Mutual Learning - Training of Trainers

Within the framework of the European Structural and Innovation Funds (2014-2020),  the preparation by the  Member States of their Partnership Agreements (PA) and Operational Programmes (OP) as well as their Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) is reaching its final phase. Within this context, DG CONNECT in cooperation with the Smart Specialisation Platform (S3P) of the IPTS-JRC is establsihing a group of ICT experts able to either help in the evaluation of the documents submitted by the Member States and/or to assist the relevant services in the Member States or in individual Regions in order to help them with the finalisation of preparation of their programmes for the financing period 2014-2020.

To this end, DG CONNECT and the S3P organised a workshop to train experts in specific technical areas on how to evaluate said documents and how to face challenges and barriers in this work. 

The workshop took place  on 4 April 2014  in Brussels in BU 33 (Avenue de Beaulieu 33, 1160 Brussels) in the ground floor, meeting room 0/54. 

It was a participatory event, where there were presentations from DG CONNECT representatives on Structural funds and Digital Growth; how to assess OP:s and PA:s, and tools available. There was also a presentation by the S3P on its role and services, and challenges that experts have had in assessing strategies, as well as challenges experienced by regions in developing their strategies. There was also presentations by experts that have been assessing regional work so far and what they have identified as challenging in supporting the regions.

This was intertwined with two participatory sessions, in the first one the participants discussed around challenges in assessing PA:s and OP:s, and different ways to improve the procedure and suggestions for improvements of the tools being offered. During the afternoon session, participants discussed issues related to the work of informal assessors of Digital Growth strategies in the regions.