Quality of life measurements and methodology

Programme 2014 - 2020 ESPON 2020

Date of latest update: 2024-05-18

Description

Description (EN):

Some research and studies exists related to quality of life and well-being. The work mentioned under Section 1.1 so far does not yet provide sufficient evidence and knowledge about the territorial dimension of quality of life at regional level and its possible integration in future EU territorial cohesion policy and in national, regional and local territorial development strategies. The service provider should be knowledgeable about the main work and initiatives developed on this topic and use that as a starting point for the implementation of this service contract. In general, it will be important to take into account current ongoing research projects and studies related to quality of life and initiatives to collect, produce and visualise indicators in order to avoid overlaps or a low relevance of the results. The following tasks, which are interconnected and interdependent, shall be carried out within the framework of this service contract: Task 1: Establishment of an Advisory Group in cooperation with EUROSTAT, the OECD and the UN The service provider in close cooperation with the ESPON EGTC should establish an advisory group with 8-12 experts aimed at supporting the implementation of this service contract. Representatives from EUROSTAT, the OECD, the UN should be invited to join the advisory group. The membership of the advisory group should be agreed with the ESPON EGTC. During the life-time of this service contract, the service provider in close cooperation with the ESPON EGTC should convey 3 meetings of the Advisory Group. The experts participating and involved in the already existing expert groups on this topic should be addressed and invited to be part of the Advisory Group such as the Quality of Life Expert Group established by EUROSTAT, as well as the High-Level Expert Group on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (HLEG) from the OECD and UN. The tender should include ideas on the networking activities and cooperation to be developed with EUROSTAT, OECD and UN including workshops or joint publications keeping in mind that the main objective of the service contract in exploring the territorial dimension of quality of life and in policy implementation. In this context, overlapping and duplication of work with ongoing or planned activities by other institutions shall be avoided. The main objective of this task is to involve producers, users and stakeholders at different geographical levels to investigate and possibly improve data quality, to support indicator work and ensure the practical use and applicability of the outcomes of this service contract. The tender submitted should include already ideas and proposals on the implementation of this concrete task.Task 2: Gathering and updating data, indicators and evidence related to quality of life at regional level. Within this task the service provider is requested to complement the work already done by EUROSTAT, the OECD and the UN and gather data, indicators and evidence related to measuring quality of life at regional level by considering the diversity of European territories and its possible impact on the perception of quality of life and well-being. In this context, it might also be fruitful to consider the ways in which European integration and better cross-border linkages provide potential added value for quality of life (by developing trust and enhancing connectivity). The result of this task will be data and indicators gathered and evidence obtained regarding current territorial patterns, progress and changes in quality of life at regional level and an assessment of the links between various quality-of-life domains for European regions and cities in Europe. The dimensions used by the OECD (income, jobs, housing, health, access to services, environment, education, safety, civic engagement and governance, community, and life satisfaction) and by EUROSTAT (material living conditions; productive or main activity (covering employment); health; education; leisure and social interactions; economic and physical safety; governance and basic rights; natural and living environment; and overall life satisfaction) shall be considered. An overview of the data availability considering the various dimensions/domains, sub-topics, sources, geographical coverage, frequency, timeliness, breakdowns available and quality should be produced and in cases of data gaps alternative but scientifically sound solutions to gather missing data should be proposed by using for example social media or big data. In relation to data issues and the intention to cover the entire ESPON space at regional level (preferably NUTS 3 depending on data availability), this service contract should also cover quality of life in cities based on the OECD metropolitan areas (functional urban areas with more than 500’000 inhabitants) and the rural/urban typology from EUROSTAT. In this context, pragmatic and innovative solutions in terms of data work should also be considered, focusing on deliverables and maintaining a reasonable cost-benefit balance in terms of data gathering and production. At the same time, activities that generate statistical outputs, enhance the statistical base or further develop underlying concepts and methods shall be identified. Considering the complexity and multi-dimension aspect of the topic it is also important to consider alternative data sources as such big data and qualitative information such as surveys that could enable a more detailed measurement of the quality of life domains at regional level. Objective and subjective indicators and perceptions to quality of life need to be considered and possible relation between domains and indicators need to be analysed and considered. The tender submitted should include a brief reflection and assessment on the data situation and feasibility in terms of data collection for the ESPON space at different levels and by using innovative data sources if necessary and/or relevant. Task 3: Propose and develop a methodology for measuring quality of life at regional level (preferable NUTS 3). This methodology should build on the work already done and not duplicate what is already measured by EUROSTAT, the OECD and the UN and it should apply to different types of territories and to different geographical scales (including cross-border and transnational if feasible).The methodology