Principles and purposes of European Union Cohesion policy evaluation

Batterbury S. C. E. (2006) Principles and purposes of European Union Cohesion policy evaluation, Regional Studies 40, 179-188. The paper provides a critical assessment of the evaluation of European Union Cohesion policy, focusing on the current regulatory framework, and the difficulties this poses for achieving rigorous and useful evaluation outputs. The paper argues that the evaluation framework for Cohesion policy is limited to three core purposes: accountability, improved planning, and quality and performance, but that it would benefit from widening this to include other functions. The decentralization of evaluation to the Member States means the evaluation of Cohesion policy relies on the presence of a pre-existing evaluation culture and skills base in the regions. Further, obstacles to effective evaluation arise from the lack of data comparability, rigidity of time-scales and a focus on performance approaches. Cohesion policy Evaluation purpose Regulatory framework Capacity Batterbury S. C. E. (2006) Les principes et les buts de l'evaluation de la politique de cohesion de l'UE, Regional Studies 40, 179-188. Cet article cherche a faire la critique de l'evaluation de la politique de cohesion de l'UE, portant sur le cadre reglementaire actuel et les difficultes qui se posent quant a la realisation de resultats a la fois rigoureux et utiles. L'article affirme que le cadre d'evaluation de la politique de cohesion se limite a trois buts cles: a savoir, la responsabilite financiere, un meilleur planning, et le rapport qualite-performance. Toujours est-il que le cadre profiterait d'un elargissement de ces fonctions-la. La decentralisation de l'evaluation aux pays-membres laisse supposer que l'evaluation de la politique de cohesion depend de la presence dans les regions d'une culture et des competences pre-existantes. En outre, des obstacles a l'evaluation efficace s'expliquent par le manque de donnees comparables, la rigidite des periodes de temps, et l'accent mis sur des approches de performance. Politique de cohesion Objectif de l'evaluation Cadre reglementaire Capacite Batterbury S. C. E. (2006) Prinzipien und Ziele der Evaluierung der Kohasionspolitik der EU, Regional Studies 40, 179-188. Dieser Aufsatz legt eine kritische Einschatzung der Evaluierung der Kohasionspolitik der EU vor, wobei er sich auf die gegenwartige Rahmenverordnungen konzentriert, und die Schwierigkeiten, welche diese fur die Erzielung grundlicher und nutzlicher Evaluierungsleistungen darstellt. Der Aufsatz vertritt den Standpunkt, dass der Evaluierungsrahmen fur Kohasionspolitik auf drei Hauptziele beschrankt ist: Verantwortlichkeit, bessere Planung, Qualititat, und Leistung, doch Nutzen aus einer Ausweitung ziehen wurde, die andere Funktionen miteinbezieht. Die Dezentralisierung der Evaluierung auf Mitgliedstaaten bedeutet, dass die Evaluierung der Kohasionspolitik vom Vorhandensein einer Evaluierungskuttur und Kompetenzen in den Regionen abhangt. Daruberhinaus ergeben sich Hindernisse fur wirksame Evaluierung aus dem Mangel vergleichbarer Daten, der Starrheit von Zeitrahmen und einer Konzentration auf Leistungsansatze. Kohasionspolitik Evaluierungsziele Verordnungsrahmen Kapazitat Batterbury S. C. E. (2006) Los principios y objetivos de la evaluacion de la Politica de Cohesion de la UE, Regional Studies 40, 179-188. Este articulo es un estudio critico sobre la evaluacion de la Politica de Cohesion de la UE y se ocupa principalmente de la estructura actual de regulacion y las dificultades que esta presenta para conseguir que los resultados de evaluacion sean rigurosos y utiles. Se arguye que la estructura de evaluacion de la Politica de Cohesion se limita a tres objetivos basicos: responsabilidad, una mejor planificacion, y calidad y rendimiento. Sin embargo, la estructura se beneficiaria si se ampliara para incluir otras funciones. La descentralizacion de, la evaluacion a los Estados Miembros, significa que la evaluacion sobre la Politica de Cohesion depende de la presencia de una cultura ya existente de evaluacion y de la base de capacidad en las respectivas regiones. Asimismo surgen obstaculos para conseguir una evaluacion eficaz, puesto que faltan datos comparables, los plazos son muy estrictos y se centran en los planteamientos de rendimiento. Politica de Cohesion Finalidad de la evaluacion Estructura de regulacion Capacidad

Évaluation de l'incidence de l'enseignement supérieur sur le développement régional : Une approche réaliste de meilleures politiques

L’enseignement supérieur est largement considéré comme un élément essentiel du développement économique régional et de la construction de l’économie du savoir (Barclays, 2002). À cet égard, le Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) a énoncé de grands principes relatifs à l’analyse comparative des méthodes visant à évaluer la contribution des établissements d’enseignement supérieur au développement régional (HEFCE, 2002). Deux visions s’opposent toutefois : d’un côté, l’enseignement supérieur est perçu comme un investissement dans le développement régional et de l’autre, la méthode d’évaluation classique qui consiste uniquement à évaluer les répercussions financières des établissements d’enseignement est privilégiée. Au regard du grand nombre d’évaluations d’incidence classiques disponibles, relativement peu d’études ont été consacrées à l’évaluation des effets de l’enseignement supérieur sur le développement régional, de son impact net sur les fonds publics ou de sa valeur en termes d’exportation. Cet article s’appuie sur des études récentes afin d’esquisser un cadre d’évaluation réaliste qui pourra apporter les indices nécessaires à l’amélioration des liens entre l’enseignement supérieur et le développement régional ainsi que des processus d’élaboration des politiques dans ce domaine.

