NWO welcomes new proposals for research programme Urbanising Deltas of the World

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) opened a new call for proposals under the research programme Urbanising Deltas of the World (UDW) and initiates a bottom-up process to further define the content and conditions of the next call.

Interested researchers are invite to send an Expression of Interest, outlining ideas for a business challenge and ways to realise the challenge through the call.

The deadline for Expression of Interest to UDW is Monday 3 November 2014.

A new call for proposals
The aim of the UDW programme is to contribute to global water safety, water and food security and pro-poor sustainable economic and urban development in river deltas worldwide by providing more effective and efficient responses to urbanisation and climate change.

The research programme is financed by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The steering committee of UDW has decided to develop a new call for proposals with a budget of approximately 4.5 million euros, to be launched in December 2014.

Science for business framework
At present, the scope and focus of the call have not been precisely defined yet. It relates to fits the delta, water and maritime issues, and leaves room for cross sectorial linkages with other sectors, such as agriculture, high tech, energy, logistics.

Proposals under this call must be drawn up in public-private partnerships (PPP), and respond to clear demands from business. Projects should address challenges and opportunities identified in the practice of carrying out business projects, such as constructing and maintaining infrastructure, implementing master plans developing new products and services.

Four themes
Four broad themes are identified:
● water safety: resilience, disaster risk reduction and governance
● water, food & energy security and efficiency
● urbanisation, spatial planning and inclusive development
● infrastructure, transport and IT

This news item was originally published on the website of NWO.

More information
Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)
programme Urbanising Deltas of the World (UDW)
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 344 06 81
www.nwo.nl/en