CORE QUALITY CRITERIA: PARTICIPATION IN PARTNERSHIP

Main aspects important for quality assurance in the case of a specific quality area (i.e. Participation)

QUALITY INDICATORS
(CORE AND ADDITIONAL/DESCRIPTORS)

What might indicate quality in the partnership?

EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT INDICATORS

What evidence is available to support the inclusion of the indicators?

Relevant key stakeholders are actively engaged in the partnership/network

Definition:

A stakeholder is any person or organization, who can be positively or negatively impacted by, or cause an impact on the actions of the partnership / network.

Types of stakeholders are:

• Primary stakeholders : are those ultimately affected, either positively or negatively by the network's actions.

• Secondary stakeholders : are the ‘intermediaries’, that is, persons or organizations who are indirectly affected by the network's actions.

• Key stakeholders : (who can also belong to the first two groups) have significant influence upon or importance within the network.

Stakeholders of public and private organisations - including civil society organisations and social partners - are represented in the partnership/network.

Stakeholders are engaged in the partnership with relevant roles and tasks.

Stakeholders assume responsibilities assigned and have initiatives within the partnership/network

Inventories of stakeholders for specific areas (national, regional and local level).

Activity reports and other internal documents produced within the partnership/network.

Activity reports and other internal documents produced by individual stakeholders included in the partnership/network.

Institutional embedding of Learning Regions (Germany)

The Federal and Länder Commission for Educational Plan­ning and Research Funding adopted a “Strategy for Lifelong Learning in the Federal Republic of Germany” on 5th July 2004 that had been developed by the Federal Government and the Länder. A strategy of lifelong learning aims to show how learning can be encouraged and promoted for all citizens in all stages of life, in a large number of learning venues and using a wide range of learning facilities. Lifelong learning re­fers not just to formal education, but also to informal learning. On the basis of the constitu­tional framework, a “Strategy of Lifelong Learning” in the Federal Republic of Germany can­not be explained within the meaning of a "national coherent strategy", but as a mutually agreed strategy indicating aspects and correlations that are based, by and large, on consen­sus within the Länder and between the Federal Government and the Länder – irrespective of their constitutional respective competencies.

Because of the constitutional restrictions for a nationwide LLL strategy, the introduction of programmes like LR can be seen as a political-practical alternative. This is about developing lifelong learning through bringing together and combining multilevel players of the federalist system, while at the same time avoiding the risk of institutional conflict.[1]

The framework concept for “Learning Regions” was approved by the Bund-Länder Commis­sion for Educational Planning and Research Promotion: in consultation with both the Con­certed Action in Continuing Education, and the Committee for Continuing and Further Edu­cation of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany. It was enacted on 19.6.2000.

This is defining a relatively broad “corridor” of objectives to be addressed by regional consortia; whereas the networks themselves are requested to determine regionally matched systems of objectives (profiles) and resources (structure).

Consecutively a steering committee was set up, covering representatives of all relevant lev­els (Federal state, Länder, Representatives of the Concerted Action in Continuing Education, the social partners, the Federal Employment Service and the scientific support group also serve as members of the steering committee in an advisory capacity). Only the representa­tives of the Federal state and 16 countries have voting rights. Due to the fact that the ratio of Federal state and country representatives is balanced, decisions must be reached collabora­tively. Furthermore, decisions on funding of single networks must be underpinned by active support of the country in which the project is to take place. The committee usually meets twice a year, with its main tasks being to decide upon application grants and to guide the overall implementation process. The states from the beginning appreciated the introduction of the LR programme, showing a strong commitment by actively promoting the networks and providing infrastructure as well as related (counselling and training) services.

According to programme guidelines, applicants either had to set up a corporate body or joint project (Verbundprojekt) in order to promote a regional network . According to this demand for the most part promoters organized themselves as incorporated societies or (nonprofit) limited liability companies in order to become first tier beneficiary. The latter one is linked with second and third tier grantees. Furthermore, within each network there were to be in­cluded associated partners to ensure added value, valorisation and sustainability of net­works.

Due to the fact that the LR programme is defined as a bottom up approach, network manag­ers themselves are central for the definition and implementation of regionally specified objec­tives and networks. Notably, the managers interviewed showed a strong regional commit­ment, whereas the networks themselves were interpreted a means to an end. In addition project managers usually are in close communication with the Länder ministries.^[2]

[1] Preisinger-Kleine, R. (2006): Evaluation of the ESF contribution to employment, inclusion and education & training policies through the support to systems and structures, Priority C, Programme Learning Regions. Report to The European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affais and Equal Opportunities, Horizontal and International Issues, Evaluation.

[2] Communication between networks and Länder ministries is not usually limited to the application stage. In most cases investigated there is a day-to-day collaboration: for example regarding the assessment of needs not covered by the LR programme, as well as planning for complementary or supporting Länder measures.