Three days in Horsens, 28th-30th October, with the Interreg North Sea DISCO partners show DISCO is about collaboration, creativity and commitment to climate adaptation through digital innovation.
Hosted by VIA University College, the meeting brought together partners from five countries to share, test and co-create — and to build the foundation for 2026. From the very first lunch at VIA, the atmosphere was warm and full of anticipation. “One could feel DISCO grow in the course of the partner meeting — not just in structure, but in spirit,” said Annemiek Wiegman, pilot lead at Zwolle Municipality (NL).
Key questions to explore
Over three days, partners explored key questions:
- How can we map milestones in digital solutions for climate adaptation for 2026?
- How do we choose which digital tools are best to put to good practice to engage residents and politicians in decision making on climate adaptation in neighborhoods?
- How can the assessment framework and a dashboard to monitor progress strengthen local learning, as well as co-creation and a wider uptake?
- And how do we communicate our results with impact and visualize progress in digital climate adaptation?
Monitoring progress
A highlight was testing the prototype of the DISCO monitoring dashboard, developed by VIA University and demonstrated by Albina Mrázová (Ph.D). The tool will help partners follow pilot progress and capture insights for future scaling.
Timeline canvas
Each pilot team also mapped its own timeline to 2028 — literally, on large, printed canvases filled with milestones and ambitions. “It made our long-term journey tangible,” said Nina Steiner, communication manager at Sweden Water Research.
Knowledge partners
The five DISCO pilots are also supported by the University of Twente, Oldenburg University, Jade Hochschule and Amachan (digital tech partner). These knowledge partners develop an assessment framework, to provide guidance for the growth of innovation capacity. The framework is developed with the DISCO partner organizations dealing with climate change adaptation (CCA). And gradually it is made available for uptake by a broader audience in the North Sea region.
A rainy but inspiring fieldtrip
On the second day, the group visited Vejle’s Membranen project — an impressive example of flood protection and resilience with added recreational value for the residents of Vejle and a boost for biodiversity. Vejle’s pilot lead and architect Poul-Henrik Oxlund Skræ is studying how digital visualization (XR) can make flood protection visible and relatable to citizens and politicians. The rainy, but inspiring field trip, led by Membranen’s project leads Lotta Tiselius and Ulla Pia Geertsen, also showcased the nearby Climate Park, where nature, art and resilience meet.
Dissemination bingo
The final day was all about co-creation, dissemination and communication. Partners joined a “Dissemination Bingo” — a fun but focused session that helped identify what each partner has learned so far. The results fed directly into a workshop on storytelling and planning future LinkedIn and website content.
“This meeting confirmed that DISCO is not just about technology. It’s about people learning to innovate together,” — Thomas Bøgevald Bjørnsten, Head of Research Program, VIA University College.
As the partners return home, their ideas and collaborations continue — in dashboards, test plans, prototypes, and new stories soon to appear on the DISCO website.
Stay tuned as DISCO moves into 2026, where pilots turn learning into action.
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