Roma, 10 maggio 2011
THE ITALIAN EVALUATION
POLICY
ISFOL, Silvia Ciampi
2007-2013 - Evaluation as one of the
pillars of Italy’s regional policy
• Citizen-centered policies
• Strong focus on essential services—rather
than on procedures & expenditure
• Emphasis on local knowledge
• Responsibility to regional governments
• Links with national policies
• Greater importance to administrative
capacity
Levels of programming: a complex
framework
• 7 Ministries develop their own programs
• Each of the 21 Regions develops its
multi-sector strategy
Over time, silos have been created
Sources of money
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•
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Coordination organisms
• Ministry for economic
EU Regional Fund
development
National funds
• Ministry for agriculture
EU Social Fund
EU Rural Development • Ministry for labour
Other departments
….Beyond silos
2007-2013: intentional efforts to bridge gaps &
introduce policy dialogue among and within
authorities in a new perspective
The National Strategy for 2007-2013
tried to make the various sources of
funding work together through common:
•
•
•
•
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Programming
Implementation
Monitoring
Surveillance
Evaluation
At the same time, EU
regulations ask for separate
programmes by EU source
of money
Evaluation policy /1
• Evaluation Objects:
– effects of a well-defined (however complex) intervention or group
of interventions on a problem, a social group, or an area—rather
than a bureaucratic construct (e.g., a multisectoral “program”—
tipically operating on a large area, affecting millions of people)
– across bureaucratic borders: the evaluation object may have been
financed by more than one source
– selectivity: choose to answer defined questions about “crucial &
controversial issues”
Evaluation policy/2
• Each Region drafts an Evaluation Plan:
– What is evaluated (and what is not)
– Who (internally or externally) performs each evaluation
– When
– Organization of evaluation function
– Resources (human and financial) devoted to evaluations
The National Evaluation System
• UVAL – Ministry of Economic Development
(Coordinates)
• ISFOL – Ministry of Labour
• INEA – Ministry for Agricultural, Food and Forestry
Policies
• Department for Equal Opportunities
• Evaluation Units of Regional Authorities
Its composition shows a clear intention to work
together across silos
& involving Regions in a federal function
The National Evaluation System
Each component differs from the others
• Central units:
– Have differing rules, interpretations, goals, tasks &
status
• Regional evaluation units:
– Conduct or manage evaluations…
– … but also provide project selection, planning,
knowledge management to the Region
– Have background and skills closer to regional fund
policies (or national funds) rather than rural
development or active labour policies
A “federal” function performed across
silos & by central & regional units
Common guidance - include & adjust for differing rules,
traditions, goals
Personalized support to Regions (all managing authorities
together)
Ensure quality & evaluation of evaluations
Observe processes & disseminate information
Facilitate dissemination)