Transnational Cooperation and Partnership in EQUAL Lessons from todate experience in the context of

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Transnational Cooperation and Partnership in
EQUALLessons from to-date experience in the
context of 2007-2013 programming period

• Cooperation and Partnership in Development of
  Education and Science in the Period of 2007-2013
• 11-12th of June, 2007, Vilnius
• Krzysztof Jaszczolt, National Evaluator of EQUAL
  Initiative in Poland,
• KDU-CASE Consortium, tel [phone] E-mail
  kjaszczolt_at_interia.pl

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Transnational Cooperation (TC) and Partnership in
EQUAL

• Plan
• CI EQUAL in Poland
• Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL
• Framework
• Application
• Assessment of TC in EQUAL, Poland
• Conclusions and recommendations
• Key findings from other EQUAL evaluations
• TC in 2007-2013 programming period
• Example of the OP "Human Capital" in Poland

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EQUAL in PolandKey Facts
Community Initiative EQUAL The objective of EQUAL
is to test and promote within international
co-operation new ways of combating all forms of
discrimination and inequality on the labour
market.
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EQUAL in PolandProgram structure
3 Implementation Phases Activity 1 Building
Partnerships (1-6/2005) Activity 2 Implementing
Projects (7/2005 12/2007) Activity 3
Disseminating Results (10/2007 3/2008) 5
Technical areas A Access and return to the
labour market, D Social Economy, F
Adaptability of firms and employees G
Reconciling family and professional life I
Supporting the integration of asylum-seekers 6
Principles Thematic approach, Partnership,
Empowerment, Transnational Cooperation,
Innovation, Mainstreaming
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EQUAL in PolandIntervention Logic
Developmental hypothesis of EQUAL If we - focus
on selected fields (Thematic approach), and -
allow different sectors to join their efforts
(Partnership), and - invite beneficiaries to
actively participate (Empowerment), and - create
conditions for international cooperation
(Transnationality) Then - effective mechanism to
develop innovative approaches will be created -
new solutions will be generated and tested
(Innovation) - successful ones will be widely
adopted (Mainstreaming) In result -
discrimination and inequalities in the labour
market will be limited
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EQUAL in PolandKey Facts

• - 99 Development Partnerships (DPs)
• - 99 Leaders (NGO 59, PA 16, EDU 15, Firms
  10)
• - 690 Partners (average 7 / DP)
• - Total DPs budget EUR 150 mln (average EUR
  1,5 mln / DP)
• - Resource utilization by 3/2007 Time 67,
  Budget 30

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALKey Facts

• Organization
• - TC is a Key Principle and integral part of
  every DP project
• - Each DP is obliged to enter into at least one
  TCA
• - TCA must be approved by Managing Authority in
  each country
• - Common Database of EQUAL, ECDB networking
  tool
• Resources
• - Total TC budget EUR 8,8 mln (6 of the
  program budget)
• - Expenditures by 3/2007 EUR 1,7 mln (EUR 17 600
  / DP)

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALResearch basis

• 3 Editions of on going evaluation research
• - Program monitoring data
• - Questionnaires for all DPs (leaders and
  partners)
• - Questionnaires for MA, NSS, MC
• - 40 Case Studies
• - Interviews with the key actors in the program

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALTC is a meeting
"Transnational Cooperation is about meeting
across borders and cultures to take benefits of
similarities and differences" As any other form
of meeting, - it has its goal, participants,
topic, context, etc - its effectiveness will be
higher, if it is well prepared and managed
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALTC is a meeting
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALWhy to meet?

