The new Swedish Institute

1. The new Swedish Institute Sharing Sweden with the world

2. The Swedish Institute – 60 years of public diplomacy • Founded 1945 as a non-profit association – public agency 1998 • 2006 Budget appr. SEK 220 million, staff 80 • Centre Culturel Suédois in Paris • The work is carried out in collaboration with Swedish embassies and consulates around the world • A center of excellence in the promotion of Sweden, focusing on analysis and strategy

3. Swedish Institute’s activities in brief • Putting Sweden on the world map through a broad set of public diplomacy/nation-branding activities • Creating and sustaining relationships with other countries through exchanges in the fields of culture, education, research and public life in general • Overall goal to promote Sweden. Special assignments within international development cooperation programs • From information and exchange to strategic communications and relationship building • Culture and education play a central role in the work

4. New strategy Concentrated activities for greater impact through: • More focus on our main task: the image of Sweden • Working from a brand perspective – internally and externally • Target group analysis and prioritized geographical locations • Measurable goals and more efficient evaluation • Better coordination with the Swedish Diplomatic Missions • Being a centre of excellence for the overall promotion of Sweden • Increased focus on PR/media • Focus on attracting key talent from abroad • Focus on activating Swedes

5. New organization • One Institute, not three • Focus on function, not area of expertise • More concentration on analysis and evaluation • Better coordination and cooperation with the Swedish Diplomatic Missions and the Council for the Promotion of Sweden • Department for Branding and Coordination • Department of Communications and Public Relations • Department for Events and Projects • Department for Intercultural Relations • Department of Administration and Services • CCS, The Swedish Institute in Paris

6. Geographic priorities2007-2010

7. Background – putting Sweden on the map and creating relationships with the world • concentrate our efforts where we have the best chance of having an impact in creating awareness, confidence and interest in Sweden • where do we get the greatest effect (awareness/goodwill/ relationships) for each tax krona invested? • today’s aim of working to affect everyone in every region across the world is unrealistic – especially in view of the funds the Institute has at its disposal for this purpose

8. Geographic priorities - Targets By setting priorities and working long-term, there is an increase in the likelihood that: • we can achieve results, • we can develop effective collaboration with local parties and development partners (especially locally with Swedish diplomatic missions abroad), • we can develop our knowledge about local target groups and follow their understanding and image of Sweden, • we can monitor, evaluate and present concrete results to a greater extent (to a greater extent with NSU and selected Swedish missions abroad).

9. Reaching the target group – parallel processes • Having a continuous global presence via the Internet • Having a local presence through our collaborative partners, via Swedish diplomatic missions abroad or directly = Both ways of working are important – the mix has to be discussed, as does how they will work together – it is crucial to give priority to proactive operations and work consistently with the “progressive target group” regardless of the channel and way of working.

10. Starting points To increase the impact of our activities by maximising our chances of creating a “rings on the water” ripple effect in order to reach as many in our priority target group as possible. • To be where the "progressive target group" is or in the places it keeps tabs on • To be “where things are happening” – where there are clear advances in culture, the economy and science • To be where there is a clear national, regional and global emphasis (in terms of the economy, culture, science and the media) = Dynamic, global and cosmopolitan centres on which the eyes of the world are focused

11. Breakdown of SI operations collaborating with Swedish missions abroad • Basic level of operations /“embassy service” (more demand-driven): • the web, information material (printed material, posters, CD-ROMs, mini-exhibits etc.) and films. • SI as an expertise centre for promotion via the Internet (SPF) and SI’s helpdesk. • Levels given priority (proactive operations): • active local efforts (projects, PR projects, study and media visits, customised tools, possibly new grant programmes etc.) • active as an expertise centre/collaborative partner = development of local expertise, joint analysis and evaluation, pooled media issues – develop close, continuous collaboration

12. The Process • Different surveys have been carried out Sweden Image starting points (SASU/NBI): • Least awareness in regions farthest away (geographically and culturally) • Low level of awareness = low confidence = low interest Potential comprehensive shift in our priorities: • Increased emphasis on Asia and strategic “distant markets” • (Potentially greater focus on the Middle East if SI gets a special commission)

13. Criteria from the sample of cities: • SI’s official brief: Europe, North America, China, Japan, India and Brazil • Sweden Image starting points (we will be where the need is greatest) • Emphasis on the city (cultural, economic, scientific, media) in the region • Degree of dynamics and openness • Conditions in SI’s budget (promotion/collaboration on development) • Swedish representation locally • Good geographic spread Number: • How many do we have the resources to work with? = A decision will soon be made

14. Focus areas 2007-2010

15. Focus areas – the objective To make it easier to set mutual short-term and long-term priorities in choosing operations. This is a practical way of linking the Institute’s operational focus to the main message of the communicative platform and to relevant present-day phenomena and areas in which Sweden currently has an attractive advantage or interesting experience to relate, from the perspective of the rest of the world.

16. Criteria • base them on the strategic choices and messages of the communicative platform • work well from both a one-year and three-year perspective (preferably longer) • be up-to-date and at the cutting edge of development in culture, societal issues, education or science • find an interesting Swedish phenomenon to show and tell people about • find international interest in Sweden in these areas • find relevant collaborative partners linked to areas both in Sweden and abroad • Be able to link these to the focus areas of promotion at other organizations (IT, environmental technology, etc.) and other partners (culture/education)

17. Proposed focus areas 2007-2010: • Sustainability – the environment, development and balance “The sustainable society” • New creativity – design, music and pioneering popular culture“The young progressive Sweden” • Openness – equality, freedom of expression and tolerance “The open, inclusive, non-hierarchical society” • Development without boundaries – technology, culture and science “The borderland between culture, science and technological progress”