Eleni
FELEKI
Validated Lead Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
Holistic assessment of all pillars based on an integrated approach for sustainable development and policy planning based monitoring of goals, is key to our cities. Towards this direction, capacity and competence building, awareness raising and transnational exchange is fundamental. Through my 20 years professional career I have been responsible for drafting, facilitating, leading, implementing and transferring the results of more than 40 transnational EU projects, most of them dealing with the topic of sustainable development and monitoring of goals. Apart from my thematic expertise gained through my participation in projects I have also developed considerable experience in designing and delivering transnational exchange and learning activities and in designing and delivering integrated urban policies. Also, through my teaching activities at the academic level I have developed my communication skills. I have published in Journals and announced in Conferences results related to SDGs, Agenda 2030 and transformation of project results into policies, coming from my research and my professional experience. I have studied Chemical Engineering and I hold two Master degrees. I hold a PhD in the field of sustainable development and strategic design using indicators and goals. Currently I am the Lead Expert of the URGE Action Planning Network financed by URBACT.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
Through my work in transnational EU funded projects, I have been involved in a variety of exchange and learning activities across a variety of domains, partnerships, target groups and countries. At the heart of the responsibilities in the projects I have been involved was always the design and implementation of transnational training and capacity building activities and the cascading of that knowledge through the stakeholders’ networks of each partner, in order to reach the local level. I have utilized several different approaches including: training that focuses on learning from good practice; transnational seminars, planned in advance; selection and involvement of stakeholders from the quadruple helix in transnational activities; establishment of local metropolitan working groups; spreading of the knowledge through ‘multiplier’ organizations engaged to develop and deliver pilot training events for their own members and constituent audiences at the local level; design of practical training; multiplier assignments and interests matching across the partnership to ensure effective exchange of experience (peer working); development of on line learning portfolio of materials and techniques; preparation and holding of technical preparations etc. I have been lucky to benefit from having worked with some very inspirational thought leaders across Europe, who have been similarly open to sharing their expertise (Municipalities of Genoa, Malaga, Thessaloniki, EU Regions, TCPA, etc)
B.3. Proficiency in English:
I have delivered numerous speeches in English, in front of diverse audience, in Conferences at EU project and programme leve. I have coordinated round tables, working groups, steering committees and I have participated in press conferences. Additionally, I have used audience engaging techniques in multi-cultural context, with all of them being delivered in the English language. Moreover, I have been working on international leading international teams from all around the globe. One of them lasted for two years, when I was designing and implementing the quality management standard (ISO 9001) at the Czech Agricultural Food Inspection Authority (international expert). Additionally, I have written and published several scientific papers in peer review journals, in English. Finally, I possess a certificate of English language, C1 level.
Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
Summary Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:
At the heart of the EU projects is a focus on training and capacity building and the cascading of that knowledge through the professional networks of each partner to reach target groups representing the quadruple helix at the local level. Throughout my professional career I have utilised several different approaches to design tailored exchange and learning programmes, matching the specific needs of the participants. Also I have used several tools for building the capacity and facilitating transnational exchange, such as: Activating opinion surveys; Focus groups; Mind Mapping (Brainstorming, structuring ideas, visualization, ramifications); Planning for Real (Model building); Round table (almost in all projects); Scenario technique (Problem analysis, future, strategy development in almost all projects);Task forces; Webinars; Workshops; World Cafés. Additionally, I have used mentoring, work-shadowing and peer-to-peer meetings in several projects both within the URBACT framework as well as in other contexts. Monitoring of the effectiveness of the activities is always implemented.
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Urban Strategic Planning
Summary Thematic expertise:
Sub-theme: sustainable development and strategic management based on monitoring of goals. Research (published Article in the peer review Journal Sustainable Cities and Society ‘’Characterisation of sustainability in urban areas: assessment of tools with emphasis in European urban areas’’ and announcements in Conferences) and practice indicatively through the projects: 1)Feasibility study for the development of on Observatory of SDGs in the Black Sea countries 2)CAT-MED: selection of urban sustainability indicators, involvement in the design of the methodology for the assessment of the indicators, application of the methodology, activation of metropolitan working groups; URBAN EMPATHY: structured dialogue with decision makers, engagement of stakeholders, involvement in the SUMO toolkit, technical support to the Lead partner for the presentation of the SUMO Toolkit in Brussels 3)GraBs: climate change adaptation and mitigation measures for Municipalities, design of action plan; SPECIAL: design of action plan for EU Municipalities to include energy issues in spatial planning, COMMONS (strategic planning of urban and peri-urban areas).
