Step into the Christmas Control Room for a unique two-day professional learning mission focused on integrity, professional judgement, anti-fraud, anti-corruption, audit, verification and the protection of EU Funds.
In a festive but high-pressure environment, participants work in teams as integrity guardians, anti-fraud analysts, auditors and verification specialists. Through realistic EU Funds scenarios, practical case studies, simulations and challenging team missions, participants investigate risks, identify red flags, test controls, challenge explanations and make professional decisions under pressure.
The programme explores key integrity and financial protection challenges, including professional behaviour and confidentiality, fraud indicators, whistleblower signals, conflicts of interest, corruption risks, weak controls and potential double funding.
Rather than simply listening to presentations, participants are expected to analyse, question, investigate and decide. The interactive format encourages professional judgement, critical thinking, teamwork and practical problem-solving — skills that can be applied directly to EU-funded programmes and projects.
The learning mission combines serious professional content with the festive atmosphere of Vienna in December, including an optional walking tour and festive food-tasting experience.
Festive atmosphere. Serious challenges. Practical decisions.
This is an opportunity to step away from routine procedures and test how you and your team respond when the evidence is incomplete, the pressure is high and the risks are not immediately visible.
Because protecting public funds requires more than knowing the rules.
It requires the judgement to spot the red flag, ask the difficult question and act before the snow covers the tracks.
Our seminars are designed for public-sector professionals, EU Funds experts and other stakeholders involved in the planning, programming, implementation, management, monitoring, verification, audit and control of EU-funded programmes and projects, including:
Whether you are involved in strategic programming, day-to-day programme management, project implementation, financial management, monitoring, verification, audit, compliance or policy development, our seminars provide practical knowledge and tools that can be applied directly in your professional environment.
Opening: “The Snow Is Falling, But the Risks Are Rising”
Opening — “The Snow Is Falling, But the Risks Are Rising” Teams enter the Christmas Control Room and receive their mission briefing.
Participants are welcomed into the fictional setting of the Christmas Control Room, where
several EU-funded programmes are approaching year-end closure. Claims must be verified,
payments must be authorised, and several sensitive integrity signals have just arrived.
Teams are formed and receive their first mission package.
Learning focus:
• Understanding the workshop mission.
• Creating a competitive but safe learning environment.
• Introducing the link between integrity, fraud prevention, risk analysis, controls
and professional judgement in EU Funds Management,Control and Audit.
Mission 1 — The Integrity Compass
Financial, Personal and Organisational Integrity Under Pressure
Teams receive a series of sharp integrity cases. Each case contains a professional
dilemma involving pressure from management, unclear rules, personal relationships,
sensitive information, gifts, time pressure or political expectations.
Mission 2 — The Dilemma Arena
Carefulness, Professional Behaviour and Confidentiality
Teams enter the Dilemma Arena. They receive more complex cases where all answers
seem partly right, but only one answer is professionally strongest.
Mission 3 — The Control Room Test
Teams receive a fictional EU-funded project file. The file looks complete at first sight, but
contains weaknesses, missing evidence and unclear explanations.
Mission 4 — The Santa’s Ethics Hotline Simulation
Handling Signals, Rumours and Whistleblower Information
A fictional signal arrives through the “Santa’s Ethics Hotline”:
Mission 5 — The Integrity Snowstorm
High-Pressure Final Round Day 1
Teams face a fast-moving simulation. Several events happen at once.
A relaxed, atmospheric afternoon to unwind after an intensive training day.
A perfect blend of culture, networking, and seasonal atmosphere.
Day 2 starts with a festive but serious message:
“Yesterday, you protected your professional judgement. Today, you protect the funds.”
Mission 6 — Red Flags in the Christmas Tree
Team Game challenge:
Teams must build a Red Flag Christmas Tree.
From Integrity Judgement to Fraud Awareness
Mission 7 — The Anti-Fraud Christmas Decorations in the Tree
Team Game challenge:
Teams create their own AFC Decorations based on their own good practices and their
own needs to protect the Funds.
Mission 8 — Strengthening the Anti-Fraud Skills and Expertise in Christmas
atmosphere
Team Game challenge:
Under the festive Christmas tree, the teams put their anti-fraud skills to the test and
sharpen them using real fraud case studies.
Mission 9 – COI Christmas Court
Conflict of Interest: Appearance, Risk or Reality?
Teams act as professional panels in the COI Christmas Court. They must assess
different conflict of interest scenarios.
Mission 10 —Anti-Corruption Essentials: The Influence Map
Gifts, Pressure, Favouritism, Collusion and Hidden Interests
Teams receive a network of people and organisations connected to a funded project.
Some connections are innocent, others may indicate corruption or conflict of interest.
Mission 11 —Double Funding Detective
One Cost, Two Claims, Many Explanations
Teams investigate a possible double funding case.
The beneficiary claims that several costs are eligible under an ESI project.
However, similar costs appear in another IPA, AMIF, ISF or national programme file.
Awards Ceremony
The Christmas Integrity & Anti-Fraud Awards
The workshop ends with a festive awards ceremony.
The winning team receives the symbolic title:
Christmas Guardians of Public Funds
This Team Game helps professionals sharpen their judgement, strengthen their
controls and protect public funds — before the snow covers the tracks.
This course will take place in the elegant and historic city of Vienna, offering a rich cultural setting and inspiring urban backdrop for an immersive learning experience.
In addition to comprehensive training materials, the seminar fee covers the following:
Please note: In some government institutions, security settings may block the form. If the form does not work, don’t hesitate to email us directly.
