Eurodesk Brussels Link recently participated in the annual Communication and Information Officers Staff Training (CIOST 2026), which took place from 18 to 22 May 2026 in Larnaca, Cyprus. The event brought together communication officers from various National Agencies across Europe to network and share practices within youth communication.
This year’s edition was co-organised by IDEP Cyprus (the National Agency of Cyprus for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps) and the SALTO Participation & Information Resource Centre. Facilitated by Carmine Rodi and Antonela Kotsoni, the training focused on the theme “How can communication officers shape the next programming period?”, with specific sub-topics dedicated to future skills, organisational preparedness, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence.
The core programme featured updates from the European Commission, setting the scene for the upcoming EU programming period. Key sessions addressed institutional readiness and professional development, including “Future skills for communication officers: what skills do we need & how can we hone them?” and “How do we become future-ready as communication teams?”.
Adopting the interactive “Open Space” methodology, CIOST also allowed participants to directly contribute to the agenda, propose thematic sessions, and choose their working groups based on professional relevance.
Eurodesk Brussels Link was actively involved in the training, with Luca Gottifredi leading an Open Space session titled “How to adapt your website to be AI-friendly”. The presentation covered the fundamentals of both Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), explaining how to improve them through a cohesive dual strategy. To make the session more practical, participants were provided with concrete tools and roadmaps for implementation. The session also addressed critical ethical considerations and AI principles, drawing directly from Eurodesk’s Guide on the use of AI in youth information services.
But the highlights didn’t end there! At the traditional and highly anticipated CIOST Awards, Luca presented a pitch titled “The Friday Night Tech Nightmare”, which detailed the turbulent launch of the new Eurodesk website, initially derailed by unexpected caching and Cloudflare issues. After sharing the technical hurdles, Luca showcased the final and successful outcome of the website, closing with the takeaway that “sometimes messy journeys lead to beautiful destinations.” This mix of transparency and humour led Eurodesk Brussels Link to take home two awards: Best F*ck-Up and Best Pitch.
Overall, CIOST 2026 provided the network with a valuable space for professional networking, active participation, and the exchange of innovative practices. The combination of workshops and collaborative activities offered participants inspiration to guide communication strategies for the next programming period.
