DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION OF RESULTS

GLOSSARY OF TERMS (JULY 2006)

INTRODUCTION:
This glossary consists of a non-exhaustive list of terms which are recurrent while addressing
dissemination and exploitation issues inside programmes and activities of DG Education and Culture.
The glossary is intended as a tool which helps actors of European programmes in the fields of
lifelong learning, culture, youth, citizenship and sport, to better understand the terminology linked
to dissemination and exploitation of results. This glossary is subject to periodical revisions and
updates.
***

The concepts of dissemination and exploitation are subject to a variety of interpretations within DG
EAC. It is therefore important to establish some fixed terminological reference points:

¾ ‘Promotion and awareness-raising’ is used primarily in the context of publicising the

existence of programmes and initiatives, their aims, objectives and activities and the
availability of funding for given purposes. This definition excludes the publicising of results.
As such, promotion and raising awareness occurs primarily before and during the actual
implementation of the programmes or initiatives.

¾ ‘Dissemination’ is defined as a planned process of providing information on the quality,

relevance and effectiveness of the results of programmes and initiatives1 to key actors. It
occurs as and when the results of programmes and initiatives become available.

¾ ‘Exploitation’ consists of ‘mainstreaming’ and ‘multiplication’. Mainstreaming is the

planned process of transferring the successful results of programmes and initiatives to
appropriate decision-makers in regulated local, regional, national or European systems.
Multiplication is the planned process of convincing individual end-users to adopt and/or
apply the results of programmes and initiatives.2

Dissemination and exploitation are, therefore, distinct but closely related to one another.
Consideration of the intervention logic for these activities revealed that the keys to successful

1
It should noted that the ‘results of programmes and initiatives’ encompasses the results of individual projects,
events, activities, periods of mobility, etc.
2
Definitions of mainstreaming and multiplication have been adapted from Guide to Achieving Impact for Project
Promoters; EMPLOYMENT Community Initiative; DG Employment and Social Affairs (1997).

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dissemination and exploitation are:

¾ Producing relevant results from projects and programmes/initiatives to satisfy the demands
of providers, policy-makers– and ultimately society more generally;

¾ Ensuring, through the use of effective dissemination and exploitation, that such results
reach the right target audiences in a format and at a time which enables them to benefit
from them.3

BENCHMARKING
A standardised method for collecting and reporting critical operational data in a way that enables
relevant comparison of performances of different organisations or programmes, often with a view
to establish good practice4.

BENEFICIARY
The beneficiaries are the individuals or organisations (users at any level, intermediaries/multipliers,
agents such as associations, regional authorities) benefiting in various ways from the
implementation of the projects. In the European programmes they are also often understood as the
entities receiving financial grants. (see also: FINAL BENEFICIARY)

BROKERAGE
Brokerage indicates the match between supply of results and demand, e.g. the needs of the users for
whom the results are meant. The aim of dissemination and exploitation of results is to facilitate a
brokerage action and to make sure that the project provides an adequate answer to the needs of the
target group. On the stock exchange, a broker is a party that mediates between a buyer and a seller.

CAPITALIZE ON INVESTMENTS
Capitalising on investments entails getting benefits from the means invested in the project (return
on investments). It concerns a project’s tangible and intangible outcomes, which may be exploited
transferred to new users and further developed (= build upon achievements)

COMMERCIALISATION
Commercialisation is a process of marketing the project outcome after having it transformed or not.
This operation may be oriented at
¾ Regaining the cost of the product’s development

3
From EAC external evaluation on dissemination and exploitation mechanisms
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/evalreports/index_en.htm#crossHeader
4
http://www.bologna-bergen2005.no/

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 ¾ Making a profit out of the project’s products
Commercialisation serves as a tool to make the results sustainable after the project ends.

DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION PLAN

A plan for dissemination and exploitation indicates those activities that are going to be carried out
during a project’s lifetime. The plan has to be drafted at the very beginning of a project (often at
proposal stage) and must contain activities to be carried out continuously until the project’s end
(and possibly afterwards). In order to develop a good dissemination and exploitation plan the
promoters (or coordinators) should answer the following questions:
¾ What is the expected project result? (anticipation of the results)
¾ What kind of needs does the project respond to? (ex – ante needs analysis)
¾ Who are the final or potential users or beneficiaries of the project’s outcomes?
(exploitation and sustainability of results)

Additionally the dissemination and exploitation plan has to indicate:

¾ Types of dissemination and exploitation activities (what?)
¾ The most appropriate means (how to do it?)
¾ The most appropriate and efficient calendar (when?)
¾ The available resources – human and financial

DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION OF RESULTS APPLIED TO MOBILITY

Dissemination and exploitation of mobility concerns the results of mobility projects, which are
mostly intangible in the form of experience, skills and knowledge gained by participants or
beneficiaries. Some more tangible results are also seen in the form of changes to systems,
organisations or companies involved in mobility projects. Mobility touches the individual as well as
organisations. In this sense the definition of dissemination and exploitation of results must be
adapted to such distinctive projects and outcomes. The dissemination and exploitation of mobility
can be defined as:

¾ measuring the changes brought about at individual, institutional/organisational,

professional, systems and sector level

¾ improving the quality of mobility projects

¾ improving the quality of placements and exchanges

¾ improving the quality of results

¾ promoting best practice which can feed new projects and encourage greater participation
in mobility projects (capitalize on investments)

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 ¾ disseminating and giving visibility to mobility projects and project outcomes (awareness-
raising)

EVALUATION
Evaluation (at project level) is a crucial phase for projects since it allows a review and qualitative
and quantitative assessment of:
¾ the results achieved against the aims (as regards activities/products), with implications for
the whole of the grant if results are unacceptable and where results are very poor;
¾ the means used to achieve these results in relation to the contractually agreed budget

Evaluation (at program level) : Evaluation in the Commission is defined as a judgement

of interventions according to their results, impacts and the needs they aim to satisfy

EVE – (provisional acronym from espace virtuel d’échange/virtual exchange space)

EVE is a project by DG Education and culture and it envisages the creation of a multilingual, user-
friendly, web-based tool intended to stimulate in a proactive way the match between supply and
demand of results, products, innovative contents and best practice resulting from DG EAC
programmes. The tool will be effective, direct, attractive and easy-to-use. It will be supported by
powerful, broad and easy-to-use search engines). It will be a "showcase" for the results of
educational and cultural programmes and will address all actors and beneficiaries of DG EAC’s
programmes and initiatives. The tool will be linked to existing IT platforms or results data bases at
European or national level.
A brokerage service will be offered to the users in order to:
¾ help them find the most adequate and relevant results and facilitate the match between
demand and supply
¾ promote the supply available
¾ possibly help to tease out latent demand
¾ ensure the ongoing matching of supply and demand,
¾ to provide potential "users" with regular updated information on the results

EX - ANTE DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION

Ex – ante dissemination and exploitation involves planning, dissemination and exploitation of results
from the beginning of a project. It is based on an ex – ante needs analysis of target group towards
which the project is addressed and involves interaction between the stakeholders and promoters (or
coordinators) during the project. This process ensures more impact and sustainability of a project –
(see also: DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION PLAN which is based on the concept of ex-ante
dissemination and exploitation)

EX - POST DISSEMINATION AND EXPLOITATION

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Ex-post dissemination and exploitation is connected with the linear model of innovation5. It involves
dissemination and exploitation after the project has finished, when the results have been developed
and are ready to be used. In general late dissemination and exploitation of results reduces the
chances for the project to have real impact. One of the forms of ex – post dissemination and
exploitation is the transfer of innovation.

EXPLOITATION MECHANISMS
Exploitation embodies the act of employing results to the greatest possible advantage. Exploitation
needs appropriate mechanisms to make results more attractive for use to the target group; tailor
the results to the needs of specific target groups, sectors or organisations; transfer results that
could be used by new target groups or sectors; sustain results and keep them in use and existence;
influence and change mainstream practice and policy.

