NIKOS
KOUTSOMARKOS
Ad-Hoc Expert
Generic Skills
B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:
My university degree credits me as a Spatial Planning and Regional Development Engineer. I have also completed successfully a MSc course in Organisation and Management of Resources and Development Projects. Since 2012 I am a PhD Candidate on Strategic Development Planning and Strategic Evaluation. Thus I am in a position to comprehend development issues and policies in a holistic manner and from a spatial perspective having a broader knowledge of the socioeconomic factors of development and competitiveness, spatial structures and infrastructures, environmental issues and sustainability, equality and social inclusion.
I have 12 years consultancy experience, in more than 40 projects for public authorities ranging from spatial plans and strategies for municipalities, to development strategies for regions or territories to formulation and evaluation of Regional and Sectoral Operational Programmes and Projects under EU Cohesion Policy MPP 2000-2006, 2007-2013 and 2014-2020.
B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:
Through my work as a territorial cooperation consultant I have facilitated the development of numerous transnational partnerships and project proposals, mainly in INTERREG Programmes, promoting joint development through common interests, mediating contradictory activities and issues between active/unconfident partners and drafting easy to understand documents and tables. Furthermore, I have contributed to the successful implementation of 4 INTERREG Projects, participating in meetings and preparing presentations for exchange of experiences.
As an Evaluator of INTERREG Programmes, I have carried out field surveys on the impact and added value of projects on stakeholders' experiences and transferability of projects' results.
Furthermore, I have experience as a teaching assistant responsible for delivering key presentations for a postgraduate course on strategic planning.
As a Board Member of the Hellenic Association of City and Regional Planners, I have developed skills for producing press releases and a journal, in layman, targeting not only practitioners but stakeholders and the general public. Also from this post I have contributed to raising the visibility of the Planning profession and discipline, guiding newer members during their career start and promoting better regulation for practicing the profession.
B.3. Proficiency in English:
I have excellent skills in English language being able to comprehend difficult and delicate notions, as well as to express them both orally and written. Moreover, I keep these skills in top shape through my professional work as I have to keep up with policies, trends and guidelines expressed in reports, documents, and announcements of European Union institutions, and also through my PhD exercise as a great volume of scientific knowledge is transmitted in English.
Thematic expertise:
Theme / Policy:
Urban Strategic Planning
Summary Thematic expertise:
I am a Planning and Regional Development Engineer, holding a MSc in Development Projects Management and a PhD Candidate in Strategic Development Planning and Strategic Evaluation. During my 12-year consulting career I have worked with numerous public bodies and in different levels in order to design with them development strategies for their places, ranging from spatial and master plans to operational plans and programmes. My work is always result-oriented with a specific focus in transferring know-how to the public sector, thus employing consultation methods and learning tools. During the last years I have hands-on experience in the Article 7 of the ERDF Regulation regarding Integrated Sustainable Urban Development, assisting regional authorities to programme the designated funds in their Operational Programmes, to design management and selection procedures and consulting Urban Authorities in drafting their Strategies for Sustainable Urban Development.
Theme / Policy:
Entrepreneurship and competitive SMEs
Summary Thematic expertise:
I am a Planning and Regional Development Engineer, holding a MSc in Development Projects Management and a PhD Candidate in Strategic Development Planning and Strategic Evaluation. During my 12-year consulting career I was occupied in many projects with the development aspects of entrepreneurship, SMEs and competitiveness. Specifically, I was actively involved in the Interim Evaluation of the Greek OP “Competitiveness 2000-2006”, the drafting of the OP “Competitiveness 2007-2013” and the Evaluation of the Action “Entrepreneurial Utilization of Research Results in the Athens University of Economics and Business”. Moreover I took part in another 5 evaluations of Operational Programmes, contributing to the assessment of measures and actions such as entrepreneurship promotion and support, creation of new firms, business incubators, SMEs capacities, growth and extroversion. I am a member of the National Registry of Accredited Evaluators having evaluated 12 business plans in the frame of the Greek Investment Law. Also I have developed several business plans for young entrepreneurs in the frame of a Local Employment Actions.
