We All are Europe - AESAEC

geographic dimension and that they do not overburden the hosting organisations with work. Since
this issue needs to be fixed at the time of writing the application, discuss it openly and frankly with
your partners in advance.
Set clear objectives for the meeting
You should know why the meeting is needed (apart from “the project plan says so”) and what its
objectives and intended aims are. You should have a clear picture about what should be different
after the meeting than beforehand - socially, financially, with regards to content and development
etc.
Participants and other persons involved
Of course, the project partners are the most important participants at the project meeting, however
to make a meeting into a successful meeting it may be useful or even necessary to involve
others experts, stakeholders, the media etc. too.
Duration of meeting
The secret is to define relevant factors such as working time, time for rest or social activities,
travelling time, available resources (money, hotel rooms, venues etc.) and to put them into an
appropriate timeframe. Nowadays the average transnational project meetings last approximately
1½ to 2 full working days (not including travelling time).
Social activities
Nevertheless, do not underestimate the power of social activities (meals taken as a group, visits to
cultural or social events, city tours etc.), and, therefore, provide appropriate time for them. These
activities are perfect team building catalysers, as they allow participants to relax a little, and, last
but not least, they are great opportunities for learning more about the countries, cultures and citizens
of Europe.
Meeting venue
Suitable locations and venues (hotels, seminar rooms, restaurants etc.) should be used for the
meeting as it is important to create a pleasant and creative working atmosphere and to ensure the
smooth accomplishment of all the activities. The challenge is to make the partners happy without
exceeding the meeting’s budget. Nevertheless, do always consider the need for relevant technical
and other equipment (PCs, internet access, copiers, projector, flip charts, moderation cases etc.).
Language of communication
In case not all participants have sufficient knowledge of the meeting’s language you will need to
overcome this barrier by some means. For example, you could do the interpreting yourself, which is
cheap and easy to organise but is also exhausting and may tie up resources needed for other tasks.
It is more convenient to engage professional interpreters – as long as the high cost of this can be
covered somehow.
Special arrangements and needs
It may be that some of your guests have particular needs or wishes that require additional preparation
so that they feel comfortable at the meeting. This could include things such as a transfer service
to / from the airport or train station, the provision of vegetarian / vegan food, requests to visit
specific local events, organisation of a babysitter etc. To avoid surprises and disappointments you
should ask the partners well in advance whether or not they require any special arrangements
(please see form below).
Fixing the responsibilities and communication flow
By now you already know that organising a transnational project meeting means first of all a lot of
preparation work before the guests have even arrived. Therefore, make sure that tasks and responsibilities
are clearly distributed within the project group and that communication works well between
all parties involved – particularly between the promoter and the hosting partner.
Development and distribution of agenda
It goes without saying that the agenda is a key element of any meeting. In accordance with the
agenda participants will make their own travel arrangements, make preparations in line with the
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