Fostering Community Outreach Activities for Environmental Sustainability Through a Cross-Border Academic Research Partnership

Abstract

The focal aim of this study is to provide a general framework of the role of an academic research partnership in fostering community outreach activities to improve environmental sustainability through developing tailored science-society interfaces. The paper seeks to present an overview of the EU Romania—Bulgaria Cross Border Cooperation Programme project entitled “Romanian—Bulgarian cross-border joint natural and technological hazards assessment in the Danube floodplain. The Calafat-Vidin—Turnu Magurele-Nikopole sector (ROBUHAZ-DUN)” and, particularly, the research collaboration, scientific outcomes and dissemination activities carried out during the 18 month project. The aim of the paper is to offer an example of how to promote environmental sustainability to community members in a rural transboundary area in order to respond to their needs in terms of hazard assessment and mitigation, but also to increase knowledge and awareness of disaster risk reduction, climate change and environment sustainability. A special attention was paid to the main scientific and informative products (promotional materials, maps, posters, guidebooks, university course, reports) which were used as support materials for the dissemination activities undertaken throughout the project in terms of raising awareness and informative campaigns in schools, meetings with local authorities, joint round tables, media events, summer school etc. These activities were aimed at bridging the gap between the academic research and local communities in an area prone to natural and human-induced hazards in order to support environmental sustainability through disaster risk reduction education.