About REA and EACEA
REA (European Research Executive Agency) and EACEA (European Education and Culture Executive Agency) are two executive agencies of the European Commission.
- REA manages EU grants aimed at research and innovation.
- EACEA manages funds for education, culture, audiovisual, sports, citizenship and volunteerism.
Fast, standardized, for large groups, reliable and for all levels.
Challenge
As one of Europe’s most sought-after employers, the European Commission receives thousands of job applications every year. It was therefore crucial for REA and EACEA to develop a pre-selection test that is objective, transparent and candidate-friendly.
The assignment was to design reasoning tests that meet the high standards of both agencies. Indeed, the selection process had to be tailored to their complex operating environment. Here the focus was on ensuring performance and diversity, minimizing “bias” and providing a positive experience for candidates.
Our approach
We developed a customized solution that began with a comprehensive analysis of the needs of both agencies. This took into account factors such as:
- establishing thresholds of success/failure
- The duration and sequence of tests
- Ensuring a fair and effective process
- focusing on the candidate’s experience and the organization’s requirements.
After development, the tests underwent additional review by other psychometric experts to identify and address potential “bias. After a pilot phase with additional attention to usability and psychometric quality, the tests were implemented.
Results
Mapwave provided three substantiated reasoning tests:
- Verbal reasoning skills:
cases were designed around socially relevant topics, measuring candidates’ skills in reading comprehension. - Numerical reasoning ability:
numerical issues, offered insight into the ability to analyze numerical data. - Abstract reasoning ability:
using abstract figures became the ability to understand relationships between concepts without the use of language or numerical elements.
Mapwave also provided a quality certificate and a summary of the psychometric characteristics (adverse impact, reliability, difficulty, etc.) of the tests.
Mapwave implemented a fair, objective and efficient pre-selection process.
Why Mapwave?
The choice of Mapwave was based on:
- Speed and flexibility: Providing customization within a very short period of time.
- Expertise: Deep knowledge of test development and psychometric analysis.
- Candidate-focused approach: Focus on a correct and honest candidate experience.
With tailored reasoning tests and comprehensive advice, Mapwave helped REA and EACEA implement a fair, objective and efficient pre-selection process. After all, complex environments require customized qualitative selection tests.