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European Sustainable Energy Week
  • News blog
  • 21 December 2022
  • European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency
  • 3 min read

Five tips to boost your policy session application

Make the most of your application to host a session at this year’s European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) Policy Conference by covering this checklist we prepared to help you make your session as engaging as possible.

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The criteria outlined in the guidelines are already a useful resource to check before you apply, but these tips will help you on your way to putting together an application that shines.  

 

PERTINENCE: HOW ARE YOU CONTRIBUTING TO THE CONVERSATION? 

The topic you and your organising partners present is at the heart of your proposal. Offering insights that actively engage with the EU’s energy policy priorities and this year’s theme of ‘Accelerating the clean energy transition - towards lower bills and greater skills’ is key. Whether you choose to spotlight organisations aligned with the European Year of Skills or explore ways to increase affordability for citizens, make sure to prioritise topic angles and speaker contributions that add to the current conversation in a meaningful way. 

A good rule of thumb is to question why this specific discussion should take place at this year’s edition. What makes this angle so relevant to the current moment and how will the EUSEW community benefit from participating in this discussion? 

 

ORIGINALITY: WHAT IS NEW? 

Your proposal surely already includes something engaging and relevant to Europe’s renewable energy community, but think about what is distinct about your approach. It is common for many applications to cover a single theme, so being inventive will help your application stand out. Perhaps you are including or partnering with an organisation doing truly innovative work, or combining a specialist local perspective with a Europe-wide angle. 

Ask yourself what your session will offer that will set it apart from other sessions on the same subject. If you can clearly define what makes your content unique, you are on the winning track.  

 

DIVERSE VIEWS: WHAT WILL SPARK A LIVELY DISCUSSION? 

When it comes to selecting organising partners and speakers, one of the main questions is whether they represent a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds. Being able to hear different outlooks and experts from distinct areas (and even different ages) will allow speakers to engage with one another and have a real debate. Ensuring gender balance and geographical diversity is key, as is selecting speakers from different kinds of organisations and structures. 

Even after ensuring a diverse range of speakers, you may wish to consider what is striking about each of their perspectives. 

 

MATURE AGENDA: WHICH OF YOUR SPEAKERS ARE ALREADY ON BOARD? 

We have seen how good speakers are vital for a strong policy session, so it is never too early to reach out to experts you want to secure for your panel. Preference will be given to applications who can already confirm the involvement of their speakers. For the quickest overview of who were the experts behind EUSEW 2022, check our selection of speaker quotes.  

 

INTERACTIVITY: MEET YOUR AUDIENCE WHERE THEY ARE 

Interactivity (especially in the context of a hybrid event) is a valuable tool. Not only will it help the audience feel more engaged but will also give you a better idea of who is in the room and what their interests and priorities are. Opening your session with a quick poll or brainstorm also means that the discussion which is co-created with the audience leads to better questions – during and after the panel. 

The question to ask is how can I find out more about my audience and keep them engaged throughout the duration of my session. What would be the ideal moment to introduce these engagement tools? 

 

The deadline for the call for sessions has now passed, and no further applications will be accepted. Applicants can expect to be informed about whether their session has been accepted by the end of March.  

You can also explore other opportunities to get involved in EUSEW 2023 and make sure you are on our mailing list to keep in the loop about EUSEW 2023. 

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