IQ-Net is a network of regional and national partners across the EU whose aim is to improve the quality of Structural Funds programme management through exchange of experience. The network involves a structured programme of applied research and debate; network partners meet twice a year, with conferences being hosted by the partners on a rotation basis.

IQ-Net was launched in 1996 and is managed by the European Policies Research Centre (EPRC) at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Partner organisations are mainly regional or national European Structural and Investment Funds managing authorities or programme secretariats.

IQ-Net enables programme managers and their partnerships to exchange experience and share good practice on specific themes relating to the design, delivery, management and evaluation of the Structural Funds programmes. Briefing papers are prepared by EPRC as the basis for discussion at each meeting, bringing together comparative experience from across the EU. In addition to regular progress updates on the programmes, thematic papers are also discussed at each conference. Recent papers have covered: the results-orientation in 2014-20 programmes in terms of project generation and selection approaches; youth unemployment; the performance turn in EU Cohesion policy; innovation and 'Smart Specialisation' in Cohesion policy programmes; the use of financial instruments in Cohesion policy programmes; the evaluation and monitoring of 2014-2020 programmes; and, the simplification of Cohesion policy delivery. For more information on the network or to express interest in joining it see the IQ-Net website.

The EoRPA Consortium is a group of government ministries and agencies from eleven European countries which fund a research programme on regional policy developments in the EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland. The research includes an ongoing comparative assessment of changes in regional policy, set in the context of the EU Regional Aid Guidelines and the EU Structural and Investment Funds. The Consortium also funds thematic studies on selected regional policy issues.

It was established in October 1978 when government departments responsible for regional policy in Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom decided to fund a comparative study of regional incentive policy in the European Community. The focus of the research was on policy change and the reasons for change over time, with the aim of gaining comparative policy lessons. In addition, an annual meeting of senior policymakers from the sponsoring countries was held to facilitate the exchange of views on policy developments in an informed yet informal atmosphere.

The first annual meeting was held in January 1980; the 2018 meeting will be the 39th annual meeting.