2. Organising co-operation
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
Organising co-operation
Most large German cities have their own department for statistics and urban research to support urban planning.
KOSIS-Verbund – established in 1981 – is an open association of more than 100 European, mainly German municipalities and public institutions promoting the municipal statistical information system.
Cities and other public institutions co-operate in self-governing sub-groups to develop statistical tools and organise urban data collections.
The KOSIS association for the Urban Audit is one of them. 

3. Urban Audit data collection
In Germany, half the city data to be collected and all sub-city data are provided by the cities or estimated by them from state statistics.
The Urban Audit is organised by the KOSIS association of UA cities, in co-operation with Federal and State statistics.
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation

4. Co-operative analysis of the UA with “Dashboard” *)
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
Co-operative analysis of the UA with “Dashboard” *)
- 1 -
*) European Statistical Laboratory of the Commission’s Joint Research Centre JRC
Comparison between cities

5. Co-operative analysis of the UA with “Dashboard” *)
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
Co-operative analysis of the UA with “Dashboard” *)
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Comparing aspects of one city
*) European Statistical Laboratory of the Commission’s Joint Research Centre JRC

6. German cities’ long tradition in perception surveys
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
German cities’ long tradition in perception surveys
Number of German UA-cities recently asking citizens about their perception of
Source: Difu – German Institute for Urban Affairs

7. “Coordinated perception survey on the quality of life in DE cities”
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
“Coordinated perception survey on the quality of life in DE cities”
Initiated by the KOSIS association of Urban Audit cities
Managed by a sub-group of VDSt, the association of German municipal statisticians, chair of the sub-group: Ulrike Schoenfeld-Nastoll, Oberhausen
Involving 15 cities not included in the EU sample
Conducted by IFAK institute at the same time (Nov.-Dec.2006) as the survey of the EU, with the same questions, same method (telephone interviews), sample size per city
DG Regio and the German cities group agreed to exchange the data for combined comparisons.
The cities can make their own analyses, in addition to common evaluations.
Repeated attempts to encourage similar projects in other countries remained without success, so far.

8. This is a clean city (mean)
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
Cleanliness & satisfaction to live in this city – „Co-ordinated perception survey“
Koblenz
Stuttgart
Wiesbaden
Darmstadt
Freiburg
Heidelberg
Nürnberg
Dresden
Köln
Bremen
Konstanz
Braunschweig
Oberhausen
Frankfurt am Main
Saarbrücken
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.8 2
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
(mean) quality of life
Fitted values
r= .664
Strongly disagree
Satisfaction to live in this city (mean)
Strongly agree
This is a clean city (mean)
Source: Stefanie Neurauter, Anke Schöb, Ulrike Schönfeld-Nastoll – presentation in Gera 2007

9. Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
Green space area per capita and citizens‘ satisfaction – UA data and “Co-ordinated perception survey“
Green space area per capita
Proportion “very satisfied”
Source: Stefanie Neurauter, Anke Schöb, Ulrike Schönfeld-Nastoll – presentation in Gera 2007

10. Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
27,2
31,3
40,8
29,5
31,9
49,4
34,7
41,8
37,0
60,2
45,8
35,5
60,3
49,0
45,5 0%
25%
50%
75%
Konstanz
Koblenz
Darmstadt
Heidelberg
Saarbruecken
Freiburg
Oberhausen
Braunschweig
Wiesbaden
Dresden
Nuernberg
Bremen
Stuttgart
Frankfurt
Koeln
Anteil sehr zufrieden
Satisfaction with cultural facilities – “Coordinated perception survey”
Size of city
% very satisfied
Source: Stefanie Neurauter, Anke Schöb, Ulrike Schönfeld-Nastoll – presentation in Gera 2007

11. Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
Conclusions
Nothing can generate awareness for necessary actions better than a demonstration of strengths and weaknesses by comparison.
Co-operation creates comparability and can lead to even more effective surveys.
“I feel safe / rather safe”
Source: Bureau for Statistics and Urban Research “Living in Nuremberg” 2005

12. Thank you for listening! …any questions?
Comparison across cities – the example of German co-operation
Thank you for listening!
…any questions?
For further information please visit the German Urban Audit cities website:
or send an to Klaus Trutzel via