FINAL BENEFICIARY (END BENEFICIARY)

A final beneficiary is an individual or an organisation directly positively influenced by the project
outcome. Not necessarily receiving a financial grant and even not directly involved in the project,
the beneficiary may exploit project outcomes for its own purposes.

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES
In general the follow up activities take place when the project is finished in administrative terms.
Their aim is to keep results alive and sustainable. The activities could imply
¾ updating the results after the project has been completed
¾ recognising/certifying the result
¾ involvement of policy – makers taking up results
¾ transfer and exploitation of results by other sectors/target groups/environments
¾ commercialisation of a project results
¾ …
GOOD PRACTICE
A good practice is an exemplary project (including results or processes) which has positively
influenced systems and practices throughout its activities and results. Consequently, good practices
are worth transferring and exploiting in different contexts and environments by new users or
entities.

IMPACT6
Impact is the effect that the project and its results have on various systems and practices. A project
with impact contributes to the objectives of programmes and to the development of different

5
in the linear model the dissemination and exploitation of results follow a more chorological pattern and takes
place only at the end of a project or even after it has been completed
6
Project Cycle Management, Aid Delivery Methods, March 2004

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European Union policies. The effective transfer and exploitation of results, together with the
improvement of systems by innovation, produces positive impact.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

At project level, information and communication concern collecting and presenting project
activities, experiences, results to potentially interested users. They are aimed at increasing
knowledge of the projects. In the process, various tools are used: publications, press releases,
documentation, websites, expositions, conferences, videos, Video News Releases (see also:
PROMOTION AND AWARNESS RAISING)

INNOVATION
Innovative results are those which represent some new and distinctive features, distinguishing them
from others with similar characteristic, and adding value in relation to conventional solutions7.

MONITORING (at project level)

The process involves continuous and systematic control of the project’s progress. The intention is to
correct any deviation from the operational objectives and thus improve the performance. Every
project should be monitored throughout its duration in order to ensure its success. Monitoring
consists of supervision of activities, comparison with the work plan and using the information
obtained for the improvement of the project8. During the monitoring process dissemination and
exploitation activities must be carefully checked, verified and, if necessary - reoriented and
adapted.

MAINSTREAMING
Mainstreaming is a process which enables activities to impact on policy and practice. This process
includes identifying lessons, clarifying the innovative element and approach that produced the
results, their dissemination, validation and transfer. More specifically, mainstreaming also defines
the phase of transfer and the way in which other actors take account of the elaborated results,
approaches and key elements9.

NEEDS ANALYSIS
Needs analysis is a fundamental starting point in the process of dissemination and exploitation of
results. Ideally, it takes place at the planning stage, before starting a project (ex ante needs
analysis). The aim is to define the needs of a target group (future beneficiaries and users of the
project results) and to better orientate the project’s activities, with the objective to effectively
answer these needs. The project designed and planned on the basis of needs analysis
¾ brings more added value to the project itself

7
After Making change possible. A practical guide to mainstreaming under EQUAL, p.53
8
After Grundtvig Learning Partnership Navigator, page 40
9
based on the definition of mainstreaming used in EQUAL programme

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 ¾ is more likely to produce useful and sustainable results which may have positive impact

RE - INVENT THE WHEEL

Effective dissemination and exploitation of results prevent project promoters (or coordinators) from
“re – inventing the wheel”. This means that having the possibility to know, re-use, transfer and
adapt the results of different finalised projects, the promoters of new ventures may perfect and
develop the existing outcomes ensuring at the same time, their sustainability.

RESULT (or project outcome)10

Project results can be tangible and intangible: this affects the tools used to collect, disseminate and
exploit them
1) ‘Products’ are tangible and durable outputs in the form of new learning products, new curricula,
new qualifications, videos, etc.; they include:
reports and (comparative) studies;
traditional education and training modules like handbooks and other training tools;
innovative education and training modules
new curricula and qualifications;
guidance material to new approaches and methodologies;
online education and training material (e-learning); and
events such as conferences, cultural events, youth gatherings, public awareness campaigns,
seminars, debates and symposia.

