KNOW2ADAPT · Knowledge Transfer for Climate Change Adaptation

As a result of climate change, the frequency of floods and droughts is expected to increase in many European river basins. Adaptation measures are a top priority of the European Commission and are crucial for protecting populations, economies and ecosystems. This research will contribute to the challenges associated with climate change adaptation by questioning the transferability of relevant water management knowledge across European countries. While little is known how context actually matters when transferring such knowledge, it is widely acknowledged that knowledge transfer involves adaptation to context-specific factors and learning processes. The objective of this research is to show how adaptation and learning contribute to the successful transfer of water-related knowledge. To achieve this objective, insights on knowledge transfer, water management and governance will be integrated into a comparative research framework. This framework will be used to analyze and compare an intermediate number of cases (circa 10-15). Cases will be selected from European water-related projects that involve the transfer of knowledge for climate change adaptation. Qualitative Comparative Analysis will be used to identify the conditions that are necessary and sufficient for the successful transfer of knowledge. The applicant of this fellowship is a Dutch researcher with a strong research background in international water management and governance as well as knowledge transfer. She will implement the research from within the Resources Management group of the University of Osnabrück. This group has an extensive international network and various researchers working on related topics. The fellowship will reinforce the applicants’ substantive knowledge, methodological skills, international network and other academic qualities (e.g. supervision). It will support her in attaining her career ambition: becoming an international academic in the field of water management.