Master Class in WEFE Nexus Development – Ain Shams University, 4-6 July 2023
The AU team contributed to a specialized master class in Ain Shams University on WEFE Nexus development, sharing insights and best practices from the NEXUS-NESS project with professionals.
The team responsible for the NEL Egypt and the memeber of the NEXUS-NESS consortium, were introduced to the principles of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and the Innovation Ecosystem Methodology. These frameworks are crucial for fostering the socio-cultural and behavioral changes necessary for the successful transition to integrated Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus strategies. The training session offered detailed guidance on the various stages, steps, and tools required to establish and develop the NEXUS Ecosystem Labs (NELs) within the NEXUS-NESS project. Specific emphasis was placed on participatory methods designed to facilitate the transition and vision-building processes in each NEL, including Egypt’s lab.
To ensure effective stakeholder engagement, consortium partners were trained in the use of participatory techniques such as Structured Democratic Dialogue (SDD) and the World Café method. These approaches are intended to empower multidisciplinary stakeholders in each NEL, enabling them to collaboratively develop and refine a shared WEFE Nexus vision tailored to their regional contexts, including the unique challenges of the NEL Egypt.
The master class, which served as a cornerstone for this capacity-building effort, covered the following topics:
- Introduction to the NEXUS-NESS WEFE-Nexus Concept
- WP2: Overview of Nexus Innovation Ecosystem Laboratories (NELs) – Steps towards facilitating a WEFE transition in collaboration with stakeholders
- The Importance of Responsible Research and Innovation in the WEFE Nexus – Explanation of what RRI entails, its necessity in WEFE contexts, and practical guidance on implementation
- Detailed Walkthrough of the NEL Innovation Ecosystem Approach – Hands-on training using the Mapping tool, with teams applying it to the specific context of their respective NELs, followed by presentations of the mapping results, including the NEL Egypt.
- Training on the World Café Method – Preparation for its application in future workshops across all NELs
- Introduction to other NEXUS-NESS Work Packages (WPs) – Providing a comprehensive understanding of how each WP contributes to the project’s overall objectives
- Communication Kit for Stakeholders – Tools and guidelines designed to support effective communication with stakeholders involved in the NEL process
This training not only strengthened the technical and methodological capacity of all partners but also laid the foundation for a cohesive approach to stakeholder engagement and collaborative problem-solving in the NEL Egypt and other project sites.
