QWMN Capability, Collaboration and Capacity Program

The QWMN is proud to launch the successor to its EEP with the newly inaugurated Capability, Collaboration and Capacity Program (3CP) having just started. The 3CP will provide a mechanism for the QWMN to sustain the engagement momentum established by the EEP whilst focussing effort more clearly and strongly on specific water management decision-making areas and the knowledge production systems behind them – the water modelling pipelines. In particular the focus will be on ‘Catchment Restoration’, ‘Water Planning’ and ‘Urban Water’ pipelines.

The new QWMN 3CP brings together a composite university – federal research agency – private sector consortium including Griffith University (the International WaterCentre or IWC, and Australian Rivers Institute or ARI), University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, AIMS, Aurecon, Alluvium Consulting, Water Technology, BMT, Deltares, eWater, E2DesignLab, KPMG and Thoughts Drawn Out to deliver a range of services to the Queensland water modelling and use sector that will:

• Enhance the capabilities of individual water modelling and use professionals and their employing organisations, and in doing so;
• Strengthen the strategic capacity of the knowledge production systems that are responsible for developing and using water models, and;
• Build capacity for modelling that is optimally designed to inform water related decision-making within Queensland

The program of work in the coming year will provide:

• Strategic leadership and management of capability and capacity building for the QWMN using a strong evidence based approach that integrates participation, research and practice
• Capability building services for diverse individual water modelling and use professionals from aspirant undergraduates to water modelling PhD students and young professionals to emerging leaders and new managers within the sector by:
  • Continuing and expanding the successful QWMN Mentoring Program focused on the use of SOURCE to involve private as well as public sector mentorship. A second modelling tool may be introduced as the program grows;
  • Expanding membership of the existing QWMN Innovation Program to provide upskilling and career development activities for any government or industry focussed water modelling HDR (PhD) students from any University across the State
• Network activities to ensure a continued focus on activating and building capability and capacity at both individual and collective scales through:
  • Continuing to grow the QWMN CoP but with a clearer focus on specific areas of water management decision-making and the knowledge production systems behind them and an additional focus on ensuring that opportunities and needs arising from CoP events are turned into actions;
  • Initiating User Groups to provide a strongly applied, peer to peer based and low cost mechanism for learning core and emerging water modelling and use skills;
  • Designing a concept and plan for the QWMN Forum 2022.
• Brokering and Strategic Partnerships as a service to both bring together the best partnerships to undertake water modelling projects and work of strategic significance and to bring additional (non-DES) investment into the funding of such partnerships through:
  • A Strategic Partnerships Group (SPG) that will meet monthly to consider opportunities, broker partnerships and identify funding opportunities, and;
  • The development of a Sustainable Finance Model for the work of the SPG and more broadly 3CP going forward.
• Communications to State, national and international audiences that build on and grow the success of the external QWMN website developed by the EEP, further developing the profile, engagement levels and reach.

The Consortium is very much looking forward to continuing to grow engagement and collaboration within the sector and across to water modelling and use sectors in other States and internationally. Keep your eyes out for opportunities to become involved.