ClimEx-PE at ECER 2025: Advancing Groundwater Literacy through Educational Research

We are pleased to report that Attila Varga, one of the key researchers of the ClimEx-PE project, delivered a successful presentation at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2025, held at the University of Belgrade, Serbia, from 8 to 12 September 2025. His talk took place on 9 September, in the session Environmental and Sustainability Education in Non-Formal Settings.

The presentation, titled “Public Knowledge and Opinion on Groundwater and Nature-Based Managed Aquifer Recharge – Lessons for Education”, was co-authored by a multidisciplinary team from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and Utrecht University (UU). This international collaboration highlights the project's transdisciplinary approach and its commitment to integrating hydrogeological innovation with educational research.

Attila’s talk focused on public perceptions of groundwater and the potential of Nature-Based Managed Aquifer Recharge (NaBa-MAR®) as a climate adaptation strategy. Drawing on a nationally representative Hungarian survey, the presentation revealed widespread misconceptions about groundwater systems and emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in environmental education—from the outdated artesian model to a dynamic understanding of groundwater flow.

The abstract paper can be read HERE. 

The presentation was well received, generating numerous questions and positive feedback. Importantly, it sparked interest among educational researchers, including a colleague from the University of Barcelona, which is already a ClimEx-PE partner in other scientific components. The colleague expressed interest in joining the educational workstream—an encouraging sign of growing interdisciplinary engagement.

This participation at ECER 2025 was a major asset for ClimEx-PE:

• It enhanced the visibility of the project within the European educational research community.
• It strengthened international collaboration, especially with Utrecht University and potentially new contributors to the educational dimension.
• It reinforced the societal relevance of NaBa-MAR and the need for educational reform in groundwater literacy.
• It supported the project's dissemination goals, planting the seeds of the dynamic paradigm in new academic contexts.

We thank Attila and the co-authors for their excellent representation of ClimEx-PE and look forward to further collaborations inspired by this event.