Smart Specialisation Process Evaluation: Monitoring and Evaluation Experience across Europe

This policy insight provides an overview of the 2020 assessment on how and to what extent Smart Specialisation monitoring and evaluation systems put in place across Europe allow and contribute to a cyclical policy learning process for improved policy design and implementation. In view of the 2021-2027 programming period, a new cultural change is needed to enable monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and practices to address the shortcomings and challenges observed in the previous period and allow it to fully exert its supporting purpose to Smart Specialisation policy makers and practitioners. Based on the evidence gathered through a survey and through case studies covering 13 regions and 4 Member States, a number of recommendations have been drawn. The practice of policy monitoring and evaluation continues to lag behind, which in turn limits learnings and an updated strategy that is based on S3 policy outcomes and impact. It is necessary to identify a dedicated team responsible for S3 monitoring and evaluation within the public administration in order to have an evaluation of the S3 results and the effectiveness of the policy intervention logic. To support evaluation activities, it is important to collect data relating to the behaviour of innovation actors, even those not represented in regional calls. While in view of the next programming period, it is necessary to make use of analytical and informative tools (big data, web semantics, etc.) able to provide different kind of data and faster return.