Case Study – The Central Evaluation Unit

Source: Slack Operations & Process Management

The Central Evaluation Unit (CEU) of the XIII Directorate evaluated applications from academics
bidding for research grants available under the ‘cooperation & foundations’ scheme of the European
Union. The scheme distributed relatively small grants (less than 100,000 Euros) to find the early
stages of cooperative research between universities in the European Union.

Based in Brussels, the CEU’s objectives were to make decisions that were consistently in line with directory guide rules, but
also to give as speedy a response as possible to applicants. All new applications are sent to the
CEU’s applications processing unit (CEUPU) by University Liaison Officers (ULOs) who were based at
around 150 universities around the EU. Any academic who wanted to apply for a grant needed to
submit an application form (downloadable online) & other signed documentation through the local
ULO. The VCEUPU employs three ‘checkers’ with three support and secretarial staff, a pool of
twelve clerks who are responsible for data entry & filing, ten auditors (staff who prepare & issue the
grant approval documents), & a special advisor (who is a senior ex-officer employed part-time to
assess non-standard applications.

Veronique Fontan was the manager in charge of the SEU’s application processing unit (CEUPU). She
had been invite by the Directory chief executive, Leda Grumman, to make a presentation to senior
colleagues about the reasons for the success of her unit. The reason for her invitation to the
meeting was, first, that the systems use for handling new grant applications were well proven &
robust, and, secondly, that her operation was well known for consistently meeting, & I many cases
exceeding, its targets.

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