Assuring the Success of EU Projects (ECQA Certified EU Project Manager) Skills international GmbH, Grossklein / Austria M.Sc. Andrea Fenz, fenz@skills-int.com Abstract. The paper describes future challenges for implementing the job role of an EU Project Manager as a qualification and certification scheme at European level with regards to priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy. A skill set of a Certified EU Project Manager, a targeted practical training course and a skills portal system to test and certify the skills obtained have been developed and updated constantly by European experts since 2003. Actually this profession is administered by the Job Role Committee within the European Certification and Qualification Association (ECQA). Keywords: Management of European projects, EU Project Manager, certification, Europe 2020, Innovation Union 1 Context A moment of transformation this is how it was called in 2010 when the Europe 2020 strategy [1] was put forward. Europe 2020 is based on three priorities, which are mutually reinforcing the vision of Europe s social market economy for the 21 st economy: 1. Smart growth based on knowledge and innovation 2. Sustainable growth promoting resource efficiency together with the green economy 3. Inclusive growth aiming at high-employment delivering social and territorial cohesion Under each of the priority themes we find dedicated flagship initiatives. Actually there are seven flagship initiatives focusing on innovation, education, new skills for new jobs, the digital society, climate and resource efficiency, competitiveness and the fight against poverty. Europe 2020 will rely on two complementary pillars: the thematic approach outlined above, and integration of the targets on country level. Europe 2020 aims at agreeing commonly on a restricted number of measurable targets covering the three priorities of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, backed up by data from the EU member states. Innovation in Education and Future Key Skills for European Research and Industry Page 1
2 Europe 2020 Flagship Initiatives Innovation is considered as a key element across different areas and also the main driving force of economic development. To this end, the flagship initiative Innovation Union [2] targets not only to complete the European Research Area (ERA), but also to improve framework conditions for businesses based on innovation, to launch European Innovation Partnerships and many targets more by knowledge and innovation transfer aiming to enable that innovative ideas can be turned into new products and services. An Agenda for new skills and jobs [3] is another of the flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy. The pool of professions covered within the European Certification and Qualification Association (ECQA) supports the skills gaps for professionals in different fields. European funding programmes are strategically important to support the fulfilment of the different targets set, as for example to reach the goal of investing 3% of the EU s GDP in Research and Development (R&D), to support the 20/20/20 climate/energy targets, to give an appropriate answer to the required new skill sets for professionals etc. The latest proposal of European Commission for the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) with a maximum amount of approximately 1 033 billion Euro for the EU- 28 includes also Croatia. Horizon 2020 [4] is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union as one of the Europe 2020 flagship initiatives to bridge the gap between research and the market. With an 80 billion budget for the new EU period 2014-2020, the EU s new programme for research and innovation will combine research and innovation funding currently covered by the Framework Programmes for Research and Technical Development (FP7), the innovation related activities of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). For EU educational programmes, Erasmus for All [5] will require to strengthen activities with systemic impact and clear added European value. Erasmus for All is the new programme proposed by the European Commission for education, training, youth and sport. It is planned to run from 2014-2020 and would significantly increase the funds allocated for the development of knowledge and skills. The EU cohesion policy [6] for the period 2014-2020 is also concentrating on the Europe 2020 strategic priorities of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. A proposal for the general regulation lays down on one part a series of common provisions for the five Funds with structural aims covered by the Commission s Common Strategic Framework, namely the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Cohesion Fund (CF), European Social Fund (ESF), European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and European Maritime Innovation in Education and Future Key Skills for European Research and Industry Page 2
