C-PaCTS
Partnerships and Synergies for Knowledge Transfer, Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Community Development
Project
Climate change and sustainable coastal development require stronger connections between scientific knowledge and local experience. Many climate adaptation strategies are developed without sufficiently incorporating community knowledge, while valuable local knowledge often remains disconnected from scientific research and higher education. Coastal communities are particularly exposed to climate change and sea level rise, coastal erosion, pollution, biodiversity loss, unequal spatial development, land tenure conflicts, and pressure on fisheries and coastal livelihoods.
Addressing these interconnected challenges requires participatory approaches that combine academic expertise with local knowledge and strengthen collaboration across regions and continents. C-PaCTS brings together Technical University of Munich (Germany), Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia), and Pwani University (Kenya) to strengthen knowledge exchange between universities and coastal communities.
The project promotes North–South–South partnerships, combining research, education, and community engagement to develop innovative approaches for climate resilience, sustainable land and coastal management, and participatory knowledge transfer. Field work and action research in Kenya and Indonesia provide living laboratories for testing new transdisciplinary methods.
Project Approach
The project follows a transdisciplinary approach built around three interconnected dimensions of sustainable coastal development aligned with the SDGs:
Environmental sustainability and coastal resilience: Protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems, and biodiversity while supporting climate adaptation and sustainable coastal management.
Social inclusion and community engagement: Promoting equitable access to resources, gender equality, participatory governance, and the integration of indigenous and community knowledge into decision-making.
Education, capacity building, and institutional collaboration: Developing innovative teaching and participatory learning approaches, strengthening knowledge exchange between academia and communities, fostering staff exchange and curriculum development, and enhancing long-term international cooperation.
Activities & Expected Outcomes
To strengthen university education, improve institutional cooperation, and enhance the resilience of coastal communities, the project integrates scientific and community-based knowledge through an international network of researchers, educators, practitioners, and coastal communities.
