The consortium was built and chosen to cover all needed expertise from various business fields: experts in water management have joined specialists in vocational training and eLearning to co-operate in the development of innovative online training.

The increasing need for cleaner waters and an integrated European water management system has been recognised for quite some time. The European Union has reacted to this demand by launching the Water Framework Directive (WFD), which has to be implemented by the European member states until 2015.

KNOWLEDGE BRIDGE was launched to support this new policy by developing innovative online training and by building a European -œWater-Online-Network- co-operation.
Thirteen partners from six European countries (Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, and Turkey) have joined the project to promote and improve the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive.

As a Public-Private Partnership, KNOWLEDGE BRIDGE provides online training for the adoption and implementation of the WFD and a trans-national "Water-Online-Network (WON)" for the exchange of knowledge and experience.

"The continuous enhancement of European water management, supported by vocational training, will lead to a better quality of life for all regions and societies in Europe", points out Susanne Kollmeier (PRO Management, Germany), Project Manager of KNOWLEDGE BRIDGE.

Together with its partners, KNOWLEDGE BRIDGE has also set up the Water-Online-Network for optimal exchange of water expertise and experience gained by those who have already implemented the Water Framework Directive. The WON community brings together all the stakeholders involved in European water management.


"This exceptional network of water experts will help to implement the WFD throughout Europe and to ensure sustainable water management", explains Christian Stracke of University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, who is responsible for WON.

The target groups of KNOWLEDGE BRIDGE are the water experts and employees responsible for WFD implementation and especially the various management levels. KNOWLEDGE BRIDGE offers its vocational training solutions and WON co-operation to all the stakeholders of the water sector, including public administrations, enterprises, environmental authorities, and water associations.

In addition, training providers in the water sector, including universities, academies, and institutes, can enrich their vocational training programmes and courses. To summarise, KNOWLEDGE BRIDGE supports sustainable water management by offering innovative learning and networking solutions.