Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013

Leonardo da Vinci

EUTOPIA-MT PROjEcT

D 1.2 Quality Plan

“This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”

Project code: / LLP-LDV/TOI/2007/IT/160
Name of project: / EUropean Training Organization Programme for Innovative and Alternative Mediation Tool
Acronym / EUTOPIA – MT
Document class / Deliverable 1.2
WP / 1
Author / Alessandra Delli Veneri
Partner / Dipartimento di Scienze Relazionali “G.Iacono”
Version / 0
Date / 04/03/08

Index

Index

1.Management bodies

1.1.AO – Administration Office

1.2.SC – Strategic Committee

2.Tools

2.1.Overview

2.2.Activity monitoring Tool

2.3.Financial monitoring tool

3.Annex 1 – Cahier De Bord EUTOPIA-MT PROJECT Activities

4.Annex 2 – Cahier De Bord EUTOPIA-MT PROJECT Budget

1.Managementbodies

One of the key tasks in the EUTOPIA-MT proposal is the definition of a “Quality Plan” supporting the work carried out in individual Work Packages. The Quality Plan has two goals: on the one hand, tohelp the partners in monitoring and controlling their own activities; on the other tofacilitate the relationship between the EUTOPIA-MT Consortium and the Commission/National Agency. In both cases, the tools provided by the plan make it possible to identify emerging problems and to take timely corrective action

Implementation of the Quality Plan is the responsibility of the Dipartimento di Scienze Relazionali “G. Iacono”, Università di Napoli “Federico II”. The activities defined in the plan will be performed by two separate management bodies each with its own goals and responsibilities. These are the Administration Office and the Strategic Committee.

1.1.AO –Administration Office

The Administration Office is directly managed by the Dipartimento di Scienze Relazionali. The role of the office is to continuously monitor the project’s planned activities. More specifically the AO will use a monitoring tool to check that WP goals have been achieved on time. Six monthly financial checks will ensure that expenditures are in line with budget forecasts. The AO will ensure that the partners produce all documentation required by their contractual obligations. Additionally the AO will develop a plan for evaluating the outcomes of the trials. The evaluation process will involve the collection and analysis of data on:

  • User Satisfaction: the initial expectations and satisfaction of end-users and tutors
  • Learning outcomes: the extent to which training goals have been achieved
  • System use: user characteristics, frequency of use, variations in use over time
  • Technical quality: reliability, performance, usability, malfunctions

The evaluation process will directly involve the target groups involved in the trials. To evalaute learning outcomes, users will complete questionnaires, at the beginning of the program, midway through the program and at the end. They will also be asked to fill in a questionnaire describing their initial expectations and their level of satisfaction. At the end of each cycle of trials, the AO will draft a report, describing the results of the evaluation.

The AO includes the following staff:

  • Prof. Orazio Miglino (Project Coordinator)
  • Dott.ssa Alessandra Delli Veneri (responsible for issues regarding the content of project activities);
  • Dott.ssa Patrizia Cozzolino (responsible for financial and administrative issues).

1.2.SC – Strategic Committee

The SC, coordinated by the Dipartimento di Scienze Relazionali, comprises one representative from each of the project partners:

  • Prof. Orazio Miglino (Dipartimento di Scienze Relazionali, Università di Napoli)
  • Dr. David Officer (INDEX, Research and Dialogue)
  • Dr. Neil Jarman (ICR, Institute for Conflict Research)
  • Dott. Vincenzo Pala (Cooperativa Sociale Onlus “Passaggi”)

Committee meetings are held by videoconference, at least once every eight months, and on all occasions in which the members believe a meeting to be necessary.

The main goal of the SC is to resolve strategic, technical and methodological issues that arise during project activities. The SC has the task of monitoring the activities carried out in individual Work Packages, ensuring they match the goals set out in the project proposal.

2.Tools

2.1.Overview

Implementation of the Quality Plan will be based on two monitoring tools. The first will make it possible to monitor the activities carried out in the Work Packages. The second will be used for financial management. Both tools have been developed by the Dipartimento di Scienze Relazionali. Together they will make it possible to collect data on:

  • The activities of individual work packages: respect for deadlines, objectives achieved, products released, delays, critical issues, solutions adopted.
  • Project Expenditures: admissibility of costs, match between planned and actual costs.
  • Documents: Respect for deadlines, delays, respect for contractual deadlines

Monitoring activities will respect the following deadlines:

  • Month 9 (deadline July 14 2008): completion of first round of activity and financial monitoring;[1]
  • Month 12 (deadline November 14, 2008):completion of financial tables for intermediate report; completion of second round of activity monitoring ;
  • Month 18 (deadline, May 14. 2009): completion of third round of activity and financial monitoring;
  • Month 24 (deadline,November 14 2009): completion of financial tables for final report; completion of fourth round of activity monitoring

Following the release of the intermediate and final reports, the National Agency (managed by ISFOL) has 2 months to evaluate the project’s activities and results. To avoid delays it is essential all reports should be delivered on time. Deadlines for submission of required documentation by partner are therefore fixed one month before the deadline for submission of reports to ISFOL. For example, the official deadline for the Intermediate Report is November 14. The deadline for partner materials is thus October 14.

2.2.Activity monitoring Tool

The Activity Monitoring Tool will make it possible to monitor activities in the individual Work Packages. Data for each work package will be collected in a Work Package form showing the goals for each task, together with the planned and actual timing for the task, the results achieved, any problems that may have arisen and the solutions adopted to address these problems.

2.3.Financial monitoring tool

Financial monitoring will be based on a cahier de bord. The document will consist of five sections, dedicated respectively to staff, travel, equipment, subcontracts and “other expenditure” and an additional section summarizing project expenditures and providing instructions for the use of the tool. Each section will be organized around the schedule for work package activities, providing a clear view of the evolution of project expenditure over time.

3.Annex 1 – Cahier De Bord EUTOPIA-MT PROJECT Activities

See Annex 1

4.Annex 2 – Cahier De Bord EUTOPIA-MT PROJECTBudget

See Annex 2

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D1_2 Quality Plan.doc

[1] The first round of monitoring was originally planned for month 6. Given the late start of project activities, the SC agreed that the activity should be postponed by 3 months.