2) 'Methods’ include:
increased knowledge of the participants within a certain field and topic;
cooperation processes and methodologies;
managerial lessons learned and know-how; and
exchange of ideas and good practice.

3) ‘Experiences’ are intangible and perhaps even less durable than products and methods;
they include:
experience gained by the project partners in the management and undertaking of (transnational)
partnerships;
experience gained by individuals, for example, experience gained from mobility periods within
Erasmus or Leonardo or from the exchanges or the voluntary scheme of the Youth programme;
exchange of experience and best practice through the establishment of networks, such as
Thematic Networking in Leonardo or Comenius Networks;
experience gained from town-twinning, cultural events, etc.

10
From EAC external evaluation on dissemination and exploitation mechanisms
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/evalreports/index_en.htm#crossHeader

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4) 'Policy Lessons’ usually emerge from the overall experience of projects within a programme or
initiative (or group of programmes or initiatives) or from individual projects that are particularly
innovative or effective. They are applied more widely at ‘systems’ level by multiplier agents. The
generation of policy lessons is unlikely to be the primary consideration of project promoters or
coordinators (and partners) and their reason for participating in an EU programme or initiative.

5) 'European Co-operation’ as a means, in part, to increase awareness about the EU and improve its
visibility but also to reinforce actions at EU level. It includes:
new or extended European partnerships;
transnational sharing of experience and best practice;
cross-cultural dialogue and co-operation; and
new dialogue and partnerships between EU and non-EU countries.

SPIN OFF EFFECTS

Spin off effects are unexpected effects happening along the project life and that are normally
considered in the ex-post evaluations.

SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is the capacity of the project to continue its existence and functioning beyond its
end. The project results are used and exploited continuously. Sustainability of results implies use
and exploitation of results in the long term.

STAKEHOLDERS
Individuals or institutions that may, directly or indirectly, positively or negatively, affect or be
affected by a project and/or a programme. Examples of stakeholders in the activity field of
education and culture: decision makers, social partners, sectoral organisations etc

THEMATIC WORKSHOPS/THEMATIC MONITORING

Thematic workshops (or thematic monitoring of projects) aim at creating an exchange forum for
project coordinators working on the same topic. Exchange of knowledge and experience among
actors involved in European cooperation projects on a specific theme is important for effective
transfer of innovation and for building synergies. National agencies, experts and
stakeholders/potential users of results are often associated to this kind of thematic activities in
order to have a more interactive exchange among the providers of results (the projects) and those
who could potentially benefit and take up such results (the users/stakeholders).

TARGET GROUP
The target group concerns those who will be directly, positively affected by the project by its
activities and its results. (See also: FINAL BENEFICIARY)

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TRANSFER OF INNOVATION
The aim of the innovation transfer process is the adaptation and/or further development of
innovative results of a project, their transfer, piloting and integration into public and/or private
systems, companies, organisations at local, regional, national and/or Community level. The process
has the objective of answering the needs of new target groups and users. The actors who can take
part in transfer of innovations are: users at any level, intermediaries/multipliers, decision makers,
etc.

The process for transferring innovative content ideally has a number of steps which go beyond
simple dissemination, and which are described below:
• identifying and analysing targeted user requirements;
• selecting and analysing innovative content to meet these requirements and analysing its
transferability;
• adapting it to the culture, needs and requirements of potential users (updating the product,
translations etc);
• transferring it to new socio-cultural and linguistic contexts (target groups, sectors, etc.)
• using it in new sectors, with new target groups, including piloting it in public or private
structures;
• integrating (or certifying) it in regional, national, European and/or sectoral systems and
practices.

USER
User is an individual or organisation which can make use /exploit or be inspired for further activities
by project results.