• Key advantages
• to take benefit of multi-country experience
• to make a better use of results
• Other advantages
• - increased knowledge on discrimination and
  exclusion
• - benchmarking across Member States
• - transfer of managerial know-how
• - credibility to the work carried out by
  international partnerships

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALWho to meet
with?
Facts 142 TC Agreements signed (1,4 / DP) 490
international partners (3,4 / TCA) Country
structure of Polish DPs Italy - 22, Spain -
12, Germany 10, France 8, Other countries 48
(Lithuania 1,6)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALWho to meet
with?
Observations Time pressure constraint Effective
process in quantitative terms Generally positive
experience w/ ECDB Criteria were reasonable, but
simple Limited pool of partners and
knowledge Few already known partners
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALWhat to meet
about?
Models of TC Exchange of information /
experience Parallel development Import, export
and adaptation Common product Exchange of people
/ services
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALWhat to meet
about?

• Observations
• Most DPs didn't expect "common product or
  import/export model.
• Preference to "info exchange" and "learning" is
  natural, since DPs
• have no experience in TC
• have limited knowledge on partners
• are building relations from scratch
• are delayed with their in own products
• are self-focused

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALWhen and where
to meet?
Facts Delay of Act.1 Agreements caused problems
in setting TCAs TCAs were concluded in the 2nd
quarter of 2005 - intense contacts TC slowed down
in the beginning of Act.2 Since the 2nd quarter
of 2006 TC is systematically growing
again. Meetings abroad prevail in every phase.
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALWho pays the
bill?
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALTC framework

• Observations
• TC influence on DP project
• project design phase limited
• implementation varies
• dissemination of results ?

Different timetables and approaches expenditures
among MS Delay in financing slowed down the
process Relationship between national projects
and TNP is not clear Budget is not a problem,
liquidity is Participants are positive on the
general framework for TC in EQUAL
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALHow to meet?
Facts Most TNPs are managed by a coordinator (R1
partner or by rotation) Remaining TNPs establish
a common secretariat and a Steering Committee In
most cases technical activities are managed by a
joint workplan Preference to working-type
relations coop. forms (workshops, study-tours)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALHow to meet?
Observations Untli TC means "exchange of info"
current structures are sufficient. More
sophisticated models can be a challenge. Issues
in communication, coordination and in-consistent
expectations Relevance of TC work in the context
of national projects
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALAssessment of
TC
Two dimensions (1) Are there necessary
conditions in place to allow for effective
TC? (2) What are the results of TC?
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALAssessment of
TC
1. Willingness to cooperate and share
experience 2. Ability to cooperate (knowing
needs, having skills) 3. Possessing developed
documented products 4. Knowing rules and
procedures of TC 5. Giving consideration to
cultural context and legal limitations
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALTC Success
Factors (1)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL TC Success
Factors (2)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALBarriers
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALBarriers

• DPs perspective
• Communication,
• Coordination
• Different expectations
• Other issues personnel rotation, approvals by
  MAs, lack of time for TC.
• MA-NSS perspective
• Ability to cooperate (experience, needs)
• Delay in product development
• Communication

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALResults of TC
(1)

• By managerial and technical dimensions
• DP leaders opinion improved
• TC results refer mostly to technical sphere of
  projects
• Number of positive examples of TC increased
  (9/06 65 3/07 73),

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL Results of TC
(2)

• TC benefits by type of exchange
• information
• ideas inspirations
• transfer of tools and methods
• development of common products
• exchange of people / services

