TEIN’s objective is to build capacity in cross-border contexts to strengthen European integration. To that end, TEIN Members follow the aim of facilitating cross-border cooperation and providing practical solutions to European transfrontier issues.

TEIN’s vision is one where know-how, training and best practices are exchanged freely and generously across European borders.

In that respect, TEIN Partners:

• Develop training and research that is ‘fit for purpose’ for cross-border issues and in  cross-border contexts;
• Capitalize on learning from the different regional initiatives;
• Work on new products such as
  • Transferable training modules (e.g. training for cross-border project managers);
  • Methods (e.g. needs-analysis methods in cross-border regions);
  • Tools (e.g. impact assessment toolkit for cross-border cooperation);
• Produce relevant research to be disseminated to actors involved in transfrontier cooperation at different levels;
• Increase knowledge and awareness of cross-border issues (at local, regional, national and European level) by producing high quality work in this field.

One of the first steps the TEIN members achieved was to share and exchange their expertise and learn experience of cross-border cooperation in their respective regions. To do this, they are working jointly to identify and develop techniques and practical tools for cross-border cooperation as well as training opportunities for practitioners.

At the very beginning, the network selected the following three tools for ‘export’ to other border regions and adaptation to those regions:

1. Impact Assessment Toolkit for Cross Border Cooperation created by the Centre for Cross Border Studies (Ireland/Northern Ireland) in collaboration with the Euro-Institut (Germany/France/Switzerland)
2. Toolkit for the Moderation of Cross Border Meetings created by the Euro-Institut
3. Toolkit for the Training of Managers of Cross Border Projects created by the Euro-Institut

Such tools can help and support cross-border cooperation to become both effective and efficient. They provide a number of key steps to help ensure the success of such cooperation projects:

• A clear conception of cross-border projects so that they tackle a problem/unused potential that is best dealt with on a cross-border basis and provide cooperative ‘added value’ in the process (Impact Assessment Toolkit).
• The sensitive moderation of cross-border projects so that the actors are well-prepared – socially and culturally – to make them effective (Toolkit for the Moderation of Cross Border Meetings).
• The successful implementation of cross-border projects in the different circumstances of a range of European cross-border regions through working with key leaders, the project managers (Toolkit for the Training of Managers of Cross Border Projects).

During a session in February 2012, the partners were trained to the use of the Impact Assessment Toolkit. From October 2012 to September 2014, they worked then on the transfer and adaption of the two other toolkits on 4 pilot border regions within the PAT-TEIN project (Professionalizing Actors of Transfrontier Cooperation within TEIN).

Institutions, academics or resource persons wising to join the network are welcome.

The conditions for joining TEIN are set out in the Charter.