As part of Work Package 2.1, coordinated by the legal team at Utrecht University’s Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, the Future Flood Risk Management Technologies (FFRMT) Programme foresees the organisation of two Summer Courses. The first took place in September 2024 in Maastricht, where participants were introduced to key concepts and technologies in flood risk management, with a particular focus on the Geul case. On 16 and 17 October 2025, the second and final edition of the FFRMT Summer School took place in Koudekerke, Zeeland.
The theme for this summer school was “multi-use and adaptive governance and engineering in flood risk management.” Both themes were approached in a multidisciplinary way, with technical, legal, and socio-economic aspects discussed in depth.
On the first day, attendees were introduced to the topic of multi-use in the context of flood risk management. The technical possibilities and constraints related to nature-based solutions and other forms of multi-use were illustrated. Representatives from Rijkswaterstaat and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management provided insights into policy programmes such as “Room for the River 2.0.” Researchers from the FFRMT programme also presented societal perspectives on multi-use.
We concluded the day with an excursion to the Waterdunen project, a 350-hectare area on the coast that combines coastal defence, tidal nature, and recreation. One of the operators of the tidal culvert explained the technical intricacies of the system, and it was very special to step inside the control room and see how the system is operated.
On the second day of the programme, we focused on adaptive engineering, and—similar to the first day—examined the technical possibilities and constraints associated with adaptive approaches. We also explored the legal aspects of multi-use and adaptive engineering. Deltares guided us through the three adaptation strategies that underpin the Sea Level Rise Knowledge Programme.
In the afternoon, we participated in an interactive workshop on one of the programme’s cases: the Zeeland case. The workshop focused on the implementation of flood-resilient landscapes in Zeeland. A representative from the Delta Climate Centre opened the session with a presentation on the concept of “transitional polders” as a potential tool for managing flood risks in Zeeland. This presentation was followed by brainstorming sessions in breakout groups, each addressing one of four key questions related to the broader implementation framework of the FFRMT programme:
- In which circumstances and at which locations are flood-resilient landscapes most suitable as water-safety measures in Zeeland?
- What are the conditions and opportunities for the implementation of flood-resilient landscapes?
- Which policy, legal, and financial instruments can contribute to more effective and efficient implementation of these measures?
- What are the potential adverse consequences of these measures?
The outcomes of this session will be highly valuable in fine-tuning the implementation framework, and we are excited to incorporate the results into the various work packages.
Once again, the Summer School proved to be an inspiring experience, providing valuable insights and fostering mutual learning.
Last modified: 03/12/2025