Since 2010, 11 partners from all over Europe have developed and strengthened the Transfrontier Euro-Institute Network (TEIN), dedicated to the practical issues of cross-border cooperation more specifically in the field of training and research. 9 of them have chosen to jointly invest in a project of innovation transfer entitled “PAT-TEIN” (Professionalizing Actors of Transfrontier Cooperation) – supported by the European funding program LEONARDO – which main objective is to develop vocational training for future project managers by gathering as well as optimizing the knowledge of the partners in form of 5 toolkits for the 5 represented borders, and thus meet the growing need for professionalization of cross-border actors.
During the initial meeting which took place in Villach (Austria), the partners got to know the toolkits used at the French-German border, defined common objectives and reflected on a first methodological approach for their transfer. These reflections were deepened during the second meeting in Wisla (Poland) where the partners also had a first concrete exchange about the situation of cooperation on their respective border and the importance of intercultural issues, an essential step to build a common toolkit.
The recent meeting in Perpignan (France) took place in 3 sessions. During the first session, the cross-border teams presented the results of their respective reflections on the development of case studies, on the common and specific parts of the toolkits as well as on the methodology of transfer. The second session was conceived in a more interactive way insofar the partners were invited by the Euro-Institut team to participate in 2 workshops on the topic “moderating” and “designing” a cross-border training activity. After a short plenum reflection, it appeared that these various exercises had helped the partners to better assess their specific needs considering their border and the target groups they will have to put the focus on while conceiving their part of the final product. Finally, a third session allowed the partners to discuss the final structure of the common toolkit and to define the next steps: for the next meeting, the partners will have to write a draft of their border specific part while the Euro-Institut will handle the writing of the common parts.
Hosted by the Centre for Cross-Border Studies, the partners will discuss and share their work during the next meeting that will take place on the 5th and 6th of November 2013 in Belfast (Ireland).
