WorkBlock 7 - Project management training and communication and dissemination

Co-ordinator : NERC-CEH and WUR

WB7 will deliver the management and organizational structures and processes to ensure the effective delivery of WATCH integrated and to maximize the benefits of this research to all stakeholders, by using the most effective knowledge transfer through the project's training and dissemination activities.

Objectives

• Objective 1. To deliver the necessary project management and organizational structures and processes to ensure the effective delivery of the integrated scientific research that is described in 6.1
• Objective 2. To maximize the benefits of this research to all stakeholders, by using the most effective knowledge transfer through the project’s training activities
• Objective 3. To ensure that the WATCH project outputs are communicated and disseminated to all key stakeholders (policymakers, researchers, education including students, water managers and citizens)
• Objective 4. To ensure that the WATCH research is well embedded in international collaborative science efforts

WB7 comprises three main work packages:

• WP7.1 : Project Management
• WP7.2 : Training
• WP7.3 : Communications and Dissemination

Deliverables

• D7.3.1 A WATCH web portal, and electronic mail system
• D7.3.2 Joint meetings with international organizations, including co-organizing with WWC a climate–water workshop in 2008 targeting UN Water partners
• D7.3.3 Dissemination of the results of the WATCH programme through the Education and Training activities of the CPWC programme coordinated by UNESCO-IHE
• D7.3.4 Communication and recommendations on future monitoring needs related to the water cycle to relevant bodies (IGOS/IGWCO as well as GMES in Europe (meeting, report)
• D7.3.5 Workshop on drought monitoring, prediction and forecasting and impact of global change with representatives from water management organizations in member states as a follow-up of the workshop in Montpellier, 2003
• D7.3.6 Meeting on droughts with non-European partners (e.g. experts from African, Asian and Latin American regional FRIEND groups), members of the International Working Group on drought risk reduction established as a joint effort between the National Disaster Reduction Centre of China (NDRCC) and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) in Geneva and international organizations (e.g. WMO, IAHS, FAO, IAH)
• D7.3.7 Database with drought experts collated through the updated EDC website

Work Performed and Results achieved during Year 2 (February 2008 – 31 January 2009)
Over the course of the second year Work Block 7 has enhanced communication within the consortium, this has been possible due to the establishment of a good management and organisational structure. The scientific management of WATCH is functioning well with regular meetings of the Project Steering Group. All contracts and the consortium agreement are signed and a procedure for including project associates has been well used as there are now six Associate Partners to WATCH with a further two pending acceptance. WATCH has been well represented at various international events through out the year. The first two summer schools were held this year and generated positive responses from the attendees. A number of workshops have increased awareness of WATCH and particularly the workshop in China generated good contacts and resulted in the identification of key future research areas. Members of the External Scientific Advisory Group was able to attend WATCH General Assembly and learn more of the work done by WATCH.

The external and internal websites of the project have been further developed to aid communication and dissemination. Of particular interest are the WATCH Technical Report Series where partners can post their deliverables prior to publication, this has also led to some additional material being published for example a report on the Summer School on Hydrological Drought and Climate Change (Technical Report Number 8). Wherever possible these technical reports are made freely available on this WATCH Web Site.