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Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL Results of TC
(3)
Observations Benefits claimed by DPs are typical
for an early phase of TN relationship - 53 of
statements refer to "info-exchange" or
"inspirations" - One of four DPs has actually
applied a solution generated through TC -
Participation in a joint TC project was mentioned
by only one of ten DPs - Instances of exchanging
services, trainers or project staff are very rare
(3)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALResults of TC
(3)
Observations In spite of the generic nature of
to date benefits, all EQUAL participants have
positive opinion on the utility of TC. Assessment
of this element of the program is getting better
in subsequent editions of the evaluation
research.
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALConclusions /
Recommendations
1. Although the conditions created for TC were
not optimal, to date results are encouraging.
Taking into account very positive opinions on
utility of TC, we have assessed this element of
the program as good (4 pts in 15 scale). 2.
Building TN relationship from the scratch is a
process that requires significant time. Linking
it with a goal to develop complex technical
project can bring an adverse effect (constraining
not supporting factor). 3. Depending on
circumstances, TC can be considered as a value by
itself, or as a horizontal objective,
subordinated to the primary goalsof the program.
In the case of demanding, innovative measures, as
EQUAL is, we recommend the latter option. (Simple
exchange of information and experience is not
sufficient to fully utilized opportunities
available through TC)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALConclusions /
Recommendations
4. In order to raise TC to more ambitious level
(exchange of tools and services, joint ventures,
etc), it should be project- not partner-driven.
To this end phase of setting TNPs should be
implemented when technical project is fully
designed. 5. To realize benefits of
international exchange at the project design
phase separate networking measures could be
implemented before the main program is launched.
Encouraging joint proposals by international
partners could additionally strengthen the
project itself, as well as increase potential of
future TC. 6. Partner database proved to be very
useful in facilitating first contact between
potential partners. Whatever approach to TC is
selected, idea of releasing information on local
entities interested / involved in ESF measures is
worth supporting.
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALConclusions /
Recommendations
7. Facilitating TN cooperation is a demanding
coordination task. Especially important seems
availability of time and financial resources. It
is recommended that networking efforts be
carefully planned, taking into account
process-related requirements. 8. A good
communication skill of technical staff is a
precondition of successful TC. An approach to
project staff selection should be reconsidered.
It seems that solutions applied in EQUAL were
only partially effective in this regard. 9.
Taking into account substantial costs of TC, as
well as its potential, good practices in
utilizing TC results should be documented and
promoted (integrating TC in project proposals,
arrangements for proper planning of study tours,
methods of sharing knowledge within project teams
and among DP partners.
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUALOther EQUAL
evaluations
Findings Guidance provided at the European level
was found useful Geographic patterns of partner
selection Approaches to internal organization of
technical works (groups, division of work) Models
of self-evaluation (external / internal
evaluator TC evaluation at the DP
level) Problems with TC feasibility after the end
of the program Recommendations EC should
consider taking over a coordinating role for
different types of TC TN projects to be planned
as own projects or simultaneously with national
projects. Organize close coordination between
all the MS (a minimum of common issues)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL2007-2013
Programming Period
Working Group on Transnational and Interregional
Cooperation (1) Programming TC - 3
options Option A A dedicated transnational
priority Option B A cross-cutting approach
Option C A comprehensive transnational
approach Strategic building blocks for efficient
TN activities Define the issues for transnational
activities Ensure effective use of the results of
TC Specify the forms or types of eligible TN
collaboration Capacity building Ensure monitoring
and assessment of achievements
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL2007-2013
Programming Period
Working Group on Transnational and Interregional
Cooperation (2) Each OP should specify the type,
scope and form of TC it wishes to support Five
common requirements Clear decisions on the
eligible activities Linking of individual project
results to policies (thematic clusters ). A
platform for partner-search and
matching. Approval of TN activities rests with
the MA who provides financing MS is responsible
for monitoring of TN (joint evaluation of
partnerships and activities.)
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL2007-2013
Programming Period
TC in OP Human Capital (Poland)
Status Negotiations w/ the Commission to be
closed in June Initial version of TC guidance by
June 15th Detailed description of priorities by
September Draft guidance (1) TC principal proved
effective and added value to the EQUAL program in
Poland (innovation, institutional capacity, TN
networks) These benefits could be yet maximized
if - TC stems directly from the needs of
particular project - Implementors receive support
at design, implementation, mainstreaming phases
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Transnational Cooperation in EQUAL2007-2013
Programming Period

• TC in OP Human Capital (Poland)
• Draft guidance (2)
• TC will be promoted in the HC OP through a
  cross-cutting, horizontal approach
• - maximum flexibility in the TC implementation
• - easy access to TN experience under all
  priorities
• Three models of TN Cooperation
• between projects that are implemented in
  different MS
• between networks of institutions that are active
  in similar technical areas
• between institutions that operate in similar
  fields and provide support to one another.

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Thank you for your attention!