Knowledge Centre Public Leadership in the European Work Field

The Thorbecke Academy has created a new interactive monitoring tool in partnership with EuropaPact Fryslân. This monitoring tool showcases the different European funds that are available and being used in the Netherlands, using PowerBI. This tool provides valuable insights into completed projects, their locations and the funding program(s) involved.

Start the EU-Fryslân Monitoring tool

What can the tool do?

The monitoring tool currently includes the data from the Interreg and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding programmes. More funding programmes like Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ are scheduled to be added next. Users can explore:

• Projects completed in the Netherlands.
• Regional details, such as activity in Friesland.
• Filters for specific time frames, places, or programs.

Why this tool matters

European funds play a critical role in fostering collaboration, innovation, and development. By visualizing these contributions, our tool aims to make the impact of these funds to be more transparent and easier to monitor, as well as making it accessible for students and people involved.

How it fits in the ES research agenda (‘professional action perspective’)

• in addition to providing a measuring and monitoring instrument to professional practice ('hard control'), it is intended to also facilitate further inquiry – inc. qualitative – into factors or conditions that affect capacities in the region to connect with the European work field.

How is the project and future plans are embedded in education?

• a student-assistant participates in the research project team;
• six software engineering students from ‘ICT & Creative Technologies’ have been engaged in developing an architecture underpinning the monitoring system;
• a protocol and manual will be created for an envisaged minor from ES on quantitative data analysis and writing advisory reports. Thus, students will be trained to write an advisory report on the basis of quantitative data provided by the monitoring tool. A selection of reports will be, under close supervision of members from the ES research team, tailored to meet client needs from the work field.

Research project content

The focus of research is on organisational and individual-professional aspects of adaptation necessary for connecting with the European professional field (Europeanisation). Research takes place in the context of ‘community of practice’ with professionals from municipal administration in Friesland and possibly other stakeholders in the broader context of the northern Netherlands region. The project addresses a professional practice gap (‘handelingsverlegenheid’) that has been reported in, among others, the VNG/HNP report by Hans Vollaard et al. (2023). 

How it fits in the ES research agenda (‘professional action perspective’)

The aim is to (co-)design an intervention, in the context of interprofessional learning process, that facilitates the embedment of ‘Europe’ in the organisation and work processes of municipal administration. The intended intervention (‘ontwerpoplossing’) should ensure a lasting working connection of municipal organisation with the European arena.

How is the project embedded in education?

• through participation in research team by a student-assistant;
• through engagement of students in organising a community of practice;
• creating a manual intended for a minor or course on running European Affairs in municipal administration.

Status of the research project 

A preliminary investigation started in October 2024. This investigation will result in a report and application for funding for follow-up research in September 2025. The working language of this project is Dutch, but some of the resulting publications will be delivered in English.

Research project content

The project aims capture unique characteristics and identities of European values within the mindsets of various RUN-EU partners. RUN-EU is an alliance of regional universities of applied sciences that promotes exchange. For this purpose, relevant RUN-EU stakeholders’ interpretations of “European values” are compared within the everyday practice of their respective roles in, or in relation to higher education. This will be done through an exploratory multiple-case study.

How it fits in the ES research agenda (‘professional action perspective’)

The objective is to formulate  an up to date module by which students will be able to critically assess different concepts of identity and alternative definitions of citizenship. 

How is the project embedded in education?

• the outcome of research will be translated to a module on European citizenship;
• through  co-operation with other RUN EU institutions in joint projects (both in research and in education) workshops and joint assignments will be co-ordinated.

Status of the research project 

The project started in December 2023. The project will be completed in July 2025 with the publication of a research paper and the delivery of an educational module. The working language of this project is English.