The Water JPI is already strongly involved in international cooperation (IC) related to research and innovation. The IC strategy completed during the fourth reporting period allows a more systemic and informed process in the establishment of collaborations with relevant organisations.
As part of the Water JPI’s IC strategy development process, first actions focused on the identification of relevant criteria for the selection of strategic partners. The consultation and dedicated workshop with key European actors concluded that the IC strategy could be better oriented by identifying the niche of the Water JPI (vs. other RDI programmes which have international cooperation provisions) and the needs of the countries wanting to interact with the Water JPI. A dialogue with other JPIs, Policy-Makers and European public Research and Development initiatives has been maintained for the whole duration of the project in order to avoid possible thematic duplications and ensure a better optimization of financial and human resources. IC4Water also pursued contacts with some key partners leading to the reinforcement or launch of new cooperation actions. Besides, workshops on the main drivers and barriers for valorisation of European research and innovation on water challenges revealed a number of issues that have to be taken into account when promoting valorisation outside Europe through projects and platforms.
IC4WATER’s main outcomes include:
- An “International Cooperation Strategy” for developing the Water JPI network at the international in a systemic way by addressing key questions such as “which countries the Water JPI should collaborate with”, “when that collaboration should take place”, “how it should happen” (collaboration modes), and “on which topics”.
The document was completed with reports identifying the barriers for collaboration and possible cooperation models, summarising the List of Memoranda of Understanding or programs of cooperation with third countries, and recommendations for supporting Water JPI’s IC and guiding IC activities within Water4All.
- Recommendations on Public – Private Partnerships for research development and implementation, with key economic sector representatives, such as Water Europe, to increase the development of research and innovation programmes and the take-up of research on water challenges.
- A new KH related to international water challenges on “New Water Under Scarcity: New Sources, Treatment, Recycling, Reuse and Water-Health-Energy Nexus”. It aimed at establishing a critical mass of research and technological excellence, through integration and sharing of knowledge, infrastructures, data and modelling tools, training and capacity building, in addition to improving communication and networking with different stakeholders’ communities.
- A Global Impact Assessment evaluating the performance of the Water JPI and the impact created during the ten years of its existence, and in addition, to explore the future perspectives.
- A joint action on UN-SDGs for implementation of the Water JPI’s SRIA.
Permanent communication on IC4WATER has been done through the production of articles within the Water JPI’s newsletter. The production of policy briefs has allowed the dissemination of key findings to targeted audiences as regards the networking and communication with the economic sector and research priorities in the area of water scarcity. At the time of writing this report, partners are working on the update of website pages to highlight key outcomes and impact of the project. Finally, and in parallel with the final review of funded projects, partners will conduct a number of interviews with IC4WATER projects coordinators to develop a better understanding of possible valorisation activities of results.
