BGI Consulting is performing the evaluation of the impact of the EU structural assistance on the development of human resources

The Lithuanian Strategy for the use of European Union Structural Assistance for 2007-2013 identifies productive human resources for the knowledge society as the first priority direction in achieving the main aim of the strategy, namely to rapidly improve the conditions of investing, working and living in Lithuania so that the benefit provided by the economic growth reaches all Lithuanian residents. When implementing this priority direction, the following main objectives are sought: attracting and retaining people in the labour market, seeking for more active lifelong learning, developing the labour force of the highest qualification, and seeking for more efficient public administration. These objectives are being implemented by the interventions under the Operational Programme for the Development of Human Resources 2007-2013, the Operational Programme for Economic Growth 2007-2013, and the Operational Programme for Promotion of Cohesion 2007-2013. 

The aim of the evaluation that is being performed by BGI Consulting is to assess, firstly, relevance, sufficiency and compatibility of priorities (measures) of the operational programmes contributing to the implementation of the objectives of the first priority direction of the strategy “productive human resources for the knowledge society”, and, secondly, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of priorities (measures) of the operational programmes contributing to the development of human resources. The evaluation is aimed at helping institutions, responsible for planning, administration and use of EU structural assistance, to report on the achievement of objectives foreseen in the aforementioned strategy, as well as at identifying if and to what extent structural assistance has contributed to eliminating problems regarding human resources, indicated in the National Reform Programme of Lithuania.

For collection and analysis of the necessary data, as well as for justification of the findings of the evaluation, wide variety of qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods will be applied, including analysis of academic literature, documents and secondary sources, grouping and classification of data, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, analysis of foreign experience and case studies of good practice, statistical analysis and macroeconometric modelling using HERMIN econometric model, widely used in the EU. The findings of the evaluation, along with recommendations, will be presented in the evaluation report, special publication, as well as during publicity events.

The evaluation was commissioned by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania.