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TERMS OF REFERENCE 
 
 
 
 
 
Feasibility study for the pilot project “ERASMUS for journalists” 
 
(under the Framework Contract SMART 2007/0035) 
 
 
 
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1. 
CONTEXT AND AIMS OF THE ASSIGNMENT .................................................................... 3 
2.1 Background .................................................................................................................. 3 
2.2 Legal references ........................................................................................................... 3 
2.3 Description of the planned pilot project ....................................................................... 3 
2.4 Description of the exploratory study ............................................................................ 4 
2. 
STUDY PROCESS ............................................................................................................. 7 
3.1  Timing of the study process ........................................................................................ 7 
3.2.  Reporting and deliverables......................................................................................... 8 
3. 
ORGANISATION ............................................................................................................ 10 
4. 
DURATION .................................................................................................................... 10 
5. 
LOGISTICS AND TIMETABLE........................................................................................ 10 
6. 
PRICE............................................................................................................................ 11 
7. 
GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE........................................................................................ 11 
 
  
 
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1. 
CONTEXT AND AIMS OF THE ASSIGNMENT 
2.1 Background 
This feasibility study for a pilot project is being launched following a request from the 
European Parliament (through the EP resolution on the budget of the EU for 2010). It 
proposes the creation of a programme "ERASMUS for journalists". 
 
It is anticipated that a pilot project on a mobility scheme could enhance the training of 
journalists, particularly young journalists, within the European Union. The main goal of the 
proposed pilot project is to enable journalists of different countries and media to gain a 
broader and more comprehensive understanding of the European Union and its different 
media and cultures. Such an exchange programme could, in the European Parliament's view, 
help journalists to gain new experience and knowledge of the European Union, to improve 
their knowledge of media pluralism in different Member States and help the exchange of good 
practice on common themes between journalists of different nationalities. 
 
Mobility and peer learning are key factors in the transfer of knowledge and good practice, and 
would enhance the effectiveness of the journalists' work. The proposed project will ensure 
that experience is exchanged and reinforced at European level for the benefit of better 
journalism. Such practices could contribute to the emergence of a more European focus in the 
media. The purpose of this study is to provide an ex ante evaluation of the feasibility of the 
proposed pilot project in year n+2 and a scaled-up programme in year n+4, following an ex 
post evaluation of the pilot.  
 
2.2 Legal references 
In the EU's budget for 2010, the European Parliament proposed a preparatory action (09 06 
05) and allocated a budget for it with the aim of preparing in due course a pilot project called 
"Erasmus for journalists". The Parliament expressed the wish that this project should 
contribute to the creation of truly European media. One of the ways to achieve this goal is to 
offer journalists the possibility of mobility, through exchanges of journalists between different 
countries and media within the European Union.  
 
The preparatory action has its legal base in Article 49(6) of Council Regulation (EC, 
Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the 
general budget of the European Communities (OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1), as amended by 
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1995/2006 (OJ L 390, 30.12.2006, p. 1). 
 
2.3 Description of the planned pilot project 
The beneficiaries of the proposed pilot project should be journalists working for EU 
publications and electronic media, particularly young journalists from different countries and 
media within the European Union. The participants would benefit from exchanging 
experience with other journalists in other European Union’s Member States and upon 
returning home, they could disseminate this new experience through the media of their home 
countries. 
 
 
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The mobility scheme would provide participating journalists with peer-learning opportunities 
abroad and working as part of the editorial staff of media bodies based in other countries. The 
objective of the mobility scheme would be for journalists to learn from each other, benefiting 
from the experience of people facing similar challenges in journalism, particularly in media 
environments with different traditions of media pluralism. 
 
Both the visits and the collaboration foreseen among journalists from different cultures should 
aim at promoting the transfer of "good practice" and "good policies" in journalism between 
Member States of the European Union. Exchange of experience on successes or difficulties in 
journalism and in sustaining media pluralism would be part of the proposed scheme. The 
journalists would be encouraged to establish partnerships, thus enhancing the European 
dimension of journalism.  
 
More specifically, the mobility scheme could potentially include the following objectives. To: 
-  Foster peer learning of journalism in other member states of the European Union; 
-  Exchange experience with journalist of other nationalities who are facing similar obstacles 
and challenges; 
-  Facilitate the search for potential partners for European collaboration; 
-  Provide possibility to learn how to manage and successfully address various issues of  
journalism and media pluralism in editorial staffs in other Member States; 
-  Ensure that journalists, by means of developing in-depth knowledge and experience 
through exchanges, collaboration and working sessions, improve their abilities in the 
domain of journalism. 
 
2.4 Description of the exploratory study 
The exploratory study shall test the underlying intervention logic and define implementation 
rules for a possible “Erasmus for journalists” programme. The output shall constitute original 
analysis, rather than being a mere assembly of secondary sources; and it shall be fit for the 
purposes described in this terms of reference; it shall take the already on-going Erasmus 
programmes into account in order to learn from their experiences and avoid any duplication 
and may propose alternatives. The study shall consist of two parts.  
Part 1 
The first part of the study to be carried out should deal with the following broad issues: 
•  Testing overall feasibility of the pilot project given timeframe and organisational setting, 
notably the intervention logic. The Commission intends to have the programme 
implemented by an external service provider. 
•  Provide the results of consultations of stakeholders participating in focus groups to show 
the needs of potential participants and of the needs of organisations hosting the mobility 
scheme. 
•  Provide a budgetary estimate with regards to different forms of mobility and participation  
•  Provide the Commission with the documentation needed in order to launch the 
implementation of the pilot project (application forms, guidelines and information material 
including process flow-charts, a guide for applicants).  
•  Propose a feasible system of reporting. 
 
In order to make these issues operational the following tasks have to be tackled in the study: 
 
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Task 1 
The contractor should assess and test the underlying intervention logic of the Parliament's 
proposal in respect of the outcomes foreseen and advice on whether exchanges of journalists 
between countries would achieve the objectives sought by the European Parliament. It should 
evaluate the policy objectives sought by the proposal and determine the main framework 
conditions for its implementation. The concept should be consistent with other policy goals 
and activities. 
 
Task 2 
The study should elaborate an implementation scheme including recommendations on how a 
pilot project could be implemented by a professional organisation as an external service 
provider and how the pilot project could be scaled up later into a larger programme. 
Regarding the implementation of the programme, in order to achieve effective, low-risk 
implementation with indicative results, the following list of fundamental questions needs to be 
addressed and answered as a minimum. The answers should cover participation by journalists 
from all media types (print/TV/Radio/Online). 
 
Questions: 
Intervention logic: 
-  Is there an interest from journalists to visit peer editorial staffs in other Member States?  
-  Are journalists ready to devote time for such visits and collaboration? And how much 
time? A week or couple of weeks or an even longer time? 
-  What duration should be envisaged for visits in order to test the approach in a pilot 
implementation and achieve impacts in a full programme? Which range of durations 
would be acceptable in order to achieve impacts rather than mere output activity? 
-  Is there an interest and will from editorial boards in other member states to welcome such 
representatives for a certain time?  
-  Is there an added-value of such visits from both a political and journalistic perspective? 
-  Would the approach be supported by publishers/media service providers? 
-  Would the approach proposed by the European Parliament achieve concrete benefits for 
media pluralism as analysed in the recent study undertaken on media pluralism indicators 
for the Commission?1 
 
Implementation: 
-  How can the aims of the programme be implemented operationally in the most effective 
way? 
-  How to ensure that the budget is not spent on touristic visits which would not fulfil the 
intentions of the EP and could create reputational risk for the institutions? 
-  How would the scheme cope with language issues? Even if the visitors speak a main 
foreign language there might be communication problems during the everyday work 
particularly in the cases of "small language (visitor) - small language (host)" 
combinations. 
-  The study should address the issue of whether the proposed pilot programme should 
organise individual visits or address group visits as well. 
-  The study should suggest how to achieve a good balance through the implementing rules 
with respect to geographic, thematic, local/regional coverage. 
                                                 
1  http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/media_taskforce/pluralism/study/index_en.htm 
 
 
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-  There is a need for a minimum quality assurance for participants' selection and for 
hosting institutions' selection. How to set these criteria? 
-  Are there some themes (e.g. certain editorial practices) which attract more attention from 
concerned participants, in the European context? 
-  Should participants undergo a pre-departure induction course/briefing before their visit 
including information on the mobility scheme, inter-cultural learning and relevant EU 
level information, such as the internal market, European law issues, EU institutions, etc?  
-  Who would be the beneficiaries of the Community funding? Ultimately, it would be 
journalists, but as it is not realistic/possible for the Commission to contract directly with 
individuals in a subsidy mode, should it be their employers (publishers)?  
-  Would it be more effective to channel funding through an intermediary organisation or 
organisations as in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs initiative? 
 
Task 3 
In order to facilitate the evaluation of the programme the study should provide detailed 
assessment methods to be used once the 1 year pilot project has been finished and is to be 
assessed. The proposed evaluation method should take into consideration the likely structure 
of the programme, and it must be relatively simple, efficient and reliable.  
 
Task 4 
Due to the very high number of tasks to be accomplished, there is an important resource 
implication. Therefore, the level of the budget is particularly important, both for establishing 
proof of concept during the pilot and for the putative programme. A key question is the level 
of funding needed to achieve impacts during the main programme.  The budgeting should 
include the estimated costs of the management framework during both the pilot project and 
when scaled up into the main programme phases. The underlying methodologies used for 
such estimates should be explained in detail. The evaluation of the potential costs should 
include such items as a) personnel and overhead costs of the management organisation, b) 
grants for journalist, c) possible financial support for the host institution, d) managing website 
and other communication activities, e) other items. 
 
Task 5 
A wide range of communication related issues has also to be analysed. In addition to general 
awareness raising and dissemination activities, the development of a website, including a 
database will be also needed. The study should elaborate these requirements.  The website 
should enable to carry out the following tasks as a minimum: a) advertise the opportunity for 
study visits and the selection and evaluation process; b) "matching" of partners; c) provide a 
database tool for peer-contacting, taking into account linguistic abilities; d) set the format for 
final reports on study visits, etc. 
 
Task 6 
The launching of this pilot project and subsequent full programme may include various types 
of potential risks and risk areas which the study should systematically identify and then 
carefully analyse and then provide some potential solutions or alternative ways to avoid them.  
 
The implementation proposal, together with the suggested comprehensive evaluation of the 
pilot project and the budgetary issues, should provide the basis for a document addressed to 
the European Parliament concerning the putative rationale for the mainstreaming of the 
programme. 
 
 
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Part two 
 
The elaboration of the programme and its successful implementation will depend very much 
on having a good understanding of the current state of journalism and the media sector in 
Europe across Member States. Achieving this requires a systematic analysis based on 
statistical evidence. Therefore, the contractor should also collect statistical data that would (1) 
support its proposals in the context of the present study and (2) help any external management 
body to run the programme, and (3) help the Commission in its supervision of this entity. The 
statistical data should demonstrate the recent development of the media sector and the 
situation of journalists. These data should reveal the prevailing conditions of various types of 
challenges generated by the on-going technical development of ICT and the rapidly spreading 
use of internet as well as the adverse effects of the global economic and financial crisis on the 
media sector. The statistical data should also contribute to the mapping the main features of 
the media and journalists regarding their understanding of the European Union and its 
different media and cultures. 
 
In order to be able to find answers and elaborate alternative proposals the contractor should 
gather and process statistical data and other relevant information about the media industry, 
potential participants of the programme (i.e. journalists, editorial boards, professional 
institutions, European institutes, etc.). This part of the study should comprise these statistical 
data and related analysis. The statistical database to be developed should include mainly 
proprietary data (i.e. gathered and processed by the contractor) and it may include few data 
only from known statistical data sources (e.g. Eurostat, World Magazine Trends, World Press 
Trends of WAP, Audiovisual Observatory, etc.). The statistical data base should include short 
time series and snapshot data.   
Time series and snapshot data should serve to show the current situation of media and 
demonstrate the impacts of the economic crisis affecting the media. The data collection 
should concentrate on the following areas:   
 
a) the professional situation of journalists; 
b) the current economic and business position of the media market; 
c) the main trends in European media; 
d) evidence of how far there is a comprehensive understanding of the EU and its different 
media and cultures among journalists. 
The proposal should include a description of the detailed list of those statistical data which 
will be delivered. The description should explain the relevance, type, methodology of data 
collecting and/or processing, the availability and other important features of these statistical 
data. The evaluation of the proposals submitted to the pilot action and ultimately the 
programme will significantly depend on this information. 
The contractor should prepare a written evaluation based on this statistical database regarding 
the issues mentioned above. 
 