Theme / Policy:
Environmental Issues
Summary Thematic expertise:
My primary concern in terms of environmental issues is the reduction of use of natural resources and the increased valorization of waste and end of life products. The need that I consider as the most intense lays upon the biological streams, comprising food waste/bio waste, municipal and industrial sludge and agricultural residues with an increased focus on circular economy (PAYT, SAFE WASTE CYCLE, BIOREGIO, MADRE, MARIE, ROAD TIRE, CLAYGLASS, etc). My academic background as a Chemical Engineer with a Master in Environmental management of infrastructure works, as well as my teaching activity in Solid Waste Management, complemented by my professional experience in EU and private funded projects in Greece, provides me with the necessary tools to be able to conduct research (environmental assessments, feasibility studies, technical reporting, investigate and model new processes), contribute to policy drafting (using multicriteria analysis approach in participatory process), lead testing cases, design and put forward learning and knowledge exchange activities (using mind mapping and structured dialogue processes). I have curated a series of articles in the field of environmental assessment with emphasis on waste management and have contributed in the drafting of national working documents and technical reports for the Technical Chamber of Greece.
Theme / Policy:
Sustainable Food
Summary Thematic expertise:
Food is not only essential to life but also forms an important part of our cultural identity and plays an important role in economy. Globally, food production is exceeding environmental limits or is close to doing so. Nitrogen synthesis exceeds the planetary boundary by factor of four and phosphorus use has reached the planetary boundary. Land use change and land degradation, and the dependence on fossil energy contribute about one- fourth of Greenhouse Gas emissions. Agriculture, including fisheries, is the single largest driver of biodiversity loss. Irrigation exceeds the replenishment of the resource. My experience in projects dealing with the topic of sustainability generally complemented by my academic research on this topic, enable me to approach the topic of sustainable food (from production to distribution, consumption and waste disposal) in a holistic way, from an environmental, quality control, cultural, economic point of view. Apart from that, I have been involved in projects that aimed to sustain autochthonous species, (e.g. QUBIC), to boost policies for better quality controls and build awareness (e.g. AGRI QUALITY), to promote urban and periurban agriculture involving stakeholders at transnational level in order to mainstream policies (MADRE) etc. My background as a Chemical Engineer and my involvement in the design and implementation of the ISO system in the Czech Agricultural Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) helped me to understand deeper the challenges.
Theme / Policy:
Local Governance
Summary Thematic expertise:
Effective local governance is essential for improving quality of life, reducing inequality, and enhancing relations. Throughout my professional career, I have used mind mapping tools to stimulate thinking about sustainability. The approach is used also for switching between highlighting sectorial aspects, such as territorial management and urban design, social and economic cohesion and cross-sectorial aspects, such as sustainable mobility. The approach is complemented by structured through dialogue-based procedures with decision-makers, but also by effective surveys addressed to citizens. Thus, a meet-in-the-middle consensus can be found and incorporated in policies. I have implemented this approach and relevant tools it the frame of EU projects, such as URBAN EMPATHY, MARIE, SPECIAL, ALTER ECO, MARIE, BIOREGIO etc. I have curated a series of articles that depict the results that can are achieved from the use of such tools. In the case of URBAN EMPATHY, a structured dialogue was implemented in parallel with evaluation of exiting knowledge (reports, tools, developed in the frame of past EU projects around the topic of sustainability) in order to meet stakeholders’ needs, priorities, expectations. Finally, an operational Decision Support System for stakeholders has been developed, combining needs, priorities and expectations (structured dialogue results) with existing tools, developed within EU projects that up to then have had a low transferability and applicability rate.
Theme / Policy:
Entrepreneurship and competitive SMEs
Expertise support to local authorities and other stakeholders in designing & delivering integrated and participatory policies
E.1. Knowledge on participatory methods and tools for co-production and implementation of local polices :
I have used several other participatory tools (e-questionnaires, structured dialogue process, collaborative awareness platform) i.e. in the frame of the projects ALTER ECO (e-questionnaires to residents, tourists, professionals and scientific community to develop strategies for alternative tourism destinations).
