British Council

Supporting the Creative Economy

In 2020, the British Council conducted a Training Needs Assessment of civil servants working in Turkey’s Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) and the Creative Economy. The assessment revealed a demand for policymakers to better understand how the CCI’s can support government policy in a variety of areas.

CAO was commissioned to develop an immersive, self-guided, online programme on Creative Economy policymaking. Designed to build civil servants and sector professionals' understanding of the Creative Economy, the programme offered insights, case studies, and practical tools to support policy development.

The programme drew on demand for UK experience in the region, fostering peer networks between the UK and Wider Europe. 

The online asynchronous Supporting the Creative Economy (SCE) programme was first launched in March 2022 with 300 policymakers in the first cohort and has expanded to include both in-person and hybrid formats in Turkey, Central Asia, Ukraine, Egypt and Southeast Asia. In 2024, CAO was asked to update the content of the existing six modules and produce a centralised version of the programme that could be easily rolled out by British Council offices globally. Updating of programme content was shaped through consultation with a steering group of global experts, as well as workshops, surveys, and interviews with in-country British council teams and local partners.

So far, over 2,500 participants worldwide have completed the programme.  With the updated content, we aim to reach even more people, helping to build a strong global network of informed policymakers. Participants of the programme said:

“The program was brilliant! It covered almost every topic related to the CCIs. I have gained significant knowledge which I have not had before.”

“The structure of the program (modules) are well organised and the speakers are the best in their fields”

“The program was well structured program by high profile professionals and the content was amazing in terms of the topics covering the CCIs. Furthermore, it created a sense of unity around the mutual problems in the field around the globe.” 

“Learning through successfully implemented examples and learning from some of the leading professionals in the CCIs was a great strength of this programme.”