Austria ranks 14th in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index. Nevertheless, in recent years, Austrian newspapers have been full of corruption headlines.
However, for a large part of the population in Austria it is not obvious how corruption can occur, where bribery begins, whether gifts can be accepted or not. To give an example, it is often discussed which gifts can be given to teachers at the end of a semester. A travel voucher can be contrary to the law, but many parents are not aware of that.
According to Section 4 Paragraph 3 of the Federal Act on the Establishment and Organisation of the Federal Bureau of Corruption, the Federal Bureau of Anti-corruption (BAK) is obliged to raise awareness, develop appropriate anti-corruption measures and promote integrity.
This corruption prevention work has been carried out by the BAK since its foundation. Since 2012, pupils have been an indispensable target group as young people do not yet think in political terms, value education and can actually be effective, and it is possible to appeal to their sense of injustice.
The National Anti-corruption Strategy (NACS) was adopted by the Council of Ministers in January 2018. This strategy must now be implemented in ministries, states and municipalities. An important part of the NACS is to raise awareness and train specific target groups. In the first two-year NACS Action Plan, adopted in January 2019, one of the measures is to increase the number of anti-corruption training courses.
Thus, in 2018 numerous anti-corruption school events were carried out, reaching more than 500 pupils. Such events, however, are very time-consuming for BAK staff while reaching only a limited number of people. To reach the target group to a greater extent while deploying a smaller amount of resources, new methods had to be found.
The main objective of the project was to raise awareness in young people concerning the dangers of corruption. Our initial question was how to reach this target group and how to appeal to them. We came to the conclusion that the new media were the tools of choice when striving to reach civil society – young people in particular – and attempting to raise their awareness with regard to anti-corruption issues. Mobile applications are a preferred medium to obtain and exchange information, particularly for the target group of adolescents and young adults. Therefore, the BAK decided to work together with a Höhere Technische Lehranstalt or HTL (higher technical education institute ) in Mistelbach, Lower Austria, to develop an app. We addressed pupils on the topic of corruption and dilemma situations.
BAK employees cooperated with two groups of students to develop possibilities for an awareness-raising campaign in the form of a game. They chose dilemma situations for the game which addressed young people’s lives to the greatest extent possible. The intensive involvement of young people in the development process helped make the app particularly appropriate for and attractive to the target group. The programming of the app prototype as well as conceptual preparatory work were carried out by HTL students as part of their diploma theses (final theses) and presented at graduation. These prototypes were the basis for the app ‘Correct or Corrupt?’