On 10-11 September 2026, the PhD Summer School “Build Back Better – How to Learn from Flood-Affected Regions” took place in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany. Jointly organized by RPTU Kaiserslautern, TU Dortmund University, IQIB- Institut für qualifizierende Innovationsforschung und -beratung, THW (German Federal Agency for Technical Relief) and Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railway) with support from HochwasserKompetenzCentrum (HKC) e.V., the event brought together 12 early-career researchers and practitioners to exchange knowledge and experiences on flood recovery, climate change adaptation and long-term resilience.
The two-day program combined a field excursion through the Ahr Valley with interactive thematic sessions. During the excursion, participants gained insights into ongoing reconstruction efforts, particularly the rebuilding of railway infrastructure and the reconstruction of flood-affected urban areas. The second day focused on three topics: flood recovery on private land, Build Back Better in railway reconstruction and resilience in the interaction of sensitive and critical infrastructures.
The summer school provided an opportunity to connect research with practical experiences from the Ahr Valley and to discuss how lessons from past disasters can inform future recovery and resilience planning.
Read the full summer school report: here