Our colleague investigated the short- and medium-term economic and labour market impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe’s NUTS 3 regions, as well as in municipalities and districts of Hungary. His analysis, based on literature review and regional statistical data, highlighted that the economic and labour market disruptions caused by the COVID-19 crisis were significant in 2020, but were followed by a rapid recovery from 2021 onwards. However, the crisis brought some long-term, structural changes as well. In Europe, a notable decline in youth employment, the spread of specialised forms of work, and the crisis of certain sectors were notable, whilst in Hungary the rise in long-term unemployment and the intensification of existing structural challenges (e.g. the depletion of labour market supply, the decline of low value-added jobs in the private sector) were specifically observable. These changes weakened the country’s resilience to subsequent shocks and caused problems primarily in (semi-)peripheral regions.

The two-day event, held for the first time under the motto “Where are we heading? Answers,” brought together more than 70 speakers and nearly 200 participants, both in person and online. The programme included six plenary sessions and 16 thematic panels. Representatives of academia, business, diplomacy, public administration and civil society discussed the developments shaping contemporary societies, politics, the economy and culture.

The SIMPLE panel focused on how public authorities, academia, business and civil society can work together more effectively to support refugees from Ukraine. Participants discussed how the different actors could define their roles and responsibilities more clearly, coordinate different forms of support and involve those directly affected from the outset in programme design. They emphasised that the knowledge and experience of refugees from Ukraine not only contribute to a better understanding of their actual needs, but can also serve as an important source of social innovation.

This cross-sectoral cooperation is also central to the SIMPLE project. HÉTFA is a partner in the project, which adapts proven social innovation models to local needs and tests them in practice. SIMPLE aims to support the labour-market integration and economic independence of refugees from Ukraine, particularly women.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.

The international conference, entitled “From Ideas to Change: Mental Health Support for Young People”, showcased the results of more than two and a half years of cooperation within the project. Participants reflected on the project journey from identifying local needs to developing shared solutions. The presentations addressed key challenges related to youth mental health, highlighted the experiences of vulnerable groups, and presented the results of pilot activities implemented by project partners. The programme also provided an opportunity to explore the tools and methods developed within the project and to discuss how local experiences can contribute to broader policy development and systemic change.

On behalf of HETFA Research Institute, Luca Szöőr-Fülöp delivered a presentation entitled “From Local Practice to Danube Strategy”. The presentation focused on the results of the project’s pilot activities, the main lessons learned from the Local Action Plans, and the policy recommendations developed for the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. It demonstrated how experiences gathered at the local level can be translated into policy proposals that support the long-term promotion of young people’s mental well-being. The presentation also highlighted the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation and the role of locally tested solutions in shaping regional and international policy responses.

The aim of the event was for researchers and practitioners to jointly discuss the current challenges facing the social and solidarity economy, the role of social innovation, and the results and limitations of initiatives supporting social integration.

During the afternoon session of the conference, the ESIRA project presented two papers. Luca Koltai, a researcher at the Hétfa Research Institute, presented the experiences of the ESIRA project in a talk titled “Supporting Social Innovation Through Social Enterprises in the ESIRA Project,” highlighting the role of social enterprises in strengthening the innovative capacity of local communities. Anna Szerepi, a staff member at the Hungarian Reformed Charity Service (MRSZ), presented the results and lessons learned from the domestic application of the Multi-Actor Platform methodology in her presentation titled “Local Experiences with Implementing the Multi-Actor Platform Methodology.”

The workshop addressed methodological issues related to the social and solidarity economy, the effects of social integration at the individual level, and outcomes and challenges at the community level, organized into three thematic blocks. The program concluded with a joint professional discussion and a conversation about opportunities for collaboration.

The event was organized by the ELTE Center for Social Sciences Research as part of the OTKA 147050 research project titled “The Role of the Social Economy in Promoting Social Integration in Rural Areas of Hungary.”

As one of the foremost global gatherings for social economy research, the EMES conference showcased cutting-edge research addressing today’s most pressing social and territorial challenges. The event reaffirmed the pivotal role of the social economy in creating inclusive and sustainable societies.

The panel, titled ‘Enhancing social innovation through the social economy in rural areas’, brought together four research papers created as part of the ESIRA and SERIGO projects. They focused on how social economy organisations, social enterprises and grassroots initiatives were addressing persistent challenges in rural, remote and mountainous regions. The presentations focused on innovative models of elder care, the developmental impact of social economy organisations, intersectional approaches to rural vulnerabilities, and the effects of the de-democratisation of governance on social entrepreneurship in Hungary.

Rural regions across Europe continue to face demographic decline, reduced access to essential services, and widening socio-economic vulnerabilities. The ESIRA and SERIGO projects were designed to explore how social economy actors can strengthen resilience, inclusion, and quality of life in these contexts. The panel aimed to share evidence that cooperatives, social enterprises, and community organisations are creating innovative, place-based solutions. By bringing together comparative research and case studies from across Europe, the session contributed to a deeper understanding of how social economy initiatives can foster more inclusive, sustainable rural development.