From a scientific point of view, I have recently developed and published the IndSelec Strategy. Following the IndSelec strategy, a participatory process has been initiated, with 15 experts and policy makers at European level. It lead to the determination of urban sustainability categories and indicators selected among the mostly common ones in the 25 tools studied, in order to propose a sound conceptual framework and conclude with the set of core indicators that better reflect the triple line of sustainability. It is addressing EU urban areas and reinforces setting of thresholds. A consensus has been reached after two rounds, using a Delphi-based methodology.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
In the frame of the CAT-MED project, I was a member of the scientific committee of the project for the selection of urban sustainability indicators. An integrated approach to the assessment of urban sustainability was made available, and partners measured their status, and compared the results to thresholds set. The decision makers signed a commitment towards the regular monitoring and evaluation of the urban sustainability at local context, towards the drafting of urban strategies based on real data. Apart from the operational experience, I possess deep knowledge on integrated approach towards sustainable urban strategies as I have recently studied 25 urban sustainability assessment tools with the aim to propose a set of commonly accepted indicators, through the implementation of an innovative ‘’meet in the middle approach’’ that leads to the characterization of sustainability in European urban areas. This is attempted through a top-down approach that leads to a set of indicators that meet certain criteria and the integration of experts’ viewpoint (bottom-up). This scientific work prepares the ground for an index that will bridge the gap between sustainability assessment tools and holistic characterization of cities.
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
In the frame of the URBAN EMPATHY project, I was involved in the working group that analyzed how to increase the Mediterranean added value of cooperation projects with the view of different Programmes working in the territory (MED, SOUTH EAST, ENPI, etc) working together on common priorities in urban sustainability. This report on how to improve the Mediterranean added-value of ETC projects by analyzing how to increase the one related to urban sustainability projects; by identifying common priorities, topics and procedures between several ETC programs and finally by evaluation of the transferability of results to other cooperation spaces (macro-regional approach).
In parallel, I was involved in 3 pilot projects that were analysed in Genoa, Pisa & Nice, as experimentation tools to test policies and get concrete results. Local groups worked and met twice during the project’s life together with representatives from other level of ERDF Funds such as the Regional Operative Programme, to find ways of articulating programmes, funds and possible agreements among private and public sector to finance the implementation and to improve policies thought a better mainstream of results. This work brought out a set of recommendations that influenced calls for the current programming period.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
I have deeply studied from an operational (through projects) and scientific (through research, with published results) point of view the local context of Mediterranean cities, aiming to introduce an urban sustainability assessment tool, tailored for the needs of cities of the Mediterranean macro-region that share common characteristics. However, despite the fact that this tool will be tested for the Med cities, it will be parametrized also for other groups of cities that share common characteristics. A systemic view of the processes that are implemented in an urban environment is deeply studied and the parameters to parametrize the tool to assess urban sustainability in other contexts is currently on-going.
Summary Expertise:
At the core of my professional activity and the greatest challenge is the implementation of collaborative, participatory processes between stakeholders and the public administrations towards the drafting, delivery and mainstreaming of policies. I have a considerable experience within EU projects that I have been involved and through which a lot of policies and recommendations have been drafted, incorporated in the local and regional policies and mainstreamed through structural funds. Such policies have been designed and delivered using participatory processes on the topics of circular economy (BIOREGIO), integration of energy in spatial planning (SPECIAL), commitment to monitor urban sustainability indicators and capitalize results of projects dealing with cross cutting issues (CAT-MED and URBAN EMPATHY, especially the Sustainable Urban Model Toolkit), CUTLURE (integration of energy issues in the protection and restoration of historic monuments, ALTER ECO (drafting of strategies for alternative routes to decongest hot spots), MADRE (urban and peri-urban agriculture fostering), MARIE (MEDBEE Strategy) etc. Structured dialogue with decision-makers to identify existing needs and bottlenecks, surveys with target groups (i.e. tourists, residents, professional associations etc), background education and experience from the transnational exchange facilitated the support of municipalities and civic stakeholders in the development of their local strategies.
Informations
Residence location:
Greece
Languages:
Greek - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
efeleki@hotmail.com