LH Platter: "New ways to strengthen community partnerships in the Euregio"

One of the declared goals of the Tyrolean Euregio Presidency's presidency programme is to promote cooperation between municipalities within the European region of Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino as well as new partnerships. A practice-oriented course of the MCI Bachelor's programme "Nonprofit, Social & Health Management" addresses precisely this objective with a special project: With the support of the province of Tyrol, Dominique Nussbaum, Theresa Kohler and Mark Michael sent out a bilingual questionnaire to more than 8,000 local councillors in the European region to investigate expectations and attitudes towards community partnerships, possible success factors but also challenges. Numerous questionnaires have already been returned. The first results will be available in mid-June and then presented.

"The chosen path of cross-border cultural exchange in the European Region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino is essential to further deepen the close cooperation between the three countries. Partnerships of municipalities, schools or even associations make an important contribution to understanding, exchange and cooperation within the three parts of the country. Where people meet and exchange ideas directly, friendships develop that go far beyond institutional cooperation. And this is exactly what supports us in our goal of making the European Region tangible and tangible for the people," says Euregio President Günther Platter about the MCI project. "In an accompanying letter to the Tyrolean municipalities, we have asked them to participate in the survey in order to support this project in the best possible way and to promote the positive development of municipal partnerships in the European Region. Last year there was already an initiative to strengthen the Euregio partnerships between municipalities - we want to continue along this path," adds Johannes Tratter, head of the municipalities department. In unison, LH Platter and LR Tratter emphasise: "Research projects that combine practice and science often provide very helpful insights. For this reason, we also support this project and call on the numerous local councillors in Tyrol to participate."

Course director Siegfried Walch and project supervisor Renate Windbichler are pleased: "As an entrepreneurial university, the MCI is one of the most international universities in Europe. Nevertheless, our roots are in Tyrol, we are clearly committed to our region. It is wonderful that our students are contributing to the further coalescence of the European region Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino with their commitment."