Evaluation of the Austrian Network for the rural Areas – Network of the Programme LE07-13

In accordance with the European Regulation on Support for Rural Development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the network for the rural areas was established. The main objective of the network was to facilitate the exchange of experience and expertise between the individual rural players and to support the implementation of the Austrian Programme for Development of rural areas 2007-2013.

In cooperation with Rosinak & Partner ZT GmbH and convelop gmbh, L&R Social Research evaluated the development work as well as the ongoing activities of the network for the rural areas, focusing on the following project objectives:

• Gain knowledge about what activities were carried out, which target groups were reached, to what extent the goals were achieved in the past period, where the gaps in the content are and what the main reasons for them were.
• Showing the impact of network activities.
• To make visible the optimization opportunities for the network of rural areas in the coming period 2014-2020.

A central part of the evaluation was an online survey among various groups of rural players. A total of 697 people took part in the survey. Three focus groups with individual players from the network for rural areas and a reflection workshop were implemented on relevant questions that arose in the course of the evaluation and on the development of options for action.