Squaring the circle: lessons from the role-playing exercises on S3 regional and multi-level governance

Abstract

Whilst there is widespread agreement on the importance of developing an appropriate governance structure for S3, there is little empirical evidence on the challenges this entails. The JRC, as part of its activities of Targeted Support, has developed a working group to address these issues. The working group operated in the first half of 2018, built upon an extensive background research as well as two role-playing exercises. The latter aimed at understanding and addressing key policy challenges, by enacting realistic policy scenarios. The paper explores both policy and methodological questions. As for the former, the paper investigates the main bottlenecks inhibiting the effectiveness of multi-stakeholder policy development, identifying the administrative and technical needs of those in charge of S3 governance. As for the latter, the paper provides an opportunity to reflect on role-playing as a tool for policy analysis in the context of Cohesion policy.