Community, Innovation and Learning:European Dimensions

Dr. Alan BruceDublin 25 May 2013

Overview

• Learning and innovation in Europe• Supporting changing communities• Background to European resources• Money, training, exchange• Accessing resources• Developing sustainable linkage• Transforming our world

Contexts

• The European Union and its origins• Expansion, hope and change• The impact of shock: oil crisis, German

reunification, Balkan wars, the crisis of 2008• A new Europe for a new century• Identity and community

Contours of modern Europe

• From common market to Union• Economic powerhouse: the social model• Free movement of labour• Diversity, complexity and danger zones• The impact of globalization• Triumph of neo-liberalism: the end of growth• Mass unemployment

Changing worlds

• Dimensions of crisis• Public spheres, private opportunities• Multipolar fragmentation• Altered world, transformed society• Demographics: from ageing to migration• Innovation in knowledge and learning

Technological transformation

• Instant communications• Data explosion and access• Cyber-security• Learning and access• Rapid modification potential• Making sense of trends – from data to knowledge

to understanding

Europe and learning support

• Part of integration strategy since outset• Designed to address labour market needs• EU has no competence in national education• Structural funds: address imbalances• Form of redistributive financial tool

Key Structural Funds

• European Regional Development Fund• European Social Fund• European Maritime and Fisheries Fund• All have key overarching strategic objectives• Shared responsibility with Member States

The money trail....

• Balance: Union, Member State, Region.• EU Strategic Priorities > MS national priorities• Community Strategic Guidelines– Community Strategic goals• Operational Programs

ESF in operation

• Accounts for 10% of entire EU budget• Operates in 7 year cycle (current 2007-13)• Lisbon Agenda (2000)– Innovation– Entrepreneurship– Adaptability– Equal Opporuntities

Additional funding

• Community Initiatives (operated by EACEA)• NOW – addressing needs of women in the labour force• HORIZON and INTEGRA – addressing needs of citizens with disabilities• Leonardo da Vinci – vocational training• ADAPT – enhancing change, upskilling and learning in workplaces• EQUAL (2001-07).

ESF priorities

• Improving human capital• Improving access to employment• Increasing adaptability• Improving social inclusion of disadvantaged people • Strengthening institutional capacity• Advancing reforms in regards to employment and inclusion.

Framework Programmes for RTD

• Advanced ICT support• Innovation and sustainable research• Budget of FP7 (2007-13): €50,5 billion• Budget of FP8 (2014-20): over €80 billion

Europe 2020

• The five key priorities now are:– Raising the employment rate of adults– Improved investment in research and development– Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions– Reduction of early school leaving and increased rates of

completed third level education– Reduction of poverty levels by 25%.

Flagship Framework initiatives

• Innovation Union: enhanced innovation and research funding• Youth on the Move: higher education performance improvement• Digital Agenda for Europe: high speed internet improvement• Resource Efficient Europe: improved energy efficiency and renewable resources• Industrial Policy and Globalization: improved business competitiveness and

sustainability• Agenda for new Skills and Jobs: modernized labour market and mobility• EU Platform against poverty: improving access for unemployed citizens

Funding environment

Those contemplating engagement with European funding measures need to forge creative alliances, explore new avenues for project work and significantly expand their conceptual and programmatic horizons to access the resources that are available.

This necessity raises significant issues around familiarization, capacity and networking.

Criteria for future funding

• Results oriented measures (indicators, reporting, monitoring and evaluation)

• Performance frameworks (clear and measurable milestones and targets)• Coordination with national reform programmes (this will have particular

emphasis in Ireland)• Coordination and shared access to funds (from ESF and ERDF)• Effectiveness (performance measurement frameworks)• Efficiency (administrative capacity, reduced bureaucracy).

Caution

All EU programmes depend for co-funding both at national level (from Member States) and at operational level by lead or participant partners.

The increasing likelihood that core co-funding may not be available or else severely restricted in the years ahead strongly tempers expectations that EU funding could or should be viewed in any sense as a replacement for other sources – sources both expected and demanded by EU conditions for lending support.

Thematic Objectives (2014-20)

• Research and innovation• Competitiveness for SMEs• Employment and labour mobility support• Social inclusion and combating poverty• Education, skills and lifelong learning• Institutional capacity building.