Ocular growth and refractive error development in premature infants without retinopathy of prematurity. Invest ophthalmol vis sci

PURPOSE. This investigation studied the factors involved in the development of refractive error (RE) in premature infants unaffected by retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS. Premature infants enrolled in the national ROP screening program were recruited and examined at 32, 36, 40, 44, and 52 weeks' postmenstrual age. At each examination, axial length (AXL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and lens thickness (LT) were measured on the A-scan biometer. Corneal curvature (CC) was recorded with a video-ophthalmophakometer, and refractive state was determined with routine cycloplegic refraction. Multilevel modeling techniques were used to determine the relationships between all the variables throughout the study period, as well as individual growth rates. RESULTS. Sixty-eight premature infants were included. AXL and ACD showed linear patterns of growth, whereas LT changed little over the study period. CC showed a quadratic growth pattern, and unlike the previous variables, correlated well with refractive state. Premature infants were myopes at the start of the study, with refraction becoming emmetropic as they neared full term and then hypermetropic toward the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS. Most of the components of refractive status showed linear patterns of growth during this early phase of ocular development. CC displayed a more complex pattern of growth, which correlated well with refractive state. Compared with full-term infants examined around term, this group has shorter AXLs, shallower anterior chambers, and more highly curved corneas. In addition, less of the expected hypermetropia developed in the premature group, which seems mainly due to the differences in ACD and corneal curvature. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003;44:953-960) DOI:10.1167/ iovs.02-0124 T he World Health Organization has classified myopia as among the leading causes of blindness and vision impairment in the world today. 1 The prevalence of myopia varies enormously, depending on country of origin, ethnicity, age at examination, family history, 2 and occupation. 5 These prevalences tend to increase in most populations during the teenaged years, from 37% in Greek students 6 to 65% in Singaporean graduates. 7 In comparison, in some Inuit populations, the prevalence has remained low, and largely unchanged. 8 Some investigators have attributed this difference to changes in environmental factors, such as near work, that affect the former populations. As well as environmental factors, it has been noted that children of parents with myopia have a predisposition to myopia later in life, 9 and several genetic loci associated with pathologic myopia and increased ocular size have been isolated. Studies of refractive state among premature infants are difficult to compare, because of methodological variations, including differences in age at examination, classification of ROP, and cohort size. However, cross-sectional studies report rates of myopia ranging from 5%, 11 through 22.4%, 12 to more than 80%, 12,13 depending on the presence and severity of ROP and the ages at the time of examination. This form of myopia is attributed to shorter axial length (AXLs) and shallower anterior chambers, with more highly curved corneas and more spherical lenses. 12,14 More information can be gained from longitudinal studies. The CRYO-ROP group reported findings at 3 months and 5.5 years in untreated infants. 13,15 At 3 months of age, those without ROP had a 10% prevalence of myopia; those with moderate ROP, 35%; and those with residua such as macular heterotopia, 72%. By 5.5 years, these percentages had changed only slightly, to 10%, 35%, and 82%, respectively, with most changes observed during the first year. Another other research group has found higher incidences of myopia at similar ages: 30% in those without ROP, 70% in resolved ROP, and 90% in cicatricial ROP, although this particular sample showed a higher prevalence of severe ROP than most. 16 The most extensive work has been performed by Fledelius, 18 Most of these studies began measurements after 3 months of age. Consequently, information about concurrent early longitudinal changes in refractive state and of the structural components of the eye of premature infants is sparse. The purpose of this study was to look prospectively at premature infants unaffected by ROP during the early phases of ocular growth, and to identify factors contributing to refractive status at this time. It was hoped that this might add to existing knowledge of factors affecting emmetropization after premature birth. From th

Ocular growth and refractive error development in premature infants without ROP. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci.

PURPOSE. To study factors involved in the development of refractive error in premature infants with or without retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS. Premature infants in the national ROP screening program were recruited and examined longitudinally between 32 and 52 weeks' postmenstrual age. Axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and lens thickness (LT) were measured on the A-scan biometer. Corneal curvature was recorded with video-ophthalmophakometry and refractive state was determined with routine cycloplegic retinoscopy. Multilevel modeling techniques were used to study relationships between all the variables and stage of ROP throughout the study period, as well as individual growth rates. RESULTS. One hundred thirty-six infants were included. AL and ACD showed linear patterns of growth, whereas LT changed little over the study. Corneal curvature showed quadratic growth patterns in infants unaffected by ROP, but showed linear growth if ROP developed. Corneal curvature correlated well with refractive state. Most infants were myopic at the start of the study, became emmetropic around term, and were hypermetropic toward the end of the study. However, the eyes that were treated for ROP showed little change in refractive error; with significantly less hypermetropia by the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS. Eyes of premature infants have shorter axial lengths, shallower anterior chambers, and more highly curved corneas than eyes of full-term infants. These differences become more significant as the severity of ROP increases. Premature eyes develop less of the expected hypermetropia in fullterm eyes, mainly due to differences in ACD and corneal curvature. These differences are most significant in eyes that receive laser treatment for ROP. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci

Sign Language Peoples as indigenous minorities: implications for research and policy

In this paper we draw strong parallels between Sign Language Peoples (SLPs) and First Nation peoples. We argue that SLPs (communities defining themselves by shared membership in physical and metaphysical aspects of language, culture, epistemology, and ontology) can be considered indigenous groups in need of legal protection in respect of educational, linguistic, and cultural rights accorded to other First Nation indigenous communities. We challenge the assumption that SLPs should be primarily categorised within concepts of disability. The disability label denies the unique spatial culturolinguistic phenomenon of SLP collectivist identity by replicating traditional colonialist perspectives, and actively contributing to their ongoing oppression. Rather, SLPs are defined spatially as a locus for performing, building, and reproducing a collective topography expressed through a common language and a shared culture and history.