Are there - causal- relations between the efforts, activities and results of the EcoC-project? Is there a long-term impact in the Frisian society related to the event EcoC; a lasting legacy in the fields of social participation, education, employment and quality of life? With IJla Zwarter in the role of program manager, the research group Personal Leadership & Innovation of the NHL Stenden university of applied science, is executing a research program on this subject, along with two regional universities of applied science, Stenden and Van Hall Larenstein.

Leeuwarden-Friesland is facing several challenges at the cultural, social, economical and ecological area. The title European Capital2018 gives an extra boost to the development in these areas as is the expectation of city and: "We apply for the title European Capital of Culture because we need a large-scale cultural intervention that can fuel new approaches to these challenges. We want to exchange ideas and experiences with Europe, in the field of the future of our natural heritage, the relationship between the city and the countryside and the balance between community and diversity”.

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IJla Zwarter

The municipality of Leeuwarden, province of Fryslân and the cultural capital foundation has commissioned the research group to develop a qualitative research line of the Monitoring & evaluation program for LF-CH2018 in addition to the quantitative study of the 32 objectives from the bid book of the European Capital.

I, IJla Zwarter, am appointed by the NHL Stenden to manage this specific research program. As a program manager, I participate on behalf of the three universities in the meetings of the official steering committee monitoring and evaluation and the consortium of directors, coordinate the realization of the research activities of the research agenda, I'm (co-) author of reports, write proposals for additional funding and initiate forms of strengthening collaboration and co-creation between the NHL Stenden and representatives of province and Leeuwarden municipality. Professor Jelle Dijkstra is the supplier of the research program on behalf of the three universities. We manage, in common responsibility the execution of the research program.

In  phase 1 of the research program (2016-2017) a team of professors of the three universities develop instruments for gathering data and information with which results and effects of the CH2018 activities can be identified, analysed and explained (phase 2).

The research that is executed by the professors is divided into so-called ‘work packages’. Each work package focuses on a particular part in the research program regarding to the legacy of LF-CH2018. The outcome of the research program can be used to create optimal conditions for a lasting legacy of LF-CH2018 on the Quality of life.

I was, among others, being employed as a developer, consultant, manager, director in the branches education, energy and reintegration. I can combine these former work experiences appropriate with my role in this research program.