Research – Unit of Evaluation of Development Policies and Programs

The Laboratory for Evaluation of Development Policies and Programs (Evaluation Lab) operates under the auspices of the Department of Planning and Regional Development (DPRD), at the University of Thessaly (U.Th). DPRD offers a well-recognized diploma in the subject of Development covering all development aspects and all spatial levels: from local to regional, from rural to urban space, from national to interregional and international, from infrastructure to labor market, from tourism to innovation, from the public sector to entrepreneurship.
Development Planning and moreover Regional Development Planning has changed targets, content, methods and techniques, in the last fifteen-twenty years. Beyond the convergence of regional economies we are interested in the cohesion of European space; beside balanced development we seek regional competitiveness. Beyond the development of indigenous resources we aim to attract investment and activities from abroad, traditional comparative advantages are not sufficient and we are directed to innovation production and incorporation. In addition to public investment we have in mind private investment and entrepreneurial planning. Furthermore, we are interested in regional development not only in growth periods but also in recession and crisis periods.