HÉTFA, as the Grant Holder Institution, is the leader of the PROFEEDBACK (Platform of Policy Evaluation Community for Improved EU Policies and Better Acknowledgment) COST Action. The objective of this Action is to promote networking among the policy evaluation community at the EU level, increase awareness regarding the significance of evaluation policy research, and enhance its impact on policy-making. Within the framework of PROFEEDBACK, a conference is organized every six months. These biannual conferences serve the overarching purpose of bringing together researchers and policy-makers from diverse countries, universities, research institutes, and consulting firms. They provide a valuable platform for examining specific topics using various theories and methodologies.
On May 18-19, 2023, the PROFEEDBACK network gathered in Bratislava, Slovakia, for the 3rd PROFEEDBACK Conference on Evaluation of Rural and Territorial Development, Urban Development. The conference was organized in a hybrid format to allow broad participation from partners, stakeholders, and interested parties from around the world. More than 100 participants from various European countries and beyond came together to meet, network, and exchange knowledge and methods in the field of policy evaluation.
The first day began with an opening speech by Gábor Balás, Action Chair (HÉTFA Research Institute, Hungary), followed by the keynote speech of Marek Radvanský (Economic Institute, Member of the Presidium of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia). Subsequently, three parallel sessions were organized, during which speakers presented their research on the most pressing questions and ideas regarding the evaluation of rural and territorial development, as well as urban development.
The second day was dedicated to the Management Committee meeting and the Working Group meetings. The day started with the Committee meeting led by Gábor Balás, Action Chair. After presenting the recent highlights of the Action, the Committee discussed future activities. During the Working Group meetings, the Working Group leaders, Laura Trofin (QURES Quality Research and Support, Romania), Oto Potluka (University of Basel, Switzerland) and Rubén Tamboleo García (Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain) set priorities and requirements for the upcoming tasks, and all the Working Group members brainstormed together to explore possible ways to enhance collaboration.
In conclusion, the two-day event provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and engage in insightful conversations. All participants, whether present physically in Bratislava or connected online from around the world, enthusiastically participated in all the sessions and meetings, contributing excellent ideas and plans for the next phase of the PROFEEDBACK COST Action. The next conference will be organised on 9-10 October 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia. The next conference’s theme is Environmental and Energy Economics: Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Green Transition, Circular Economy.
More information on the PROFEEDBACK Conferences is available here.
More information on the PROFEEDBACK COST Action is available here.