Data gathering tools

To evaluate the implementation of the e-Skills Communication, a significant amount of information needs to be systematically collected. The challenge is not only that the information owners are heterogeneous (including actors in the public sector, the private sector, e.g. the IT industry, and educational organisations), but also the geographic scope of the exercise, as the study is supposed to focus on activities in the Member States (if not regions).

The information to be collected will have to include, in particular, factual information about ongoing and completed activities at the European level and in EU Member States (e.g. information about the types of initiatives and the stakeholders involved), as well as views of stakeholders and experts that have been involved in such activities regarding the outcome of these activities.

An empirical evidence base of this scope and diversity cannot be achieved through a single mechanism of data collection. Therefore, our approach for this study combines different instruments of data gathering, both central and local research, and the use of primary and secondary sources (see following overview). The way how and which type of information will be collected through these mechanisms is depicted below:

Instrument	Target groups	Type of information collected & description of the approach
Central desk research	empirica to address: European Commission DGs and agencies CEDEFOP JRCs CEN/ISSS OECD Other stakeholders and experts from e.g. academia, relevant associations, (CEPIS, ECDL, EuroCIO, PIN-SME etc.)	Identify relevant activities (mostly at the European level) and the associated documents and information. This includes web-based research and screening of relevant documents, notably from different European Commission DGs, but also from CEDEFOP and the Joint Research Centres (especially IPTS), the CEN/ISSS e-Skills workshop and the OECD. National experts from the ‘e-Skills Steering Committee’ will also be contacted as part of this initial research.
Survey of e-skills related policies in EU Member States	empirica and National Correspondents to address: National government officials in ministries and government agencies in the EU Member States Other stakeholders to be decided on at a country-by-country base	Collection of information about relevant e-skills related policies in EU Member States together with information about other relevant activities with respect to the implementation of the objectives of the EU e-Skills agenda at regional and national level. empirica and the National Correspondents will contact the relevant ministries in the national governments and collect relevant national (policy) documents and information from different sources, based on a common research template and guidelines provided by empirica.
e-Skills 21 Stakeholder Survey	empirica to address: National government officials in ministries and government agencies in the EU Member States European Commission officials in DG ENTR, INFSO, EAC Industry stakeholders (especially those known for their activities in this area, e.g. Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, SAP etc.) IT and employer associations Trade unions Other stakeholders and experts from e.g. academia, relevant associations, (CEPIS, ECDL, EuroCIO, PIN-SME etc.)	Execution of an online survey by empirica to Identify relevant activities (which these actors and stakeholders are aware of) with respect to the implementation of the objectives of the EU e-Skills agenda at regional, national and European level; Learn about the stakeholders’ experience and hear their views regarding the relevance of the EU e-Skills agenda, and regarding the outcome of related activities; Gather the views of key stakeholders on the level of satisfaction regarding the implementation of the e-Skills Communication at national and European level.
Expert interviews	empirica to conduct expert interviews with selected: National government officials in ministries and government agencies in the EU Member States Industry stakeholders IT and employer associations Trade unions Other stakeholders and experts from e.g. academia	Interviews will be conducted with selected experts in the field, including Member State officials (including the national representatives in the European e-Skills Steering Committee), relevant stakeholders from other groups of actors (e.g. IT industry, associations, research, trade unions) and European Commission officials.