Hi everyone, I am Veronica Dalla Valle, an IVY Reporter for the Managing Authority of Interact in Bratislava.

I have been deployed here for almost 3 months, during which I was able to gain many interesting insights into Interreg programmes and how they work.

Since for my bachelor’s thesis I researched Cohesion policy (and the ERDF in particular), I was able to start this experience with already a good framework of knowledge for understanding how Interreg fits in the EU programming.

But no worries! Even without knowing much about Cohesion policy, the ERDF, or Interreg, AEBR gives out all the needed information before starting your IVY journey, and the rest can be easily learned along the way.

Additionally, if this shouldn’t be enough for you, Interact offers free certified trainings and short courses through Interact Academy, where one can find many trainings for different skill levels, including courses for Interreg beginners.  

Speaking about Interact, this programme operates a bit differently compared to other Interreg programmes. In fact, Interact is one among four Interreg Programmes under Strand C: Interregional Cooperation, meaning that it works at pan-European level, covering all EU Member States and partner countries. Specifically, Interact’s mission is exemplified by the statement “cooperation can be complex; our job is to make it easier”. As such, Interact doesn’t fund other projects, but rather its aim is to ensure the exchange of experiences, innovative approaches and capacity building among cooperation actors.

In particular, the contribution of Interact to Cohesion policy is highlighted by its Operations of Strategic Importance (OSIs), which are:

• Interact Academy: as mentioned above, it offers certified training and short courses, with the aim of equipping people working in Interreg with enhanced skills and knowledge.
• Harmonised Implementation Tools (HIT): harmonised, best-practice tools for Interreg programmes.
• Interreg Data Exchange (Index): it’s a platform that enables programmes using HIT to exchange data earlier in the process than otherwise possible, because it focuses on application stage data.
• Joint Electronic Monitoring System (Jems): it’s the harmonised monitoring and reporting software for Interreg.

As an IVY, both if you are a Reporter or a Project Partner, a very useful tool developed by Interact that you might like to interact with (pun intended) is keep.eu. This is a public database with aggregated data regarding projects and beneficiaries of EU cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation programmes, covering the programming periods since 2000-2006.

Now, coming to my role as IVY for Interact, I am mainly involved with communication and organization tasks. One very cool thing for me is that, since Interact has implementing offices in four different countries, I not only collaborate with my team in Bratislava, but I also engage with colleagues from Vienna, Valencia, Turku and Viborg. This has allowed me to be involved in many different and interesting activities, like Interreg Cooperation Day, with an event organized by Interact in Bratislava.

Here, I supported in the setting up of a photo exhibition in front of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region building. Another key role has been helping with the planned improvements for our website, using CMS.

Additionally, I will be supporting with the Interreg wide and Interact’s-own consultations, in preparation for the Harvesting Event that will be held in Brussels at the end of November. Moreover, I have also been able to support with the preparations for Interact’s stand at the European Week of Regions and Cities. And finally, I have had the opportunity to participate in many online and in-person meetings, like the Team meeting on Interact’s Branding and Visual Identity that was held in the eco-centre in Čunovo, which was renovated with the contribution of funds from Interreg Slovakia-Austria, Interreg Slovakia-Hungary and the Bratislava Region.

– Veronica Dalle Valle, IVY Reporter at the Managing Authority of Interact