Call: Thematic Area 4 Coordination and Support Action (CSA)

Building on the foundations laid under the PRIMA-funded WEFE4MED project, this action will consolidate and expand the Mediterranean WEFE NCoP, fostering cross-sectoral cooperation and strengthening linkages to policy and investment agendas. The NCoP will operate as a structured and sustained mechanism for collaborative learning, cross-sectoral dialogue and the progressive uptake of Nexus approaches across the Mediterranean, including in contexts where land, water, energy, food and ecosystems interact along the land–water–coastal continuum.

The CSA will network, document, and draw lessons from existing and newly identified WEFE Nexus demonstration cases across the Mediterranean. Selected cases must exhibit (i) financial and operational feasibility, (ii) strong stakeholder ownership, (iii) alignment with regulatory and governance contexts and (iv) modular, adaptable design suitable for replication in diverse territorial and socio-economic settings. The CSA will support their identification, methodological strengthening, visibility and use as reference points for peer learning and policy uptake.

The action will reinforce the Community of Practice in line with the Etienne Wenger model, by:

• Strengthening the shared domain (a common Nexus framing and problem space),
• Enabling an active community (facilitated, recurring, structured engagement), and
• Developing a shared practice (transferable tools, methods and validated Best Management Practices).

Projects are expected to address all of the following activities:

• Formalise and strengthen the governance and facilitation model of the NCoP, including clear roles, membership mechanisms, thematic working groups and engagement protocols, to ensure coordinated and sustained community animation.
• Design and deliver structured peer-learning and capacity-building programmes, such as practitioner exchanges and moderated community dialogues, to build shared understanding, skills and problem-solving capacity across sectors and governance levels.
• Synthesize lessons from demonstration cases into practical, transferable guidance, including replication frameworks, methodological notes, practice briefs and targeted policy recommendations, to enable adaptation and uptake in new contexts.
• Enhance and maintain a digital knowledge and interaction hub that supports ongoing knowledge and data exchange, collaborative development of materials and access to curated resources, ensuring the NCoP functions as a living, continuously-learning community
• Support selected public authorities and basin/coastal organisations in applying Nexus principles in planning and policy processes, through contextualised advisory support and facilitated multi-stakeholder dialogue, enabling real-world operational and governance improvements.
• Co-develop investment and partnership pathways for replication and scaling, including finance-ready concept notes and engagement with regional, EU and international funding mechanisms, to position validated Nexus practices for future deployment and financing.

Sustainability and Long-Term Continuity.

During the CSA, the project consortium will act as the coordination and facilitation team of the NCoP. The action should develop a realistic sustainability and institutional anchoring roadmap, identifying potential long-term hosts or co-hosts (e.g., PRIMA Secretariat or regional cooperation platforms), membership frameworks and resource mobilisation strategies to ensure the NCoP continues to operate beyond the duration of EU funding.

Consortium Profile.

Applicants should demonstrate proven experience in building and facilitating Communities of Practice and in managing science–policy interfaces and participatory processes. Consortia should be small and agile (3–4 partners), with the capacity to convene diverse actors and animate the NCoP through structured peer-learning, field exchanges and regional engagement activities.