Border Information Points - Sub-Project Scientific Monitoring and Evaluation

The main objective of the project, "Preparation and implementation of a system of border information points along the German-Polish border (GIP)", is the creation of an operational network for the establishment and operation of border information points (GIP) on the Polish-German border. GIPs provide information, personalized guidance, and referral services on matters related to cross-border activities. They operate within a coordinated network under a unified brand, co-developing a bilingual digital portal for the Polish-German border region that directs people to topic-specific advice services offered by agencies and organizations. The GIPs also facilitate one-on-one consultations, conducted via email, phone, or in person, based on requirements and availability.

In this model, GIPs act as a “front office” for identifying and addressing individual consultation needs. For more complex inquiries, GIPs refer clients to topic-specific services (“back office”), providing additional support if required. This structure aims to integrate, support, and alleviate specialized advisory services. Through this "front and back office" framework, German and Polish network partners are actively engaged, enhancing the effectiveness of their services. This cross-border collaboration will foster development potential within the INTERREG program area of Brandenburg (BB) and Poland (PP). Additionally, the inclusion of associated partners (aP) from neighboring program areas (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern/BB-Poland and Saxony-Poland) will stimulate GIP development in these regions within the German-Polish cross-border cooperation area. By consolidating information in a digital platform and establishing two border info points to address all cross-border queries, the project expects to improve access to relevant information and existing advisory services for cross-border activities. Clients will be guided to specific advisory services or referred there by GIP consultants, enhancing quality and efficiency in cross-border guidance. This system reduces the likelihood of uninformed decisions that can lead to unnecessary social, financial, and economic costs. As a pilot, this project represents a unique innovation within the Brandenburg-Poland program area.

The project, grounded in cross-border cooperation, contributes to the INTERREG program’s joint action goal of improving information flow between partners. Ten project partners, including five associated partners, are collaborating on this initiative for the first time. The Viadrina Center B/ORDERS IN MOTION engages in the project with scientific support, evaluation and the coordination of the strategic planning. Together with partners, the Center team defines content priorities, networking strategies and implementation steps to maximise the effectiveness of resources. Scientific support includes the provision of evidence-based knowledge for project development and implementation. This includes socio-pedagogical guidance on counselling methods, research techniques on legal and policy developments affecting cross-border counselling, and approaches to context- and language-sensitive information provision. Evaluation will include formative assessments during the project and a summative evaluation at the end of the project.

The partnership agreement was signed on September 4, 2024. A report on this was published in the Viadrina Logbook. [in German]