ABCD Centre Associate Partner Network

Collaborating for Climate Adaptation and Water Security

5 Partners • 4 Cities • 3 Countries • 2 Continents • 1 ABCD Centre

The ABCD Centre is a DAAD Global Centre connecting five institutions across Germany, India and Thailand. Together with universities, governments, NGOs, industry and international organisations, we advance education, research, knowledge transfer and implementation to strengthen climate adaptation and water security in the Global South.

Why the ABCD Centre?

Water security is one of the defining global challenges of our time. Climate change is affecting water availability, quality, access and resilience across regions. The ABCD Centre bridges science, policy and practice by connecting leading academic institutions with governments, development organisations, industry and international partners. Our mission is to share knowledge, secure water resources and accelerate climate adaptation through international cooperation.

What Makes ABCD Unique?

  • DAAD Global Centre for Climate and Environment.
  • First ever joint Indo-German Master's Programme 'Water Security and Global Change'.
  • Three interdisciplinary research clusters: Water Security, Ecosystem Resilience & Nature-based Solutions, and Transfer Strategies.
  • 23+ international Transfer & Training Workshops with more than 750 participants.
  • International Climate Talks, Adaptation Dialogues and flagship conferences.
  • Living Labs and digital learning infrastructure.
  • Global alumni and stakeholder network.
  • Several scholarships like South-North, North-South and Future Environmental Leaders scholarships each year for exchange and fostering research.
  • Catalyst for collaboration with the DAAD Global Centre Network, the UN Water Conference, the Nexus Conference and strong Future Environmental Leaders scholarship holders.
  • Publication of journals, policy briefs and papers.

Why Become an Associate Partner?

The Associate Partner Network extends collaboration beyond individual projects. Partners contribute to Education, Research, Knowledge Transfer and Implementation while benefiting from a global strategic ecosystem aligned with the ABCD Centre Strategy 2026–2030.

Education

How you contribute

  • Guest lectures
  • Internships & case studies
  • Digital teaching modules & MOOCs
  • Support for the Joint Master's Programme

How we collaborate

  • Co-develop teaching
  • Micro-credentials
  • Student exchanges
  • Master's theses

Impact

  • Enhanced curricula
  • International learning opportunities
  • Capacity building

Research

How you contribute

  • Datasets
  • Regional expertise
  • Research proposals
  • Publications

How we collaborate

  • Joint research
  • Flagship projects
  • Research clusters
  • Funding applications

Impact

  • High-impact publications
  • Competitive proposals
  • International visibility

Knowledge Transfer & Outreach

How you contribute

  • Workshops
  • Living labs
  • Policy briefs
  • Toolkits

How we collaborate

  • Climate talks
  • Adaptation dialogues
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Knowledge exchange

Impact

  • Practical solutions
  • Policy uptake
  • Global dissemination

Implementation, Innovation & Impact

How you contribute

  • Pilot projects
  • Scholarships
  • Master's & PhD projects
  • Industry collaboration

How we collaborate

  • Technology transfer
  • Demonstration projects
  • Implementation funding
  • Innovation partnerships

Impact

  • Real-world implementation
  • Long-term partnerships
  • Research into practice

How Partnership Works

  1. Submit an Expression of Interest describing expertise, organisational focus and intended contributions.
  2. Applications are reviewed by the Steering Committee for strategic fit and collaboration potential.
  3. A dedicated ABCD focal contact is assigned.
  4. Partners collaborate through education, research, transfer and implementation activities.
  5. Associate Partners are expected to make meaningful contributions every year.
  6. Each partnership is reviewed after one year and renewed based on strategic alignment, mutual benefit and active engagement.

Collaboration Opportunities

Collaboration Platform Examples
Climate Talk Series, Adaptation Dialogues, ABCD 10-Year Conference, ASEAN Collaboration Workshops
MOOCs, digital teaching modules, online panel discussions, self-paced e-learning
ABCD Alumni Network, global stakeholder networks, capacity building and knowledge exchange

Join the Network

Become part of an international partnership advancing climate adaptation and water security through research, education, innovation and implementation.