The goals associated with water management pose challenges that cannot be resolved without a robust scientific basis coupled innovatively with effective partnerships among scientists, policy makers and on-the-ground actors. These are complex multi-disciplinary challenges that call for new modes of relations between science and decision-making. In particular a continuous transfer of knowledge must be ensured while, reciprocally, stakeholders must be actively involved in the formulation of research questions so that research remains policy-relevant. Also of importance is the sharing and spreading of knowledge and know-how. Such a context helps in devising public water policies on the basis of solid scientific knowledge (evidence-based policies). Not only must research need to be delivered effectively towards water policy makers but also the delivery mechanisms to water governance must be improved. By doing so decision makers will have a better capacity to decide. Establishing effective science-policy interfaces helps in achieving this goal. Many examples of the water science and policy interface exist globally. Thus a first objective of the session is to share such experiences with the aim to improve one's own practices and to assist the others wishing to implement such processes to gain relevant knowhow. A second objective for this session is to formulate an action plan (to report to the 7th WWF) aiming to improve the delivery of research for water governance to increase capacity/strengthen leadership of decision makers at various levels through establishing effective science-policy interfaces. Given the similarity between CS3-Target 1 objective and EU10 one organising a common session for the two targets appears to be relevant.