To stimulate and assist policy formulation and operational activities in Member countries by: reviewing and seeking to improve evaluation methodology as applied to local development and the social economy; and promoting the appraisal and exchange of information on innovative local programmes of economic, employment and social development.
Output:
- Evaluation of local development.
A conference held in 2002 on methodology for the evaluation of local development will be followed by a publication in 2003. It is often the case that inadequate thought is given to the economics of many local development programmes, and initiatives frequently undergo no, or only superficial, ex post evaluation. This comprehensive review would outline the main evaluation problems usually present in widely used local economic development programmes. The review will also relate current thinking on how to evaluate "soft" social programmes, how to use cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness techniques, and how to collect and use evaluation data in a cost-efficient manner. It is intended that each chapter would give theoretically sound and practically-oriented guidance to persons working on the design, monitoring and assessment of local development programmes. Based on this work, consideration will likewise be given to whether reviews of evaluation practice in member countries would constitute a follow-up activity for which there is a need.
- Industrial restructuring.
Study visits, the preparation of papers, a seminar and a publication will be organised in 2003 on the subject of best practices in local development in former European Union Objective 2 areas in North-Rhine Westphalia, contingent on finalisation of a prospective grant. The project will result in a publication providing recommendations for policymakers in North Rhine Westphalia. However, on the basis of comparative analysis this work will also seek to draw conclusions of broader relevance to policymakers elsewhere confronting challenges associated with industrial restructuring.