As a minimum, this work should cover a representative sample of Member States to be 
defined and justified in the offer. Full coverage of all EU Member States would be preferable 
if it were considered feasible by the contractor and developed in the offer.  
 
2. 
STUDY PROCESS 
3.1  Timing of the study process 
The process of preparing the study should include the following phases: 
 
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-  An initial meeting with the Commission and the Steering group in Brussels (kick-off 
meeting) and follow-up meetings as appropriate. Meetings should also take place with 
stakeholders (i.e. journalists, publishers, editors, associations, etc.) to present and discuss 
the interim report and final report. 
-  Gather information and make an analysis on existing mobility support (Erasmus 
programmes). 
-  Prepare reports on the experience of comparable existing programmes, including those 
offered by private foundations, opinion and interest of stakeholders, gathered statistical 
information. The objective is to get the points of view of those who are potential visitors 
(journalists) and hosts (all types of media companies) in as many Member States as 
possible and to discuss with them the different variants of the planned action. 
-  Provide an estimate of the costs that each alternative may imply.  
-  Make proposals concerning the design of the pilot project in terms of objectives, target 
group, length of the stay abroad, financial support scheme (individual grants, project 
grants, flat rates, etc.) and its implication and its management structure. The latter should 
be done by testing different scenarios. 
-  Elaborate a reporting and proposal evaluation system, using for instance flow charts. 
-  Identify the factors that constitute an obstacle for hosting journalists to participate in the 
pilot programme and develop measures that would help to overcome those obstacles and 
enhance the participation of host media firms. 
-  Statistical work as described in part two above. 
 
3.2.  Reporting and deliverables  
Each report will be submitted in electronic format and in 4 hardcopies in English. The reports 
and all other documents have to be submitted electronically either in MS Word or pdf format.  
The Commission will comment on interim reports and on the final report within 15 working 
days. In the absence of observation from the Commission within the deadline, the report will 
be considered as being approved.  
 
 
3.3. Inception report 
On the basis of a kick-off meeting of the Steering Group the Inception Report of at least 10 
pages will be submitted 3 weeks after the final signature of the contract. It will describe the 
methodology and procedure applied, in particular the instruments and tools used to do the 
consultation, etc. It will provide a detailed description of the organisation of the project and a 
detailed, updated work plan and timetable.  
 
3.4.  Interim report (1st  part) 
The Interim report (preliminary version of the final report) will contain an overview of the 
work carried out during the first phase of the study. It should at least include the following:  
•  Complete information on progress achieved in fulfilment of the tasks to be carried out as 
specified in 2.4; 
•  Problems encountered, solutions found or proposed, and impact on future work; 
•  Strengths and weaknesses of the alternative scenarios that could be recommended on how 
to organise efficiently mobility of journalists; 
•  Detailed time schedule and methodology for the completion of the work. 
 
The Interim report shall be submitted by the end of month 4 after the date of signature of the 
contract. The Interim report will be discussed with the Commission at a check point meeting 
 
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taking place after the submission of the report. Within 10 days of receiving the Commission’s 
observations, the Contractor will submit the report in a definitive form, taking full account of 
these observations.  
 
3.5 Final Report (1st and 2nd phases) 
 
Part 1 final report 
 
The Contractor will produce a part 1 draft final report based on its findings (existing mobility 
schemes in the EU, consultation with stakeholders, various reports, etc.). Part 1 of the draft 
final study report shall be submitted by the 6th month following the date of signature of the 
contract by the last of the two parties.  The final report should describe the methodology and 
organisation of the work and activities that have been done. It should represent the main 
results, outcomes, conclusions and recommendations. It should also summarise some key 
outcomes of the study. 
 
