OPEN METHOD OF COORDINATION OMC

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1 FOCUS GROUP METHODOLOGY PROPOSAL : OPEN METHOD OF COORDINATION OMC LINKING-MED-GULF ERASMUS MUNDUS TUNIS, 19 SEPTEMBER 2013 FOCUS GROUP : UNIVERSITY EMPLOYABILITY PROF. VIRGINIA FERRER PHD R E C T O R C O M M I S S I O N E R F O R P A R T I C I P A T I O N, E M P L O Y A B I L I T Y A N D S O C I A L E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P U N I V E R S I T Y O F B A R C E L O N A - S P A I N

2 OPEN METHOD OF COORDINATION OMC The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) is the method of European Union (EU) policy-making that facilitates the voluntary coordination of national policies through a series of interconnected steps, including definition of common goals, definition of national reform programmes implementing these goals, regular national reporting, and monitoring of national progress. It has a cyclical nature, as goals may be revised, and it is used in different policy areas, such as employment, inclusion, research, etc.. ( Adaptation form Borras, S & Radaelli. C.V. 2010)

3 OPEN METHOD OF COORDINATION FOR IMPROVING UNIVERSITY AND GRADUATES EMPLOYMENT AS RECOMMENDED 2020 EU STRATEGY. OMC is defined by European Social Affairs, Employment and Inclusion as: The social OMC is a voluntary process for political cooperation based on agreeing common objectives and measuring progress towards these goals using common indicators. The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) was introduced by the European Council of Lisbon in March It was a method designed to help Member States progress jointly in the reforms they needed to undertake in order to reach the Lisbon goals.

4 4 ELEMENTS OF OMC a. Fixing guidelines and timetables for achieving short, medium and long-term goals b. Establishing quantitative and qualitative indicators and benchmarks, tailored to the needs of Member States and sectors involved, as a means of comparing best practices c. Translating European guidelines into national and regional policies, by setting specific measures and targets d. Periodic monitoring of the progress achieved in order to put in place mutual learning processes between Member States (Investing in Europe Research. Open Coordination Method in

5 SOCIAL-CIVIL-ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP THROUGH OMC The process also involves close co-operation with stakeholders, including Social Partners and civil society The open method of coordination (OMC) is a form of EU soft law, a process of policymaking which does not lead to binding EU legislative measures nor require Member States to change their law. The open method of coordination (OMC) aims to spread best practices and achieve greater convergence towards the main EU goals. European Social Affairs, Employment and Inclusion. Eurofound Open Coordination Method. n.htm

6 4 STEPS OMC OMc goes through a series of interconnected 4 steps. 1. Partners define a set of common policy targets or guidelines (qualitative or quantitative) 2. Each partner sets up its own programme for action, defining more specific strategic targets, and aligning its policies to the common targets. 3. Progress is periodically reported, monitored and assessed by peer reviewers and bilateral/multilateral interactions in view of encouraging the enforcement of the necessary actions aiming at those targets. 4. The cycle starts again with the change and definition of new common guidelines. (Adaptation Borras, S& Radaelli, C., 2010)

7 WHY OMC? OMC is used to explore coordination in policy problems characterised by high uncertainty about what should be done. Coordination is used to appraise innovation (via benchmarking, peer review, and other learning-based tools). The whole network is a laboratory where policy experiments take place every day. Once found, the possible solution is diffused through the network. The network thus becomes a learning architecture. The OMC is not simply a technique to diffuse innovation. More importantly, it encourages deliberation about the right solutions.

8 OMC TOOLS 5 tools or instruments are used by through OCM (Adaptation from Hartlapp, 2009) 1.Benchmarking : SWOT 2.Peer-review: Best practices and Mutual learning 3.Reporting : Green paper and others 4.Indicators : University Employment Indicators 5.Guidelines: share principles for action

9 OMC 3 NETWORKING ACTION-LEARNINGS AND PROGRESS The focus on these five instruments is useful to understand the different contribution to 3 types of action-learnings: a) Organizational learning; (b) Mutual and shared-social learning; (c) Deliberative problem-solving and collaborative action for improving

10 WHAT IS SWOT ANALYSIS? (FROM RENAULT, V. AND SCHUTZ,J. 2013) The name says it: Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat. A SWOT analysis guides you to identify the positives and negatives inside your organization (S-W) and outside of it, in the external environment (O-T). Developing a full awareness of your situation can help with both strategic planning and decision-making. The SWOT method (which is sometimes called TOWS) was originally developed for business and industry, but it is equally useful in the work of community health and development, education, and even personal growth.

11 WHEN USE SWOT? Exploring possibilities for new efforts or solutions to problems. Making decisions about the best path for new initiative. Identifying opportunities for success in context of threats to success can clarify directions and choices. Determining where change is possible. If we are at a juncture or turning point, an inventory of our strengths and weaknesses can reveal priorities as well as possibilities. Adjusting and refining plans mid-course. A new opportunity might open wider avenues, while a new threat could close a path that once existed.

12 S & W ANALYSIS ON: Human resources staff, volunteers, board members, target population Physical resources - location, building, equipment Financial - grants, funding agencies, other sources of income Activities and processes - programs we run, systems we employ Past experiences - building blocks for learning and success, our reputation in the community

13 O & T ANALYSIS ON: Future trends - in our field or the culture The economy - local, national, or international Funding sources - foundations, donors, legislatures Demographics - changes in the age, race, gender, culture of those we serve or in our area The physical environment Legislation Local, national or international events

14 REFERENCES - Borrás, S. and Radaelli, C.M. (2010) Recalibrating the Open Method of Coordination: Towards Diverse and More Effective Usages Stockholm: Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies SIEPS - Eurofound Open Coordination Method. ofcoordination.htm - European Social Affairs, Employment and Inclusion. - Investing in Europe Research. Open Coordination Method in - Renault, V & Schultz, J (2013) SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

15 THANK YOU