2021 – no year like all the others
Despite our hopes for the return of a more or less normal life, 2021 turned out to be yet another year marked by the impact of the pandemic on European project work. Online meetings and events instead of face-to-face meetings remained dominant for much of the year, as in the previous one. And as much as we missed the face-to-face exchange with our colleagues, the digital formats worked surprisingly well.
So well, in fact, that they have probably changed our working modes in an international context permanently. Even though we will certainly not want to and cannot do without the very special quality of personal transnational working meetings and professional exchange at conferences across borders in the future, we will nevertheless examine more carefully than before which occasions could perhaps be organised just as well digitally. This will not least have a positive effect on the protection of our climate. Our EU projects will be greener, not only in the topics, but also in implementation. We have developed internal guidelines for this, which we will share with our project partners at the beginning of next year.
Notwithstanding the pandemic, the new EU funding programmes for the period 2021-2027 have started in 2021. We have had a very successful start, especially in the relaunch of Erasmus+, with many approved projects with previous and new project partners. This makes us confident and expectant with regard to project cooperation in the coming year.
Stay optimistic and healthy and enjoy the Christmas holidays and the start of 2022!