The above report will also include the inputs necessary for the preparation of the call for 
tender to select the external service provider that will manage the pilot project. The 
contribution will mainly consist of identifying the tasks and reports that the external service 
provider has to deliver. Finally, the Contractor will draft guidelines that can be addressed to 
and used by journalists and hosting media companies that are interested in participating in the 
pilot programme.  
 
After reception of the draft version of the report and its annexes, the Commission will within 
10 working days inform the Contractor of the acceptance of these documents, or will pass on 
its observations. Within 10 days of receiving the Commission’s final observations, the 
Contractor will submit the final versions of the report in definitive form, either taking account 
of these observations or setting out different arguments. The draft version of the guidelines for 
journalists and host media companies have to be submitted by the middle of month 7.  
 
Part 2 final report 
 
Part 2 of the study (statistical database and analysis) has to be submitted by the end of the 11 
month after the date of signature of the contract. After reception of the draft version of the 
Part 2 of the report, the Commission will within 10 working days inform the Contractor of the 
acceptance of these documents, or will pass on its observations. Within 10 days of receiving 
the Commission’s final observations, the Contractor will submit the final versions of the 
report in definitive form, either taking account of these observations or setting out different 
arguments. The consolidated versions of all documents of the final reports have to be 
submitted before the end of month 11 after the signature of the contract. 
 
The consolidated versions of all final reports (two parts of the study, guidebooks, contribution 
to the drafting of the call for tender) should be together approximately 90-100 pages, of which 
approximately 10 pages of summary, plus an additional 80 to 100 statistical tables based on 
the data collection work. 
 
 
 
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3. 
ORGANISATION 
The contract will be managed by DG INFSO unit A1. INFSO/A1 will set up a Steering Group 
composed of DG INFSO officials. The Steering Group will follow the activities undertaken, 
provide guidance on its execution and give opinions on its results. A staff member of 
INFSO/A1 will chair the Steering Group and its meetings. 
Contact: 
European Commission 
DG Information Society and Media 
Directorate A - Audiovisual and Media Policies Unit (office BU33 3/35) 
for the attention of Jean-Eric de Cockborne 
1-3 Avenue du Bourget
 
B -1140 Brussels 
 
4. 
DURATION 
The duration of the tasks should not exceed 12 months. 
5. 
LOGISTICS AND TIMETABLE 
The study will be carried out at the Contractor’s own offices. Unless agreed otherwise 
between the parties the meetings with the Commission and with the Steering Group will take 
in Brussels. 
Activity time scale  
activities time 
scale 
Kick-off meeting between Contractor and  1st month 
Commission (Steering Group) 
Preparation, discussion of the Inception 2nd month (beginning) 
report within 2 weeks after the kick-off 
meeting 
Delivery of Interim Report (preliminary End of 4th month 
version of the final report) 
Interim meeting in Brussels 
End of 5th month 
Stakeholders’ meeting in Brussels - 6th month 
Presentation of Interim results 
Draft final report (Part 1) finalisation of  End of 6th month 
research work and submission of the of the 
result within 2 weeks after the stakeholders 
meeting 
Draft final report meeting - in Brussels 
 7th month 
 
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Submission of draft guidelines for journalists  End of 7th month 
and host media companies. 
Draft final report (Part 2) - Finalisation of  End of 11th month 
research and submission  
Final report evaluation meeting in Brussels -  12th month 
Submission of the final consolidated report 
with all annexes within 2 weeks after the 
final meeting  
 
6. 
PRICE 
The maximum price for this feasibility study is 500.000 EUR (including travel, excluding 
VAT/TVA).  
7. 
GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE 
Part 1 should include the possibility of participants from all Member States. As a minimum, 
Part 2 should cover a representative sample of Member States. 
 
8. 
AWARD OF THE CONTRACT 
The specific contract shall be awarded to the tender offering the best value for money, which 
will be the one with the best quality/price ratio, taking into account the award criteria listed in 
Annex II of the Framework Contract. 
 
 
 
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