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GROWING EVALUATION CAPACITY THE MID TERM EVALUATION IN OBJECTIVE 1 AND 2 REGIONS 8 OCTOBER 2004. Process of the Mid Term Evaluation. PROCESS. Partnership Working Evaluators Quality Cost. PARTNERSHIP.
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GROWING EVALUATION CAPACITYTHE MID TERM EVALUATION IN OBJECTIVE 1 AND 2 REGIONS8 OCTOBER 2004
PROCESS • Partnership Working • Evaluators • Quality • Cost
PARTNERSHIP • Partners: Commission, Member State, Managing Authority, Monitoring Committee, Evaluator, Beneficiary • Steering Groups: positive contribution • Organisation: generally a strong point • Timing: work started appropriately early
EVALUATORS • 170 companies • Growing incidence of consortia • Limited transnational working • Some evaluators over-stretched • No significant increase in the size of the marketplace of evaluators
QUALITY (1)(Assessment by Commission on basis of MEANS criteria)
QUALITY (2) • Positive Result showing increased evaluation capacity, but • Reports not too severely judged given breadth • Too much analysis and editorial work compressed into short period (draft final reports often not finished)
COST AND COST EFFECTIVENESS • Over €35 million in total for Objectives 1 and 2: • Resources appropriate, but cost effectiveness limited by: • timing, • breadth of evaluation, and • methodological weaknesses
METHODOLOGIES Mix of methodologies including desk and primary research to include evaluation of: • developments in programme environment • implementation mechanisms • performance of measures, priorities and programme
DESK RESEARCH • Included in all evaluations • Difficulties with monitoring information: • late or slow start of programmes • monitoring systems not yet functioning
PRIMARY RESEARCH • Surveys • Focus Groups/Workshops • Case Studies
METHODOLOGIES - CONCERNS • Limited primary research • Weak monitoring data • Analysis • Over-emphasis on financial analysis • Conclusions and Recommendations • Presentation of the reports
FINDINGS OF THE EVALUATIONS 1. Key Evaluation Questions • Appropriateness of Strategy • Effectiveness • Efficiency • Quantification of Objectives • Implementation Systems 2. Contribution to Lisbon Priorities • Transport • Knowledge Based Economy • Entrepreneurship and Financial Instruments • Social Inclusion • Environment and Sustainable Development
KEY EVALUATION QUESTIONS • Limited Need for Strategy Shifts • Effectiveness – Much Activity Underway after a Slow Start • Macro-economic Impacts • Results and Outputs • Efficiency – A Start Made in the Analysis of Unit Costs • Quantification of Objectives – an Urgent Need for Improvements • Implementation Systems – Significant Improvements compared to the Past
CONTRIBUTION TO LISBON PRIORITIES • Transport – Good progress in large Road and Rail projects; smaller scale projects behind schedule • Knowledge Based Economy • Research, Innovation, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) – A growing priority with good results in Objective 2 regions; slower but definite progress being made in Objective 1 regions • Human Capital
CONTRIBUTION TO LISBON PRIORITIES (1) • Entrepreneurship and Financial Instruments –Performing well but affected by the global economic downturn • Social Inclusion – Integrated actions are most effective but are resource intensive • Environment and Sustainable Development – more consideration needed of the practical implementation of horizontal priorities
USES OF THE EVALUATIONS • Mid Term Review • Adaptation of Implementation Systems • Disseminating information about the Structural Funds • Feeding debate on public policies
USING THE EVALUATIONS • Who used the evaluation? • In what way? • Were financial allocations changed? • Were implementation methods changed? • Are the evaluations freely available? • Has there been public debate? • Is there any intention to further consider findings? • Did any factors militate against use?
STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES • Strengths: • Organisation and planning • Partnership • Allocation of Resources • Increased evaluation capacity • Weaknesses • Rigid deadline • Breadth of requirements • ToR not sufficiently adapted • Quality concerns
CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE • Further Strengthening Evaluation Capacity • Managing evaluations – human and financial resources • Evaluators – commitment to quality and more targeted methodologies • New Member States – building on experiences • Improved Monitoring Systems • Creating a Platform for exchange of experience