Alpbach Ideas

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25 Oct, 2022

EFA365

This initiative enables joint sense-making and co-creative problem solving across EFA generations and throughout the year by fostering action with positive long-term effects for the future.

UPDATE 11 January 2023: Find the updated timeline at the bottom of this page.


Did you have a big idea during an EFA session or while reading your favourite magazine? Have you had this long-running crazy scheme in your head or are you already talking to colleagues about a specific project?

Then what are you waiting for? No matter if you are alone or together in a group or if your idea was born during EFA22 or somewhere else, if you want to contribute as a team member, as mentor or in any other way – the European Forum Alpbach warmly invites you to take part in Alpbach Ideas!

Q&A Live Online Session

WHO: Already registered members or mentors as well as all newcomers who are eager to join an existing team!

WHEN: Mon, 23 Jan 17:00-18:00 (CET)

WHERE: Teams Videocall

Register now!

What is Alpbach Ideas?

  • Alpbach Ideas is an initiative that supports participants in tackling urgent challenges with transformative approaches in the framework of the four EFA tracks.
  • With the aim of fostering concepts or ideas with positive long-term effects on a local or planetary scale, Alpbach Ideas calls for a systematic understanding of the problems we are facing today.
  • Unlikely allies are invited to find together in teams to better understand these common challenges and to develop concepts or ideas to generate integral answers and visible value.
  • Selected concepts or ideas will take part at EFA23 and set the stage for Europe’s future.

So, if you had an idea during Alpbach or already have been scheming on something in the past, Alpbach Ideas is your chance for kicking it off!

How to do that? The answer is very simple. Go to the ideas workspace, sign up and get involved! This is the place to submit your idea and to connect with other initiators, mentors, and idea-inventors. In addition, it provides further information on Alpbach Ideas, its process, and the tasks.

Keep in mind, it does not matter whether you are alone or already in a group, it does not matter whether you have an idea, or you want to contribute as mentor or whether you simply want to set an impulse – we want you to get involved and be part of Alpbach Ideas!

Framework

What's in for you?

The spirit of Alpbach inspires you? Sign up on our platform and submit your idea to

  • find ‘partners in crime’ for the realisation of your idea,
  • gain support from a mentor from the EFA network,
  • get the chance to receive funding for your selected idea,
  • participate in EFA23 and be part of its programme.

Who can contribute to Alpbach Ideas?

Every person or institution who is interested in

  • submitting a project idea and lead an Alpbach Ideas team,
  • joining an already existing Alpbach Idea as team member or mentor,
  • acting as mentor or consultant to all participants.

What does the EFA offer?

In January 2023 only a handful of project ideas will be selected by a jury to get further and more profound support. All things considered, EFA offers you

  • an online workspace platform for the submission and development of your project idea,
  • access to competent mentors and consultants from the EFA community,
  • assistance by the EFA team,
  • financial funding,
  • and participation at EFA23.

What requirements should your final idea proposal meet?

In order to be selected, a final proposal has to be submitted during the Refining Phase in January. This proposal needs to

  • elaborate on the project idea’s topic, its vision and mission. Your project idea must answer the question of how it will make a difference on a European or even a planetary scale.
  • ensure your project idea is aligned to one of EFA’s four thematic tracks (climate, democracy, finance, security) and answers the question of how it will contribute to next year’s EFA23.
  • name at least three team members and one mentor. You must clarify your team’s structure, the distribution of tasks as well as the team’s capacities in terms of time.
  • clarify how much and what kind of support you need from the EFA and other parties and provide an estimation of costs.

How do you submit your application?

If you follow this link, you will be redirected to the ideas workspace. After creating an account, you can immediately get involved with Alpbach Ideas! If you still have open questions, please either visit the platform or message us at ideas@alpbach.org. If you encounter technical difficulties with the platform please contact the technical support team directly at admin@babele.co

Possible Topics for Ideas

We took a look at the collected Ideas Cards which have been filled out by participants during EFA22 and the Ideas Camps. These following topics, aligned in no particular order to the four EFA tracks, generated most interest. Take a look!

Climate

  • Agriculture and Biodiversity
  • Carbon Reduction and Renewables
  • Cities & Living
  • Climate Communication and Raising Awareness
  • Food
  • Mobility

Finance and Economy

  • Financial Literacy
  • Investment into People
  • Capitalism
  • Sustainable Business Models
  • Tax

Democracy and Rule of Law

  • Civic and Political Education
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Emigration and Immigration
  • Hate Speech and Misinformation
  • Inequality
  • Participation and Improving Democracy
  • Populism and Polarisation
  • Racism and Discrimination
  • Education
  • Trust & Distrust

Security

  • Digital Security and Threats
  • Geopolitical Tensions
  • On-the-Ground-Action
  • War in Europe and Consequences
  • Western Balkans
  • Women in Security Politics

Timeline

  • UPDATE! APPLICATION PHASE 31 October 2022 to 9 January 2023: Application process (submitting idea concept) via the platform until January 9th 2023, 23:59 CET.
  • REFINING PHASE 17 January to 6 February 2023: Refining process (submitting final proposal)
  • SELECTION PHASE 7 February to 24 February 2023: Jury selection process
  • ANNOUNCEMENT: end of February (agreement talks until mid March 2023)

IMPORTANT DETAILS ON THE UPDATED APPLICATION PERIOD:

  • FEEDBACK ON SUBMISSIONS UNTIL 11 December: All submissions until this original deadline will remain to get valuable feedback from the EFA Team. Newly entered idea concepts as of 12 December will not benefit from this automatic feedback.
  • PLATFORM / TECH SUPPORT: In case of technical difficulties with the PROJECT IDEAS PLATFORM please get in touch with our EN tech support via admin@babele.co
  • FINAL PROPOSAL CRITERIA. More details on the refining phase (i.e. submitting final proposal) will follow soon. This will offer vital information for your proposal writing and information on how our Jury evaluate projects (i.e. allocation of points by criteria) to be supported and funded.
EN Co Funded by the EU BLACK

Apply now!

Sign up and register your idea:

Visit the Alpbach Ideas Workspace

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