and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). The second part sets out specific provisions for the ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund. Management and control mechanisms related to cohesion policy and the specific arrangements for financial management are addressed as well. Indicators will be introduced as an important tool to follow up and improve the success of European projects by implementing appropriate quality management methods and tools aiming at rewarding performance and focusing on monitoring of results. 3 Europe-wide and international Qualification and Certification as EU Project Manager The ECQA Certified EU Project Manager offers a unified qualification and certification scheme for EU Project Managers. The profession has been developed already since 2003 by a partnership of European partners, originally co-funded by the European Commission within the framework of the LEONARDO DA VINCI project (ManagEUr). Actually the skill card, training course material, e-learning platform and examination test question pool are administered and updated by the Job Role Committee lead by Skills International in collaboration with partners and experts from various countries and background from different thematic areas. To become an ECQA Certified EU Project Manager and be listed in the pool of experts for professionals of the European Certification and Qualification Association (ECQA, www.ecqa.org), participants have to take the exam and pass the required number of learning elements (minimum 8 out of 11 elements). A pool of test questions is maintained by European experts to provide the basis for the certification of students following the same performance criteria across Europe and also on an international scale, but applicable also internationally. So far more than 700 certificates have been issued for ECQA Certified EU Project Managers. Innovation in Education and Future Key Skills for European Research and Industry Page 3
The training for ECQA Certified EU Project Manager is divided into following units and elements: Introduction into EU Projects Project Objectives and Finance Co-operation Quality Management 1) EU Structures and Programmes 1) Start up and Objectives 2) Management of Work Packages and Project Results 3) Finance Management 4) Contract Management 1) Communication and Team Management 2) Exploitation and Sustainability 3) Reporting 1) Quality Planning 2) Quality Assurance 3) Risk Management 4 Quality Management as a Key to Successful EU Projects Quality management in EU-funded project is based on two pillars: a) Quality related to the results of the project (the so-called deliverables), and b) Quality related to the efficiency and performance of the management of the EU project itself. The management of the EU Programmes and projects will require a considerable number of persons with the right skill sets. Quality management strongly depends on the persons in charge of the management and monitoring functions related to the implementation of European programmes and projects: there is a lack of competence profiles to be applied for certified professionals in different quality functions in European programmes and projects to fulfil the new Europe 2020 priorities; irrelevant project results and ineffective project management are among the major reasons for European initiatives which can be considered as failed projects; there is a need for a qualification and certification scheme for managers of European projects to provide a sound knowledge base for the management of European projects that complements volatile information connected to single calls for proposals; management and control systems must find a balance between costs and the risks involved. This requires management and control systems to be proportionate using a risk-based approach. This approach also provides better assurance, as the resources are used more efficiently and targeted on higher-risk areas. Innovation in Education and Future Key Skills for European Research and Industry Page 4
5 Outlook The European Commission proposal for the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework marks a considerable challenge for professionals in charge of the management of European programmes and projects. Successful project implementation will strongly depend on the definition of the right set of indicators and measurement methods. Consequently, EU project managers need to adapt their qualification and skill set to new tasks in order to deliver the required results using appropriate quality management methods and tools by building the bridge to the Europe 2020 strategy. To this aim, the certification strategy of the European Certification and Qualification Association (ECQA) offers a valuable opportunity to proof competences across Europe and also internationally following comparable and measurable quality criteria. Contact: Skills International GmbH, Mag. Andrea Fenz, training@skills-int.com, www.skills-int.com Job Role Committee Leader - ECQA Certified EU Project Manager ECQA Ambassador References: [1] European Commission: Communication from the Commission. Europe 2020. A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. COM (2010) 2020 final, Brussels, 3 March 2010. [2] European Commission: COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS. Europe 2020 Flagship Initiative. Innovation Union. COM(2010) 546 final. Brussels, 6 October 2010. [3] European Commission: Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - An Agenda for new skills and jobs: A European contribution towards full employment. COM (2010) 682 final. Strasbourg, 23 November 2011. [4] European Commission: COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS. Horizon 2020 - The Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. COM(2011) 808 final. Brussels, 30 November 2011. Innovation in Education and Future Key Skills for European Research and Industry Page 5
[5] European Commission: Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing "ERASMUS FOR ALL". The Union Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport. COM(2011) 788 final. Brussels, 23 November 2011. [6] European Commission, Directorate-General for Regional Policy Communication, Information and Relations with Third Countries. Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2011. ISBN 978-92-79-21490-5. Innovation in Education and Future Key Skills for European Research and Industry Page 6