On behalf of the partnership, advisory partner Linde Egberts (CLUE+) presented the methodology that HERICOAST employs to organise knowledge exchange between the partners in the project.

The methodology culminates in two plenary workshops per year, combined with field study trips to the good practices of partner who hosts the meeting. For example, the partners visited the Sulina and the Danube estuary during their visit to Tulcea in the fall of 2016. Last May, the partners studied and discussed the challenges of the heritage of the Castilla Waterway during their meeting in Valladolid.  

Creating an effective knowledge exchange is a learning process in itself. As a preparation for the meeting in Valladolid, an online survey was used to get a clear idea of the knowledge, demands and priorities of the partners. This formed the basis for the programme, that focused on the joint creation of a toolbox.

The toolbox on coastal and fluvial heritage management forms the driver for interactive group work, that takes place during, but also in between plenary workshops. Partners prioritize, write and review the various elements of the toolbox together, making this outcome of the project a co-creation in essence.

The responses of participants in the Barcelona meeting to the presentation of this methodology were very positive. Erik van den Elsen (I-Cleantech Vlaanderen) responded: “thank you for your inspirational presentation today at Interreg Europe. Your idea for having a survey is a great way of getting partners more engaged and (re)gaining the scope." 

See for more information on the event in Barcelona:  

www.interregeurope.eu/news-and-events/event/744/exchange-of-experience-seminar-for-second-call-projects/