My work is always result-oriented with a specific focus in transferring know-how to the public sector, thus employing consultation methods and learning tools.
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 :
For the implementation of the project “Smart Specialization in the framework of the Greece-Bulgaria 2007-2013 ETC Programme” of Municipality of Kordelio - Evosmos I have designed an on-line questionnaire for local self government smart specialization policies. Futhermore, I have organized 2 workshops with local stakeholders groups (municipal executives and local community representatives) delivering presentations in order to engage them in the project and help them with the questionnaire. Finally, I have organized a conference to discuss the results and disseminate them to more stakeholders and neighbouring Municipalities.
For the Sustainable Urban Development Strategy of Municipality of Xanthi I have organized workshops with stakeholders in order to contribute to the strategy formulation, lead technical meetings with the relevant bodies in order to specify the Strategy's action plan and finally designed an on-line survey accompanied by a consultation guide aimed to the opinions and evaluation of the Strategy by the local community.
E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:
I have worked with a team consulting the Region of Macedonia-Thrace to develop a proposal guide and template as well as an evaluation scheme and a manual for selecting Sustainable Urban Development Strategies for funding under the respective Regional Operational Plan 2014-2020.
Furthermore, in the framework of the On-going Evaluations of the Interreg CBC Greece – FYROM 2007-2013 and Greece – Italy 2007-2013 Programmes I have studied and assessed the procedures and the criteria of project selection. In the past I took part in drawing-up application and selection procedures for the Development Poles proposals in the NSRF 2007-2013.
E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:
My awareness channels are three-fold: a) as a board member of the Hellenic Association of City and Regional Planners, I take part in its various activities constituted of drafting opinions and announcements, organizing events, and representation in appropriate institutions and procedures about issues of urban development and planning, b) as a PhD Candidate on Strategic Development Planning and Strategic Evaluation I participate in various conferences regarding urban development and structural funds let alone researching bibliography and articles needed for my thesis, c) As a Planning professional I always keep up with the latest info regarding sustainable urban development policies, trends and funds in order to provide top-notch knowledge and services to contracting authorities.
Some of the relevant sources are URBACT newsletter, RegioFlash, IQ-Net bulletin, JPI Urban Europe Newsletter, EU Urban agenda website and the above twitter accounts as well as guides and circulars of Greek Ministries and EC DGs.
E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:
I have assisted Municipality of Kordelio - Evosmos “Smart Specialization in the framework of the Greece-Bulgaria 2007-2013 ETC Programme” with their participation in the project in order to receive added value, as they were the only local self-government partner in the project. I have been involved in the adaptation of the smart specialization approach and methodology for this spatial and administrative level by combining smart city concepts and sustainable urban development policies with the smart specialization quadruple helix method of governance and stakeholders involvement. Furthermore, I contributed to the identification of the anchor points for local government to Regional S3 Strategies. The above were also facilitated with on-line questionnaire, 2 workshops with local stakeholders and 1 local awareness event.
Summary Expertise:
During my 12 years career I have developed excellent skills in mobilizing local endogenous development potential through participatory approaches for drafting spatial plans and strategies for municipalities as well as development strategies for regions or territories and Operational Programmes. I have been involved in the organization and implementation of stakeholders workshops, local community awareness campaigns, field surveys and questionnaires, using tools of mediation in order to achieve consensus and/or resolve opposing views. I have extensive experience and concise expertise in monitoring and evaluating of ESIF-funded Programmes through my participation in 8 ex-ante, interim and ex-post evaluations. Apart from my professional conduct I keep my knowledge regarding EU Regional Policy and Urban Development updated through my on-going PhD thesis and my involvement in the Board of the Hellenic Association of City and Regional Planners. My work is always result-oriented to each specific situation and the needs of local authorities with a focus on creating added-value in order to achieve substantial knowledge-transfer.
Informations
Residence location:
Greece
Languages:
Greek - Mother tongue
Foreign Languages level:
Foreign languages:
Email:
nikos.koutsomarkos@gmail.com