We All are Europe - AESAEC

Module 6 – The Art of Successful Project Proposal Writing I: the Technical Part
Other critical issues in this context are the selection of an appropriate language and decent communications
structures. It is essential to resolve issues relating to language and communication
between the various partners at an early stage. Your partners will need to ensure that they possess
adequate language skills and agree a working language. There also needs to be good communication
and contact between the transnational partners. This may include informal networking as well as
more formal means of communication.
Nevertheless, even if you consider all of these issues there is no guarantee that you will avoid having
some rough times with your project partners, as the following case study from the Craft Into
Technology – Technology Into Craft project (UK/00/B/F/PP/129_106) highlights:
The Project Manager, June J., learnt a great deal from the problems she encountered with the
partnership itself. She not only had to devote much of her time to solving the various problems
but was also concerned that these issues might have easily led to major difficulties with the
project’s outcomes and budget.
In this project it was discovered that Partner 1 was unable to complete the work it had agreed
to carry out. The contact person at Partner 2 kept changing, which had consequences for the
achievement of its aims. Partner 3 was unable to access the funding because of internal difficulties
with its accountant and Partner 8 left the project before it started.
Following discussions with the UK National Agency, the following solutions were found:
after detailed discussions with the other partners Partner 1 was asked to leave the project
and the contract was terminated. The partner’s work and budget were re-allocated
between the remaining partners.
with Partner 2 continuous efforts were made to establish and maintain contact with each
new contact person, as their details became available. June informed each new person of
the project’s aims and their organisation’s role, and sought to keep them up-to-date with
the project and the work still to be carried out.
June wrote formally to Partner 3’s accountant and through her perseverance the funding
was eventually released to the partner.
a replacement partner was found for Partner 8 and approved by the rest of the partnership.
June’s recommendations to others are to:
carefully check out prospective partners
have a contingency plan
carefully word partnership agreements
ensure that partners understand and agree to their role.
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