Projects

The project aimed to produce guidance on mainstreaming equality, or equality proofing, that is accessible, user friendly, comprehensive and tailored to the specific needs of the Scottish Executive. In this way, it aimed to review the current guidance produced within the UK, the EU and in other relevant policy jurisdictions with a view to identifying best practice examples. Secondly, it identified the measures necessary to mainstream equality within the policy-making and implementation procedures of the Scottish Executive. Thirdly, it identified and codified the issues involved in mainstreaming equality in specific sectors such as housing, enterprise, transport, agriculture and rural development. Finally, it distilled the good practice examples into an accessible guidance manual on how to mainstream equality.

This project involved research for the Scottish-Nordic Regional Co-operation Seminar held at Skibo Castle, Scotland in February 2001. The research covered issues such as: discussion of how the changing concepts and practice of regional development across Western Europe; trends in ‘classical’ regional policy in Scotland and the Nordic countries, with a comparison of the different national regional aid policies; review of the ‘contemporary’ regional policies in these countries and the use of strategic regional development planning under EU and domestic regional policies; and, discussion on the key changes in the institutional infrastructure for economic development.

The project involved benchmarking research to highlight good practice in several critical aspects of cluster policy design: project selection; programme monitoring; and policy evaluation. Based on a comparative study of policy practice across Europe, the project has identified appropriate procedures, indicators and methodologies for assessing cluster development projects both before and after receiving government assistance. It is largely based on case studies of cluster policies in different parts of Western Europe.

The project involved research on how investor perceptions of Scotland as a location differed from those held within Locate in Scotland.

The project involved research comparing regional business aid provision in Finland with that found in designated regional aid areas in the EU Member States and Norway. The research focused on four key features of regional aid regimes: the range and types of business aid on offer; the main criteria governing eligibility for business aid; maximum rates of award and determinants of award values; and a comparison of regional business aid expenditure across countries and over time.

The project reviews the different regional policy instruments used in the EU, focusing on different types of financial instruments and support measyres for the business environment as well as the organisation of regional policy support.

The project involved research on the possibility of a strategic approach in the Baltic countries to rural/regional development, targeted on the more disadvantaged sections of the population.

The project involved analysis of the gender impact of public expenditure in order to aid governments in achieving a more effective targeting of available resources with regard to current spending. It aimed to understand the dynamic nature of the budget process by analysing how the first round of spending plans were drawn up and providing an introduction to the evolution of a distinctly Scottish policy and decision-making process. One of the key objectives of this exercise was to identify the access points in the budgetary process where strategic input was made, and, to begin the analysis of the link between policy objectives and spending plans. The research findings complemented ongoing developments examining public expenditure in Scotland with the intention of improving effectiveness and efficiency, within the ‘Best Value and Budget Review’ framework, in the delivery of the Executive’s programme.

The project involved evaluation of the European Equality Partnership.

The project involved research on the methods of co-financing subsidies on such soft loan schemes where such subsidies would still be needed after the end of the Structural Funds’ eligibility period due to the loans maturing after that date.