating Efficiency, Business Management Efficiency, Financial Sustainability, Access to Service, Corporate Governance, Environmental Sustainability. Each of the assessment elements and consecutively rating areas is assigned a rating (from 0 to 100), which in turn are aggregated into a single rating for the utility. Assessment elements consist of qualitative good practices and quantitative indicators. The total compliance with practices and achievement of the most demanding indicators levels means delivery of an excellent service and, therefore, awards a maximum rating of 100 points. AquaRating takes into account the quality of the information supporting the ratings results by correcting the rating for the reliability level of such information. The rating results are certifiable thanks to an independent audit of the supporting information. The expected benefits of the system are manifold: • Utilities - Identify areas of improvement, receive guidance and monitor progress over time. - Obtain an external and credible performance rating, which contributes to foster reputation, accountability and acceptance by key stakeholders, gain access to new markets and finance, and attract qualified staff. - Get access to a knowledge and assessment framework that fosters continuous learning. • Governments, regulators and development agencies - Use the system to stimulate utilities to maintain or improve their performance and to target technical assistance and finance according to the specific opportunities for improvement identified. • Consumers - Obtain better services in terms of access, quality, efficiency, sustainability and transparency.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in cooperation with the International Water Association (IWA), has developed a rating system that assesses the performance of water and sanitation service providers in a comprehensive way. AquaRating: An international standard for assessing water and wastewater services aims to provide an industry standard for utilities. The innovative rating system seeks the improvement of the service delivered by means of a rigorous and systematic assessment. AquaRating comprises more than 100 assessment elements organized in eight rating areas: Service Quality, Efficiency in the Planning and Execution of Investments, Operating Efficiency, Business Management Efficiency, Financial Sustainability, Access to Service, Corporate Governance, Environmental Sustainability. Each of the assessment elements and consecutively rating areas is assigned a rating (from 0 to 100), which in turn are aggregated into a single rating for the utility. Assessment elements consist of qualitative good practices and quantitative indicators. The total compliance with practices and achievement of the most demanding indicators levels means delivery of an excellent service and, therefore, awards a maximum rating of 100 points. AquaRating takes into account the quality of the information supporting the ratings results by correcting the rating for the reliability level of such information. The rating results are certifiable thanks to an independent audit of the supporting information. The expected benefits of the system are manifold: • Utilities - Identify areas of improvement, receive guidance and monitor progress over time. - Obtain an external and credible performance rating, which contributes to foster reputation, accountability and acceptance by key stakeholders, gain access to new markets and finance, and attract qualified staff. - Get access to a knowledge and assessment framework that fosters continuous learning. • Governments, regulators and development agencies - Use the system to stimulate utilities to maintain or improve their performance and to target technical assistance and finance according to the specific opportunities for improvement identified. • Consumers - Obtain better services in terms of access, quality, efficiency, sustainability and transparency.

Esta obra es la de un hijo de maestros, maestro él mismo, y quiere ser un firme alegato en favor de la persona como ser capaz de aprender y de enseñar, actividades que requieren la figura científica y moral del maestro, su adhesión a una escala de valores, y su compromiso existencial con la humanidad.En palabras del autor: "Desde el primer día en que enseñé, quise siempre hacer crecer en humanidad a cuantos se cruzaban conmigo. Solo busco enseñar lo universal que puede brotar de lo contingente; no son primero las ideas y luego la vida social, sino al mismo tiempo, y por eso quien enseña para lo comunitario verdadero que hay en cada ser humano, funda comunidad. Por eso escribo, viajo, buscando a la humanidad".La escuela la hace el maestro. Afortunadamente los maestros hacen que sus alumnos sean más, de lo que hubieran sido sin ellos. La escuela para la comunidad, en tanto que escuela para la vida, solamente será posible si sus fundamentos tienen real solidez y van más allá de la inmanencia pragmática y rompen los muros de las aulas.Cuando se abre un aula con un buen maestro, la creación entera vuelve a latir.

Este cuaderno recoge las ponencias presentadas en las Jornadas de Teología de la Facultad de Teología, celebradas los días 18-19 de febrero de 1999, bajo el lema "Dios Padre de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo"

Descubra la vida cotidiana y la cultura de los Vikingos y adéntrese en el impresionante mundo de las divinidades, criaturas, mitos y leyendas de este gran pueblo de exploradores: Odín, Thor, Loki, Baldr, Niörd, desde el Ginnungagap hasta la batalla final de Ragnarök. Una visión contextualizada y rigurosa del fantástico cosmos mitológico nórdico.