Projects

The project involved research to provide the NDP/CSF Evaluation Unit and other authorities in Ireland responsible for evaluation (and those hired to carry out the evaluation work) with a range of methodological approaches to evaluate equal opportunities between women and men in the NDP.

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.

The project involved evaluation of the European Equality Partnership.

The project involved research on the integration of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) and the Urban Framework for Action (UFA) into the 2000-06 Objective 2 Structural Fund programmes. Undertaken at the same time as a parallel Objective 1 project, it had three main aims: (i) to assess whether the Policy Guidelines and Aims of the ESDP and the policy options of the UFA had been integrated into the Objective 2 programmes; (ii) to consider how this had been done, and; (iii) to draw together an overview by providing a typology of the spatial and urban actions which correspond with the integration of ESDP and UFA guidelines, aims and options

The project invovled research on the expected impact of the accession of six candidate countries - the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia - on SMEs within an enlarged Union. The study analysed the impact of enlargement at a macroeconomic, sectoral and regional level. It concluded that the general impact of enlargement on SMEs will be small. The study further concluded that SMEs were unlikely to experience impacts from enlargement that would be distinctive in their nature and scale from the effects of wider global changes in international market opportunities and increased competition from lower-cost producers (on the global market). In many sectors, the impact of enlargement would be restricted to regions close to the potential new EU Member States.

The project comprised and evaluation of the European Equality Partnership in Wales. It was conducted as part of the preparation of the 2000-06 Structural Fund programmes .

The project involved research investigating the implications of the 2000-6 reform of the Structural Funds for the Dublin region. Following the loss of Objective 1 status, part of the region became eligible for Objective 2. The study considered the options for designating Objective 2 areas.

The project involved a synthesis and assessment of the achievements, experiences and lessons of Objective 2 interventions in the period 1989-99, drawing out practical recommendations for the 2000-06 programming period. The study took a horizontal perspective, examining commonalities and contrasts between Member States and regions, and a longitudinal view, identifying progressive changes across three programming periods (1989-93, 1994-96 and 1997-99). Research included: an overview of Objective 2 programme implementation; a country-by-country review of Structural Fund organisation and practices; the content of Objective strategies, the origins and application of the horizontal themes of employment creation, RTDI, environmental integration and gender mainstreaming; and, monitoring and evaluation.

This project involved research for a 'meta-evaluation’ of the Structural Funds in the Nordic countries led by Nordregio. EPRC research examined commonalities and contrasts between Nordic regional policy and EU regional policy, highlighting the impact of EU regional policy, and in particular the Structural Funds.

The IQ-Net project involves comparative research and knowledge exchange on the management and implementation of EU Structural Funds programmes. Funded by national and regional authorities from across the EU, the project investigates how EU Cohesion policy is implemented on the ground, and facilitates policy learning and exchaneg of experience on themes relating to programme design, management and delivery.

Visit the project website here.