The Erasmus+ RE-FEM project – Upskilling pathways for REsiliency in the post-Covid era for FEMale Entrepreneurs is reaching its conclusion with a final multiplier event entitled “Women Entrepreneurs: From Knowledge to Action”. The project is coordinated by HÉTFA Research Institute. The event will take place in Seville on the 1^st of October, 2025, from 10:30 to 13:30 CET, hosted at the Marqueses de La Algaba Palace, D. Rodrigo Room, and can also be joined online via Zoom.

This closing event will bring together policymakers, researchers, business support professionals, and women entrepreneurs to present the key results of the RE-FEM project and to discuss future directions for fostering women’s entrepreneurship. The aim is not only to showcase the achievements of the project, but also to create a platform for dialogue, exchange of good practices, and action-oriented policy discussions.

The event kicks off with a welcome speech by Francisco Javier González Navarro, General Director of Entrepreneurship Promotion and Continuous Training at the Junta de Andalucía, followed by a project overview and presentation of results by Dr. Katalin Oborni, Senior Project Manager at HETFA Research Institute, the project’s coordinating organisation. Participants will also hear a keynote speech by Anna Häggblom, AI Advisor and TEDx Speaker from Finland, on the topic “AI and Women Entrepreneurs: Navigating Emerging Challenges.”

A key highlight of the event will be two round table discussions. The first, held in English and titled “Resilient Futures: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in Times of Crisis,” will explore the main lessons learned throughout the RE-FEM project regarding support for women entrepreneurs in times of crisis. This session will also present the Final Policy Study of the project. The discussion will be moderated by Sanja Popovic-Pantic, Head of the Science and Technology Policy Research Centre at the Institute Mihajlo Pupin, President of the Association of Business Women in Serbia, and Chair of the EEN Thematic Group on Women’s Entrepreneurship. She will be joined by distinguished panellists such as Gabriela Kostovska Bogoeva, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for Management and Industrial Research and Vice-Chair of the EEN Thematic Group Women’s Entrepreneurship from North Macedonia; Zsuzsanna Lukács Lakatosné, Deputy State Secretary for the Protection of Enterprises at the Hungarian Ministry of National Economy and former Director of the SEED Foundation, Hungary and Ludwig Stendahl, Business Developer at Connect Norr Västerbotten in Sweden.

The second roundtable discussion, held in Spanish called “Female Entrepreneurship in Andalusia: Real Challenges and Necessary Answers,” will focus on the regional context, bringing together leading institutional representatives, businesswomen, and communication experts to reflect on the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in Andalusia. This discussion will be moderated by Olga Carrión Mancebo, Director of the Andalusian Women’s Institute, and will feature Lorena Garrido Serrano, Deputy Minister of University, Research and Innovation of the Regional Government of Andalusia; Victoria Cabrera de Paredes, CEO and Founder of Agencia Cps, journalist, TV producer and speaker listed among Forbes’ Influential Women in Andalusia in 2024 and Mercedes León Lozano, Managing Director of the Andalusian Council of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation, and a practising lawyer.

The event will conclude with closing remarks, followed by a networking session and farewell drink to encourage further connections among participants.

Registration is available here: http://bit.ly/40Edabd

Join us in Seville or take part online via Zoom to be part of this inspiring discussion on the future of women’s entrepreneurship. Click here to access the agenda.

During the “Engaging Audiences: From Observation to Participation in Artistic Processes” mini-conference – organized and moderated by the HÉTFA Research Institute – we collectively explored how the role of the audience is changing in artistic processes: in what ways the audience can become an active participant in a production, and what new forms of connection can emerge between creators, organizers, and audiences. The conference also reflected on audience research carried out in the three participating countries by HÉTFA, highlighting how these findings shape the work and audience relations of artistic organizations.

The programme opened with „Redefining Audience Engagement”, a roundtable discussion exploring the organisational and project management perspectives of PRODUCTION³. Organisers from Portugal, Serbia, and Hungary reflected on the project’s three-year journey. The speakers discussed the community-building role of art, the importance of understanding local audience needs, and the challenge of balancing artistic ambition with realistic audience development goals. Experiences varied by country: in Portugal, priorities centred on mental health awareness and educational engagement; in Hungary, the emphasis was on creating performances with relevant mainstream appeal that could engage a broad, multi-generational audience, while in Serbia, the focus was on delivering high-quality classical and contemporary music performances while also reaching new and diverse audience groups. Common ground emerged around the value of emotional connection, the need for long-term strategies, and the importance of pairing audience insights with sustainable production models that respond to both cultural and practical realities.

