As SME providing human capital development solutions in the time of COVID-19 we were keen to develop the Augmented Collaboration Toolkit within the SMARTEN project. Online and more human focused collaboration approaches are a needed transformation in water education, during the pandemic and beyond. As the primary developer and multiplier of Lifelong Learning (LLL) approaches and tools, our journey with SMARTEN has been both exciting and rewarding.

As part of the consortium, we have collaborated the last two years with the Higher Education Institutions partners and other stakeholders to improve the quality of water higher education by integrating digital collaboration tools, such as HowSpace, GroupMap and Miro with collaboration skills and LLL methodologies such as InterVision (peer coaching), Deep Democracy and Intercultural Communication in curriculum. Providing next to the toolkit masterclasses, trainings, and facilitation of events using the toolkit and integrate it into the communication and dissemination approach of the project.

We firmly believe that this approach will not only benefit the project partners in collaboration style, but the academic community as a whole, including students and young water professionals, who will play a crucial role in shaping a more sustainable and equitable future for the water sector.