The dynamics of the European water research network: A diversifying community with a stable core

TY - JOUR

T1 - The dynamics of the European water research network

T2 - A diversifying community with a stable core

AU - Heringa, P.

AU - Hessels, L.

AU - van der Zouwen, Marielle

PY - 2015/9/30

Y1 - 2015/9/30

N2 - Both in water management and in research policy there is a call for more integrative approaches to tackle large societal challenges. This requires collaboration in networks of actors with different institutional and geographical backgrounds. However, our understanding of the European water research network is limited. Applying social network analysis to data from projects in Framework Programmes 1 to 7, we identify central actors in the network and explore their institutional and geographical characteristics. Compared to the generic research network arising from all projects in the Framework Programmes, the water research network turns out to consist of organisations that are geographically more diverse and more equally distributed across different organisation types. Although the diversity of the network has increased over time, the traditional knowledge producers, higher education organisations and publicly-funded research organisations from the EU15, have kept their position in the network centre over time, resulting in a stable core since the 1980s.

AB - Both in water management and in research policy there is a call for more integrative approaches to tackle large societal challenges. This requires collaboration in networks of actors with different institutional and geographical backgrounds. However, our understanding of the European water research network is limited. Applying social network analysis to data from projects in Framework Programmes 1 to 7, we identify central actors in the network and explore their institutional and geographical characteristics. Compared to the generic research network arising from all projects in the Framework Programmes, the water research network turns out to consist of organisations that are geographically more diverse and more equally distributed across different organisation types. Although the diversity of the network has increased over time, the traditional knowledge producers, higher education organisations and publicly-funded research organisations from the EU15, have kept their position in the network centre over time, resulting in a stable core since the 1980s.

U2 - 10.2166/wp.2015.185

DO - 10.2166/wp.2015.185

M3 - Article

SN - 1366-7017

JO - Water Policy

JF - Water Policy

ER -