The second discussion, „Creating with Connection”, focused on the artists’ perspectives and the creative processes developed within the project. Artistic teams from Portugal, Hungary, and Serbia presented works that integrated participatory methods at multiple stages. Approaches ranged from mental health-themed performances shaped by workshops with young people, to interactive theatre using the soundpainting method, to multi-disciplinary productions dissolving the boundaries between stage and audience. These practices showed that participation can take place at various stages: during the creation process, in the live performance itself, and through outreach activities that invite communities to engage with the performance. The discussions underlined that participation is not limited to meeting audience expectations, it also involves offering new perspectives, stimulating reflection, and sometimes challenging comfort zones.

The event closed with a clear outlook on how the project’s results can inspire future collaborations and shape participatory production methods in the years to come. This approach promoted stronger connections between audiences and artists, applied methodologies that encouraged active participation, and ensured that the specific needs and contexts of each community were carefully considered. Through this work, PRODUCTION³ showed that participation works best when it is open, flexible, and built on genuine exchange between artists, organisers, and audiences.

The event was officially opened by Gábor Balás, Chair of the PROFEEDBACK network and Director of the HÉTFA Research Institute, alongside Tibor Navracsics, Minister for Public Administration and Regional Development of Hungary. The opening and keynote speeches were delivered by experts from international organisations including the OECD, World Bank, and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The presentations addressed the intersections of employment, education, and youth policy, and highlighted the role of evaluation in driving systemic transformation.

The two-day conference brought together more than 100 participants and featured 20 poster presentations and 8 thematic sessions. Several colleagues from the HÉTFA Research Institute contributed to the parallel sessions: Luca Koltai, Eszter Szőnyi, and Kinga Tóth presented evaluation experiences from programmes targeting older NEET youth (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), while Bálint Herczeg discussed the impact of university programmes on student dropout rates through Hungarian case studies. In the poster session, Luca Szöőr-Fülöp and Katalin Bördős shared good practices for supporting the labour market integration of young people.

A dedicated policy roundtable focused on the role of evaluation in EU-level decision-making, bringing together experts and institutional representatives.

As the conference concluded, a clear message emerged: there remains a strong need for continued collaboration to strengthen the culture of evaluation across Europe. One of the closing reflections summed it up well: effective policymaking relies on thoughtful, independent, and reflexive evaluation.

Presentations, videos, and posters from the conference will soon be available on PROFEEDBACK platforms.

The training was led by internationally recognised experts: Marijana Sumpor (Institute of Economics, Zagreb), Sari Rannanpää (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), and Kalterina Shulla (Technische Universität Dresden), who shared their extensive experience in the field of policy evaluation.

The course brought together 12 selected young researchers and practitioners from various countries, who spent three intensive working days developing case-based evaluation designs, interpreting complex interventions, and applying what they learned to real-world policy scenarios.

To conclude the week, participants presented their own evaluation designs during the poster session of the 9th PROFEEDBACK Conference, thus linking theoretical learning with ongoing policy dialogue and practice.

The training materials and selection of slides will soon be made publicly available on the official PROFEEDBACK website.

📍 Further information and updates are available here:
🔗 https://profeedback.eu/training-school-4

]]> https://hetfa.eu/2025/06/revaluationweek-a-podcast-series-featuring-profeedback-members-from-a-conference-co-organised-by-hetfa/ Tue, 03 Jun 2025 14:17:14 +0000 https://hetfa.eu/?p=11658 The recordings from the REvaluation Conference 2024 – co-organised by HETFA Research Institute – were made available in podcast format during #REvaluationWeek. As a co-organiser of the REvaluation Conference 2024, Hétfa Research Institute is proud to have contributed to this important platform, which brought together experts from across Europe to discuss the evaluation of research and innovation policies. The conference featured several members of the Profeedback network, who participated in various panels and keynote discussions.

Starting Sunday, 25 May 2025, a new episode is published each day in the REvaluation Podcast, providing access to selected content from the conference. The series offers a way to revisit the discussions or to engage with them for the first time.

Podcast Release Schedule:

• Sunday, 25 May 2025
  Panel: Causal evaluation of research and innovation policies

• Monday, 26 May 2025
  Keynote: What’s AI doing in evaluation? – Linda Raftree

• Tuesday, 27 May 2025
  Panel: Peer Review in Transition

• Wednesday, 28 May 2025
  Keynote: How do you measure impact? – Henriette Spyra

• Thursday, 29 May 2025
  Panel: Funding Transdisciplinarity

• Friday, 30 May 2025
  Keynote: Are we all metascientists now? – James Wilsdon

• Saturday, 31 May 2025
  Panel: Next generation’s voices

The full podcast series will be available on the REvaluation Podcast platform. To learn more about the Profeedback network and its activities, visit the project’s official website at www.profeedback.eu.