should be developed including qualitative and quantitative indicators, as well as innovative sources of information as described in task 2, and should be tested and validated allowing for applying different weightings or calibrations for the various dimensions of quality of life. This should allow for better integration of the territorial context in the measurement of quality of life. For instance, the weighting given to a certain dimension in rural regions might be different than in urban regions. Several studies have analysed and looked at quality of life from a national perspective. Less is known however on quality of life in European regions, metropolitan areas and urban and rural regions. For instance, rural regions may highlight those dimensions most relevant to their territory and play a significant role to their quality of life, which might be different from urban regions. In this context, besides European and international initiatives, national, regional and local experiences in developing and choosing quality of life indicators and measurements should be considered. In this process, proposals for headline and supplementary indicators for each of the dimensions should also be considered and their relationship with demographic, socio-economic indicators, as well as cultural aspects. The choice of which indicators to choose as headline indicators should be based on various factors such as their political, technical and communication utility.It should be clear, that the proposed indicators do not have a prescriptive character, but should provide qualified information to policy processes towards quality of life. Within this task, recommendations on adjustments to be done to the methodology for measuring quality of life at regional level to be able to measure/access data on quality of life down to smaller regions than NUTS 3, like LAU-1 and LAU-2 shall also be made. This is particularly relevant for small countries in Europe where NUTS 2 corresponds to the national level. The advisory group should be consulted and provide feedback in relation to the methodology proposed and the results of the testing. Task 4: Mapping and analysing quality of life in European regions, metropolitan areas and urban and rural regions. Within this task an in-depth analysis on quality of life in Europe at sub-national level shall be carried out based on the data, indicators and evidence gathered and the methodology developed in the previous tasks. The following main questions should be considered in this task: what is the territorial dimension of quality of life? How does quality of life relate to economic growth, the environment, governance, social aspects? What territorial patterns and disparities can be identified and how did they develop throughout time? How can these aspects be visualised and mapped? In addition, the service provider is also asked to make a screening and reflect on how quality of life has been considered by policymakers at different geographical levels when designing and implementing territorial development strategies and in policy implementation. The aim with this approach is to feed into task 5 and 6 and to investigate how quality of life can be better integrated in the future in policy processes and strategies. Regarding the territorial dimensions of quality of life, the service provider is asked to provide new insights into the main factors related to it; how it has been progressing throughout time; how it relates to territorial cohesion and development; which policies and actions seemed to have an impact on it (based on the screening previously carried out). In this context, socio-economic, demographic and territorial factors should be taken into account and considered in the analysis, as well as the relevance of objective and subjective indicators.Task 5: Carry out minimum 5 case studies to identify good practices in integrating quality of life measurements in national, regional and local territorial development strategies. Minimum five case studies should be carried out with the aim to analyse good practices in considering and integrating quality of life measurements in national, regional and local strategies, including also successful participative processes. Moreover, the case studies should complement the approach developed in the previous tasks. It should identify examples of good practice in considering quality of life as a factor to increase competitiveness and territorial development in European regions (urban and rural) and metropolitan areas.The final selection of the case studies should be based on the preliminary results of task 4 and consider different territorial contexts but the tender should already present a rationale or first ideas on the selection. The case study regions will be proposed by the contractor in the interim report and approved by the ESPON EGTC. The tender should include a first proposal on the case studies to be carried out.Task 6: Developing recommendations on the integration of quality of life measurements in policy implementation. European policies, such as Cohesion Policy, play a specific role with regards to quality of life. Cohesion Policy may result in increased quality of life due to direct investment in less favorable regions and in reducing regional disparities. However, it is normally through national, regional and local actions in the Member States that quality of life can be addressed and implemented on the ground. However, further steps also can also be taken in the context of future Cohesion Policy to integrate indicators and measurements of quality of life. Within this task the service provider is asked to develop recommendations to support policy makers at local, regional, national and European levels on how measures related to quality of life and well-being in Europe, its cities and regions can be promoted and achieved in practice by taking into consideration the diversity of the European territory in terms of socio-economic, cultural and environmental endowments but also demographic factors such as ageing and population structure. In this context is should include recommendations for rural policy, urban policy, and cohesion policy and reflect on how can regions and cities use a place-based approach and territorial cooperation to promote quality of life. In addition, recommendations for national, regional and local policymakers based on good practices on how can quality of life be better integrated in territorial development strategies should be developed.

