Transition Time: From Priorities to Themes INFORM Meeting, Paris St. Denis, 4 December 2012 Frank Schneider, Joint Technical Secretariat

We are a transnational programme (European Territorial Cooperation) Background: CENTRAL EUROPE Programme

Transition means change: The cycle we all live in Project ideas receive funding Projects create (thematic) results Projects kick off Projects develop activities New programmes take shape Programmes help projects to sell attractive results to new partners and audiences Capitalisation Start-up and implementation

Communication strategy: From priorities to themes : 4 very broad priorities to attract proposals. They were often communicated in a very technical way.

Communication strategy: From priorities to themes : Six more specific themes, bearing a clear branding. In communicating these we avoid EU slang and use emotional elements to attract new audiences.

Communication strategy: At a crossroads in 2011 Why did we change our communication? Objectives REACHED through priority-focused communication helping to generate and deliver successful projects Objectives NOT REACHED through priority-focused communication informing the public and increasing awareness of new audiences demonstrating the added value of the programme and the projects And why were the latter objectives not reached? Two evaluations (internal and external) found that communication was too technical – it was missing emotion and thus failing in reaching out beyond the “usual suspects”.

Communication strategy: Refined objectives and audiences Through communications we aim to: Make results and outputs visible and accessible for wider audiences Introduce new communication tools (like social media and thematic publications) and thematically re-focus the existing tools Facilitate knowledge exchange within and beyond the programme Create opportunities for thematic cross-fertilisation and strengthen cooperation with thematic funds Inform thematic stakeholders and involve them in capitalisation Further analyse programme achievements in view of the policy framework and inform and engage stakeholders Support projects in their regional capitalisation activities Monitor and analyse communications-related activities of projects and further strengthen their communication capacities

Programme communication: Thematic result focus after 2011 What it looks like (a selection of our tools) From a “one fits all” to a more specific targeting of key audiences Step-by-step the thematic design is being rolled out to all activities of the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme. This also includes new thematic powerpoint slides. As with other tools, these are theme-specific.

Programme communication: Thematic result focus after 2011 Thematic publications The PORTRAITS booklet showcases 29 projects that were co-financed following the 1st Call. Some project pictures have become the basis for our wall calendar Six thematic booklets will be published in The Contact Points will translate the booklets for their use in national contexts. Thematic analysis Thematic studies as well as geographic mapping will provide the analytical backbone of the CENTRAL EUROPE communication activities that aim at the capitalisation of project results.

Programme communication: Thematic result focus after 2011 Facebook Following up on a successful photo competition in 2012, the Facebook photo competition will be repeated in 2013 and further supplemented by a project video competition. Website and Newsletter In order to emphasise the programme’s thematic results, the online tools have been redesigned while widely retaining their structure. A slideshow with articles from the PORTRAITS booklet was introduced. A further facelift of the website is planned for 2013, e.g. concerning the usability of the Output Library.

Programme communication: The bottom line Adapting a famous quote by Carl Sagan: You have to know the past (and make it known) to build a better future.

Contact CENTRAL EUROPE Programme Joint Technical Secretariat Museumstraße 3/A/III 1070 Vienna Austria Phone Mail Webwww.central2013.eu FBwww.facebook.com/CentralEuropeProgramme