In the framework of the LIFE LOGOS 4 WATERS project “Integrated application of innovative water management methods at river basin by coordination of local governments “, a two-day joint knowledge building workshop was organised between 22nd and 23rd November 2022, by the Association of Climate Friendly Communities and the Municipal Coordination Office of the Ministry of Interior. In addition to the representatives of the project partners (Hungarian Chamber of Engineers, WWF Hungary, Municipalities of Bátya and Püspökszilágy, General Directorate of Water Management, University of Public Service), experts from the following organisations participated in the event:
- Bács-Kiskun County Government Office Department of Environment Protection, Nature Protection and Waste Management.
- Pest County Government Office Department of Environment Protection, Nature Conservation and Waste Management
- National Association of County Municipalities
- National Directorate General for Disaster Management
- Pest County Government Office
- Central Danube Valley Water Management Directorate
- Lower Danube Valley Water Management Directorate.
The workshop was preceded by the data collection, which consisted of online questionnaires to target groups under Action A3, to which a large number of responses arrived from all target groups, with 681 responses in total. This was followed by the focus group interviews, which allowed experts to share their views in more detail on the common and specific knowledge, and also highlighted possible misunderstandings and differences of opinion through guided discussions. The focus group interviews were also conducted with the target groups that participated in the online survey.
The aim of the workshop was therefore to agree on the content of the common knowledge base of the training materials to be developed within the framework of the C8 action, to present the results of the preliminary data collection activities and to further reflect on them in order to lay the foundations for the development of the training materials.
On the first day, the participants were welcomed at 9 a.m. in Ráckeve, and after registration and morning coffee, the work has started. First off the Association of Climate Friendly Municipalities presented the results and experiences of the online surveys carried out beforehand, followed by a presentation by dr. Petra Szatzker, the project manager of LIFE LOGOS 4 WATERS, on the factors and aspects to be examined during the planning of a nature-based solution. This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Róza Számadó, Head of the Coordination Office for Municipalities, on Stakeholders in Muncipal Development, in which she also explained the steps of stakeholder analysis and why it is important in similar projects. This was followed by a brainstorming session on the main elements of the common knowledge base. A guided exercise allowed the experts to formulate what they considered important to include in the main content of the common knowledge base. After the lunch break, the thematic elements of the common knowledge base were collected, the content suggestions and ideas were discussed and grouped, and the main thematic areas to be covered in the common knowledge base were identified. After the thematic expert groups were formed, the content proposals were discussed, and the content proposals were clarified and summarised, continuing the previous block. The first day’s ended a joint dinner, opened by Dr. Miklós Dukai, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, and a team-building game in the evening.
The second day was opened by the Association of Climate Friendly Municipalities, summarising the results of the previous day and the expert suggestions for the content of the common knowledge material.
This was followed by a further reflection on the common body of knowledge considering the specific training materials, in which groups were formed by subject area to contribute with suggestions on the content of the curricula related to their subject area, and then other subject areas could also contribute what should be included in these thematic materials. The workshop was closed by Lajos Kovács, President of the Association of Climate Friendly Municipalities, thanking the participants for their work, followed by lunch. Afterwards, a workshop with only the project beneficiaries was held to discuss other important issues concerning the project.
All in all, we can conclude that it was a very successful workshop, with a lot of ideas forming the common knowledge base, a specific curriculum to be developed and a set of proposals for municipalities, water management experts, engineers and authorities. Together with the experts, joint work will continue to develop target group specific training materials under Action C8. The common body of knowledge will be part of the training material for all target groups. Action C8 will have 5 components, the first component of developing a common body of knowledge was the workshop. Once the common body of knowledge is developed, the development of specific materials will start as follows:
- Developing, testing and integrating a new university course into higher education in water science in the country
- Development of a new e-learning for municipal workers
- Development of e-learning for water management professionals (authorities)
- Development and organisation of training for members of the Water Management and Water Engineering Section of the Hungarian Chamber of Engineers.
The development of a common body of knowledge and specific training materials will be used to set up training to promote the future use of integrated water management and to help the process of adapting to the impacts of climate change, expected by the end of 2024, followed by pilot training courses.
More pictures about the workshop are available in the gallery.
