What Is Meant by “Best Practices”: How to Identify Them, Where to Find Them, and How to Use Them When Writing European Projects
Best Practices in European Projects: Let’s Set the Record Straight
In European projects, the terms “good practice” and “best practice” are used so frequently that they sometimes lose some of their meaning and significance.
We provided a brief definition of this in our Glossary. Let’s now try to clarify things a bit by defining the key elements of best practices, where they are outlined within the main European programs, and how they can serve as inspiration for your own projects.
“Good practice” or “best practice”?
First of all, what is meant by “good practice”? And how does it differ from “best practice”? In the context of European programs and projects, the distinction between the two terms is linked to the way in which project results are evaluated, shared, and scaled up.
There is no single, official definition of“best practice”within European programs, but in its general usage, it can be defined as an action, method, initiative, or project that has proven to work successfully, with this success confirmed and documented by verifiable data, and that is transferable and replicable in other contexts. In this sense, “best practice” fully and verifiably meets the evaluation criteria for European projects in terms of:
- relevance, meaning that it is aligned with European priorities and the needs of the target audience;
- effectiveness, meaning it is capable of producing the desired results in an optimal and efficient manner;
- transferability and replicability, meaning that it can be replicated or scaled up in other contexts or countries;
- sustainability, meaning it is capable of maintaining its benefits over the long term, even in the absence of a project’s resources.
The term“best practice”tends to be used less frequently than “good practice,” and it most often refers to codified, broad-ranging methodologies. In fact, compared to “good practice,” “best practice” is understood as a solution suitable for any field or context and thus represents the “state of the art” in a specific sector. The use of this term is most appropriate in fields where there is an established scientific framework for defining methods and procedures, such as in research and innovation, public health, or project management. Using the term “best practice,” however, can be misleading when referring to projects closely tied to a specific context, such as those in the social, cultural, or local development sectors.
Best Practices in European Projects: Where to Find Them
There are several websites available online that compile best practices related to the main European programs. Here are a few interesting examples:
- The Erasmus+ platform dedicated to approved projects, where users can use a specific filter to access descriptions of all projects that have been recognized as examples of best practices by the National Agencies;
- The URBACT website, a European program that focuses primarily on the recognition and transferability of best practices (which we’ve also discussed here and here) among European cities, and which devotes a specific section of the site to all the best practices approved by the program;
- The Interreg Best Practices Map allows users to explore solutions at the European, national, and regional levels across various sectors. It also enables users to share best practices from their own projects, which, following validation, can be added to the dedicated database. Projects are classified into six key sectors: smart (research and innovation, SMEs, digitalization, etc.), green (renewable energy, climate change, circular economy, etc.), connected (sustainable mobility), social (labor market, social inclusion, health, etc.), citizen (integrated urban development), and governance (implementation of public policies);
- The Best Practices Repository within the Knowledge Valorization Platform is an online database maintained by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Its main purpose is to collect, document, and share concrete examples and success stories of how the results of scientific and academic research are transformed into practical solutions, products, or services that benefit society and the economy, thereby creating an impact beyond the academic world.
Our Guide also includes a “Projects Finder” section, which provides an overview of all projects at the European level. This can be helpful when conducting a search with a specific geographic focus or looking for programs not mentioned in the previous sections.
In addition to the projects, it is also helpful to consult any thematic guides developed by the European Commission for specific areas of intervention or project management. Many of these are compiled, reviewed, and presented ina dedicated section of our Guide. In many cases, these are guidelines featuring concrete examples and best practices focused, for example, on integrating cross-cutting issues into projects, such as the guide on environmental best practices developed for the Creative Europe program.
Best Practices in European Projects: How to Use Them
The resources we have just described are very useful when you’re getting ready to write a European project proposal. Our advice is to take a moment to analyze the projects that have been validated as “best practices” by the European Commission within your specific field of intervention, selecting the 3 or 4 most relevant ones and considering aspects such as:
- The consortium: To what extent were the partnership’s composition, organization, and complementary nature key factors in creating the “best practice”?;
- The project structure: how “best practices” were achieved through a clear definition of objectives, outcomes, work packages, and activities, and through their effective organization in terms of time and resources;
- The methodologies and approaches used: Were innovative elements tested, or did the innovation consist of applying existing methodologies in a different way—for example, to new contexts or new types of target audiences?
- Project deliverables: which, in European projects (except in very specific cases), are normally available online and freely accessible;
- The indicators used and how they were achieved: information that is often available in the materials published on the project websites;
- The sustainability strategy that has made it possible to keep the project’s activities alive and effective even after its conclusion.
This analysis can accompany the project proposal drafting process: to identify the replicable aspects of best practices in the European projects examined, introduce additional elements of innovation, and ensure that the project is not merely a “replica” of those projects. This approach is almost always highlighted in the project application forms themselves, which often include a specific section dedicated to the project’s synergies with other initiatives and best practices developed at the European level.
Identifying, analyzing, applying, and fostering “best practices” within your projects is a sure way to continue improving and standing out in an increasingly competitive field.
