External Engagement Program: Outcomes Statement Year 1

Introduction

In June 2018, the Queensland Water Modelling Network commissioned a consortium to develop and deliver a program of activities to help build the capacity of water modelling and user expertise in Queensland, facilitate engagement across the full range of actors in the Queensland water-modelling ecosystem, and stimulate innovation in all aspects of water modelling and use. This program of activities is termed the External Engagement Program, or EEP, and the consortium engaged by the QWMN to deliver the EEP includes: the International WaterCentre (consortium lead), Griffith University, The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, University of Southern Queensland, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and QCIF.

The aim of this report is to describe, and critically interpret, the outcomes achieved through EEP activities in year one, in an accessible format. A year 1 M&E report for the activities of the EEP is available separately and which builds on this report to provide a more systematic activity-based assessment of the performance of the EEP against agreed outputs, outcomes and impacts. This report instead provides an outcomes-based assessment of the work and provides:

• a characterisation and assessment of the activities of the EEP in terms of a set of outcome categories derived from the kinds of outcomes identified in the EEP M& E plan and from the conceptual framework used to design the program of activities that comprise the EEP.
• an identification of key partnerships and synergies and sponsorship
• an identification of key lessons learned from year 1 of the EEP and identify key recommendations for future activities for the EEP and more broadly for the QWMN.

This report will be reviewed by EEP partners and the QWMN, to seek additional feedback on outcomes, lessons learnt and recommendations for future activities prior to publication.

The EEP lead organisation (IWC) recognises and appreciates that the outcomes identified in this report have been generated through the substantial contributions by Consortium members and the QWMN as well as the significant interest and engagement from across the Queensland water modelling and use sector during 2018/19 program.