NATURE-DEMO goes to University: Inspiring the next generation of Flood Risk Managers

At NATURE-DEMO, we believe that the future of resilient infrastructure lies in the hands of today’s students. We are thrilled to share that last week, on Tuesday, January 6th, the NATURE-DEMO project took center stage in the classroom!

As part of the Erasmus Mundus "Flood Risk Management" Master Programme, students attending the "Socioeconomic Assessment of Flood Protection" course participated in an interactive lecture dedicated to the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into critical infrastructure.

Bringing Research to the Classroom

The lecture wasn't just about theory; it was a deep dive into the tangible outputs our project has developed over the past months. The session was structured to move from a high-level project introduction to hands-on technical application:

• The NbS Framework: We explored the role of NbS in protecting infrastructure against climate hazards, specifically focusing on flood resilience.

• Interactive Catalogue Activity: Using the NATURE-DEMO NbS Catalogue and Hazard Matrix, students engaged in a practical exercise. They selected hazards relevant to their own research interests and used our matrix to identify supportive Nature-based Solutions, exploring the detailed Factsheets we’ve developed.

• Climate Data Visualization: Students were introduced to the European Climate Data Visualization tool, where they had the chance to "play with the data," selecting various European cities to visualize climate risks and potential impacts.

• Real-world Application (Demo 3): To ground the theory in reality, we presented Demo 3, discussing its stakeholder mapping and the complex monitoring plan required to ensure success.

Why This Matters

This lecture represents a key milestone in our Dissemination and Exploitation strategy. By incorporating NATURE-DEMO materials into a prestigious Erasmus Mundus programme, we are ensuring that our project results—like the NbS Catalogue—are being used as educational tools for the flood risk managers of tomorrow.

Whether it is communication, dissemination, or exploitation, the goal remains the same: ensuring that Nature-based Solutions become a standard part of the engineering and socio-economic toolkit for climate adaptation.