Achievements (EN):

Territorial Quality of Life measurement model, tools and approach “Territorial” quality of life is the capability of living beings to survive and flourish in a territorial context. Out of this simple definition, we developed two main concepts and streams of applied research activities: • Content-wise a scientific perspective: a conceptual model to measure territorial quality of life in all its facets. The model encompasses three spheres – the personal life sphere, the socio-economic sphere and the ecological sphere – and three quality of life dimensions for measuring – good life enablers, life survival (“maintenance”) and life flourishing. As a result, the conceptual model suggests to gauge territorial quality of life by selecting and measuring appropriate indicators for nine quality of life domains and 22 sub-domains. • Process-wise a societal and policy perspective: a deliberative approach engaging citizens, experts and policy makers in co-deciding what, why and how quality of life should be measured to enable good life – with a “citizen-centric” and place based approach. The term “citizen” is meant in the larger sense of “an inhabitant of a particular place”, which can be in reference to a village, town, city, region, region, country or a whole continent (e.g. Europe) depending on the context (OECD, 2020). Ideally, the scientific and societal perspectives should be integrated in one coherent whole. The selection and use of indicators to measure the different aspects of territorial quality of life should be supported by a robust reasoning and statistical evidence of its relationship with the QoL aspect that intends to gauge. At the same time it needs to be legitimated with a deliberative process engaging policy makers, stakeholders and the citizens. Only such a comprehensive approach would increase the relevance of the indicators and the acceptance of QoL policies.

Website: https://archive.espon.eu/

Expected Results (EN):

The objective of this service is to build on key relevant initiatives and work listed in the previous section, mainly by EUROSTAT, the OECD and the UN, and provide evidence, knowledge and recommendations on how quality of life in Europe, its cities and regions can be promoted and achieved in practice and how quality of life aspects can be integrated in territorial development strategies at different geographical levels and in relation to a place-based approach to territorial development.More concretely, the objective of this activity is to receive answers to the following key policy questions:- How does the concept and measurement of quality of life differ in meaning at different scales (national, regional, local)?- What are the territorial dimensions of quality of life? How does quality of life relate to economic growth, the environment, governance, social aspects? What territorial patterns can be identified?- How can we measure people’s quality of life at different geographical levels? What territorial aspects (such as demography, economy and social and cultural issues) play a role in assessing and measuring quality of life?- What are possible common indicators, which allow a comparative measurement and how can measurement can be adjusted to different types of territories (by for example allowing for different weights for various dimensions of quality of life)?- How can quality of life aspects be better integrated in territorial development strategies at different geographical levels? How, at which territorial scale and to which extent can spatial and environmental measures contribute to the enhancement of quality of life?- What are possible processes/good practices for the development and choice of quality of life measurements, especially with regard to increasing ownership and the aspects of multilevel governance and results orientation?- How could quality of life be better integrated in Cohesion policy at European level and in territorial development strategies at national, regional and local levels?The main outcomes of the service should be:- Methodology for measuring quality of life at regional level (preferable NUTS 2/3 and lower scale for smaller countries). The methodology should not duplicate what is already measured by the OECD, EUROSTAT and UN and should apply to different types of territories and to different geographical scales (including cross-border and transnational if feasible).- Recommendations on the adjustments to be done to the methodology for measuring quality of life at regional level to be able to measure/access data on quality of life down to smaller regions than NUTS 3, like LAU-1 and LAU-2. - Compilation of lists of indicators at regional level covering the EU plus CH+IS+LI+NO based on existing data: a first set of indicators should be developed with data from existing sources, and, where these data are lacking, with data from sources and existing surveys, social media data or big data. The identification of the most appropriate indicator metrics that could provide a more robust framework for monitoring regional development and complement economic indicators.-Cooperation with EUROSTAT, the OECD and the UN to investigate and possibly improve data quality and to support indicator work.- Analysis of quality of life patterns across European regions (NUTS 3), in metropolitan areas and rural/urban regions by considering demographic structure and possible relation with socio-economic and cultural aspects (including broader notions like governance and citizen participation).- Case studies on how regions and cities are responding to territorial and environmental challenges to quality of life and integrating quality of life aspects in national, regional and local strategies.- Guidelines and comparative information on how quality of life aspects can be further integrated in territorial development strategies at different geographical levels. This relates to “what to measure” and the processes of development and choice making for the respective indicators. Recommendations for future Cohesion Policy to alternative development metrics for measuring and monitoring regional development and territorial cohesion. The geographical coverage of the study should encompass all the countries participating in the ESPON 2020 Cooperation Programme. Furthermore, the service provider shall assess the data situation within their field of research for the EU Candidate Countries (i.e. Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey) and potential candidate countries (i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo under UN Security Council Resolution 1244), and report their findings in the inception delivery. Depending on the respective data situation these countries shall then be included in the research, preferably at regional level4.

