MDI evaluated the provincial programmes of four provinces in the Northern Finland region (Kainuu, Central Ostrobothnia, Lapland and Northern Ostrobothnia). The evaluation examined the effectiveness and efficiency of each provincial programme, as well as the factors that supported and hindered the attainment of the results and impacts.
Based on the evaluation, the preparation of provincial programmes in each province has been successful, the programme work is seen as effective as are the programme guides’ project activities and regional development in the provinces. In future, evaluation will call for more future-orientation in content choices, investment in communication and continuous updating of the snapshot view as well as a stronger partnership throughout the programming cycle.
Recommendations were given to each province to develop the provincial programme work. Five joint recommendations were made:
1) Courage and a conversational approach to programme preparation.
2) Implementation of the partnership model and continuous updating.
3) Continuous dialogue and the strengthening of cooperation structures between the provinces of Northern Finland.
4) Low carbon and climate responsibility as a visible cross-cutting theme in the programming.
5) Strengthening the role of the regional association as a consolidator of actions.
The external evaluation of the provincial programmes 2018–2021 supports and guides the preparation of new provincial programmes. The evaluation was undertaken in the same way across all provinces, but the results were reported by province. In addition, special attention was paid to inter-provincial peer learning.