Evaluation of the ESF+ Programme “Employment Austria and Just Transition Fund 2021–2027”
Duration:
03/2025
—
04/2031
Total project duration:
6 years
Institute POLICIES, Photo: JOANNEUM RESEARCH/Schwarzl
The project
The project consortium, consisting of JOANNEUM RESEARCH, L&R Social Research, Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) and the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) has been commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection to evaluate the ESF+ Programme “Employment Austria and Just Transition Fund 2021–2027” . The aim of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and relevance of the programme and to provide well-founded recommendations for improving programme implementation.
Our activities in the project
POLICIES acts as project lead, coordinating the consortium and ensuring communication with the contracting authority. In addition, POLICIES will oversee the overall programme evaluation as well as in-depth evaluations of Priority Axis 1: Work–life balance and gender equality, and Priority Axis 6: Social innovation.
Research groups
Downloads
Contracting Authority
Bundesministerium für Arbeit, Soziales,
Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz
Project partners
L&R Sozialforschung, Institut für Höhere Studien (IHS)
Österreichisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (WIFO)
Details of the project
The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is the EU’s main funding instrument for promoting social justice and employment. It supports people in improving their labour market opportunities, fosters education and training, strengthens social inclusion, and helps to reduce poverty and disadvantage. At the same time, ESF+ drives innovation and digitalisation, contributing to a fairer and more sustainable society in Europe. The evaluation will cover both the overall programme and its seven priority axes, focusing on issues such as gender equality, poverty reduction, social innovation, and the Just Transition Fund. A particular emphasis will be placed on analysing cross-cutting objectives, including gender equality, anti-discrimination, and ecological sustainability, as well as on developments in the transition region of Burgenland. The methodology combines qualitative and quantitative approaches, including strategic, implementation and impact analyses, interviews, case studies, online surveys, as well as monitoring and secondary statistical data analyses. Findings will be incorporated into an interim report and a final report (by 2029), and will be regularly discussed with the Ministry and the ESF+ Programme Monitoring Committee. In addition to optimising current programme implementation, the evaluation aims to generate valuable insights for the next funding period beyond 2027.
Die methodische Umsetzung kombiniert qualitative und quantitative Ansätze: Strategie-, Umsetzungs- und Wirkungsanalysen werden durch Interviews, Fallstudien, Onlinebefragungen sowie durch Analysen von Monitoring- und sekundärstatistischen Daten ergänzt.
Die Ergebnisse der Evaluation fließen in einen Zwischenbericht sowie in den Endbericht (bis 2029) ein und werden regelmäßig mit dem Ministerium und der Begleitgruppe des ESF+ Programms reflektiert. Neben der Optimierung der aktuellen Programmdurchführung sollen auch wertvolle Erkenntnisse für die nächste Förderperiode nach 2027 geliefert werden.