Future shape of EU funding strategy

All project proposals must provide an evidence based case for funding based on research, track record, capacity and demonstrable need.

All dimensions must correspond to both national and EU priorities. These priorities can and do mutate over the lifetime of specific funding mechanisms.

Responsibility is clearly placed on project promoters to familiarize themselves with requirements and to ensure proposals align closely with aims and objectives set by EU funders. This process in itself demands a high degree of awareness and contact with EU resources and information points.

Running the show: the EACEA

– Operational responsibility for the Lifelong Learning Programme– Responsible for Erasmus Mundus Programme– Responsible for Tempus Programme– International bilateral cooperation: e.g. Atlantis (with United

States)– Operates Culture Programme– Operates Media Programme– Operates Europe for Citizens– Operates Youth in Action Programme

Getting the balance right

Project promoters must ensure that they are conversant with current policy frameworks, identified priorities and specified target areas for allocation of EU resources.

Getting an effective match between what promoters and EU bodies want is part of the system of coordination and learning underpinning all European actions.

This may be frustrating to project partners who may have a sense of the urgency and importance of their mission but not necessarily the resources, time or research background to scope what is available and potentially appropriate to their requirements.

Funding focus

All EU funding is described as support co-funding. It is not in any way core funding.

As part of a coherent overall strategy, a menu of connected resources, it can and should play a critical difference in developing the profile and professionalism of participant organizations in maintaining and enhancing operations.

Skills relevant to EU funding and project management

– Research– Proposal writing– Capturing learning– Transnational partnerships– Networking opportunities– EU specific terminology– The innovation imperative– Report writing– Transversal linkage– Evaluative capacity (internal and external)– Outcomes and deliverables– Selecting appropriate strands

The ULS experienceStarting Year Programme or Initiative Identification number Contracting organisation Title of the project /

networkWebsite

2012 LLP Comenius 528005-LLP-2012-GR-COMENIUS-CMP

Ellinogemaniki Agogi TRANSit www.transit.eu

2012 ICT-PSP ODS-297229 Intrasoft Ltd OPEN DISCOVERY SPACE www.opendiscoveryspace.eu

2011 LLP 519242-LLP-2011-BG-KA2-KA2MP

Eurinform Bulgaria LANGO www.lango.eu

2011 LLP Comenius 517748-LLP-1-2011-1-IE-COMENIUS-CNW

Enable Ireland FIESTA www.fiestaproject.eu

2010 LLP 511641-LLP-1-2010-1-RO-KA3-KA3MP

EuroEd MyStory www.mystories.eu

2010 LLP Leonardo 510784-LLP-1-2010-1-RO-LEONARDO-LMP

EuroEd UEmploy www.uemploy.eu

2008 LLP Grundtvig Partnership

GR2008-028P VUC-VS Denmark Mentor: Sink or Swim www.vuc.dk/sinkorswim

2008 LLP transversal research

143725-LLP-1-2008-ES-KA1-KA1SCR

University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Creanova www.creanova.ehu.es

2008 LLP Comenius 142447-2008-LLP-IT-CMP

Fondazione IARD Speak www.speak.it

2006 LLP Minerva 229413-CP-1-2006-1-GR-MINERVA-M/2006

Platon School Educonlinux www.educonlinux.eu

2005 Leonardo daVinci

FI-05-B-P-PP-160601

Adulta, Finland Catit www.catit.fi

2005 EQUAL2 IE-05-EQ2-19-EBM Galway City Partnership You Are Equal www.youareeqaul.ie/gcp

2003 Leonardo daVinci

IE-03-B-F-PP-153101 Enable Ireland, Cork Co-Guide www.coguide.ie

2002 EQUAL IE-02-EQ1-23-E NUIG/FAS TRED www.tred.ie

Crisis impact: system change

Summary

• EU Funding offers significant opportunities• EU funding is not a substitute but a supplement• The non-finance resources offer as much if not more• Transnational action is the only viable method in a

globalized world• No substitute for professionalism and expertise• All rests on vision and passion for community needs

Thank you

Dr. Alan BruceUniversal Learning Systems34 Charleville RoadPhibsboroughDublin 7 Ireland

abruce@ulsystems.com

Associate Offices: AMSTERDAM HELSINKI EDINBURGH ATHENS CHICAGO