Thematic information

Regional planning and development

Specific Objective: Enhanced European territorial evidence production through applied research and analyses

Thematic Objective:

(11) enhancing institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders and efficient public administration through actions to strengthen the institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administrations and public services related to the implementation of the ERDF, and in support of actions under the ESF to strengthen the institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administration.

Investment Priority: (11 ETC) ETC specific for transnational cooperation: enhancing institutional capacity of public authorities and stakeholders and efficient public administration by developing and coordinating macro-regional and sea-basin strategies

Partners (4)

Lead Partner: Isinnova

Address: Largo dei Lombardi 4, 186 Rome, Italy

Legal status: private

MCRIT

Name: MCRIT

Address: Salvador Espriu n.83 local 4, ES08005 Barcelona, Spain

Legal status: private

METIS

Name: METIS

Address: Marxergasse 25, 1030 Vienna, Austria

Legal status: private

University of Eastern Finland

Name: University of Eastern Finland

Address: P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland

Legal status: public

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Isinnova

Quality of life measurements and methodology

Partners and Projects info

Mcrit

Quality of life measurements and methodology

Partners and Projects info

METIS

Quality of life measurements and methodology

Partners and Projects info

Quality of life measurements and methodology

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Quality of life measurements and methodology

Project acronym: QUALIF

Project start date: 2019-02-11

Project end date: 2021-03-30

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 596 265.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 487 568.28

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 487 568.28.

Documents

Documents on this project are listed below, and organised by category. Please note field "Data source", attached to each document. Keep.eu users are free to use these documents as long as they mention the data source and keep.eu.

Videos / films

Sandra Di Biaggio: Quality of life measurements and methodology

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2021-02-27

Document date: 2019-07-02

Languages: en

Carlo Sessa: Quality of life measurements and methodology

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2021-02-27

Document date: 2019-06-28

Languages: en

Quality of Life for Territorial and citizen-centric policies

Attachment type: link

Type of document: Video / film

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2021-12-13

Languages: en

With aid for hearing impaired: Yes

Reports

Applied Research - Intermediate Report

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2021-02-27

Document date: 2020-06-12

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Applied Research - Intermediate Report - Annexes

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2021-02-27

Document date: 2020-06-12

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Applied Research - Inception Report

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2021-02-27

Document date: 2020-06-12

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Development of a case study for measuring TQoL in the cross-border region Slovenia-Croatia-Italy

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2021-11-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Final Synthesis Report

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2023-08-20

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Final Report

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 1 to the Final Report

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 2: Territorial Quality of Life Dashboard Tool

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 3 - Latent Classes Clustering method: concept and applications

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Report

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Studies / surveys

Annex 4 to the Final Report Case study: Vienna

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 5 to the Final Report Case study: Barcelona

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 6 to the Final Report Case study: Helsinki-Uusimaa

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 7 to the Final Report Case study: North-East Iceland

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 8 to the Final Report Case study: Inner areas - Lazio /Monti Reatini

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 9 to the Final Report Case study: Luxembourg

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 10 to the Final Report Case study: Nova Gorica - Gorizia

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 11 to the Final Report Case study: WALES

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 12 to the Final Report Case study: Netherlands

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Annex 13 to the Final Report Case study: Latvia

Attachment type: file

Type of document: Study / survey

Data source: https://www.espon.eu/programme/projects/espon-2020/applied-research/quality-of-life

Publication date: 2023-08-20

Document date: 2020-10-30

Languages: en

Attachment file: Download

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2014 - 2020 ESPON 2020

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2024-03-04

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

68 / 69 (98.55%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

353 / 370 (95.41%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme. Data from 3 projects ((MRS. ESPON TOOL, SoET and CPS 2.0) was retrieved by Interact from the programme´s website on the 2024-03-01. Regarding partners only data only main partners is available. Achievements were retrieved by Interact from the Programme website (http://www.espon.eu), or a website directly linked from it, on 2021-09-21 and 2023-01-03.

Languages

Contact Form

Quality of life measurements and methodology

Description

Thematic information

Partners (4)

Partners map

Summary

Documents

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Disclaimer