Evaluation of Structural Fund Programmes – the Swedish experience Implementation of the mid term evaluation - lessons for the future Maria Eriksson NUTEK

Evaluation of Structural Fund Programmes – the Swedish experience Points to be addressed Introduction The Mid Tem Evaluation process Mid Term Evaluation Findings Further challenges Conclusions

NUTEK - Swedish Business Development Agency A national competence centre which promote sustainable economic growth throughout the country. The Structural Funds unit, NUTEK: Co-ordination body for all Structural Funds Paying authority for one programme Secretariat for monitoring committees for 11 programmes Evaluation Preparation of reports and forecasts for the Government Co-ordination of the Structural Funds in Sweden

The Mid Tem Evaluation process NUTEK - responsible for the procurement of evaluations of 11 of the Structural Funds Programmes Still beginners Build on the experiences from the programme period Broad involvement from the partnership

Mid Term Evaluation Findings Good progress –Projects with good quality –Strategic and dynamic projects Implementing organisations - appropriate and efficient How is more important than what Added value Limited regional economic effects

Further challenges Development needs and areas of improvement: Increased learning through exchange of experience Monitoring and evaluation - tools for learning and communication Continued development of indicators Increase the accuracy in the objectives Focus the remaining resources Increase the co-operation between the public, private and non-profit-making organisations Better integration of the horizontal themes

Conclusions Difficult to achieve a sufficiently clear picture of programme implementation Recommendation for the future: -the principle of proportionality should apply to the operation of evaluation -the importance of ongoing monitoring and steering -improve indicator frameworks and monitoring systems Maximising learning outcomes - learn from experience

Is it worth it? Investing time, money and effort in evaluation has to be justified in terms of the difference it makes to policy and programme implementation. Promote evaluation and maximise use Conclusions