Over the years Risbo has become an expert in the peer reviewing method. Not only did the organisation carry out and coordinate several peer reviews, it also helped improving the method for different European Projects by delivering a peer review toolbox.
Peer review is a systematic examination and assessment of the performance or practices of a specific unit of governance by a group of other units of the same level and range. The ultimate goal is helping the reviewed unit to improve its policy making, adopt best practices and comply with established standards and principles. The examination is conducted on a non-adversarial basis, and it relies heavily on mutual trust among the cities involved in the review, as well as on their shared confidence in the process.
Peer Review must be regarded as an open and cooperative method that respects the diversity of the partners involved. It is characterized by open dialogue and interactive (mutual) investigation and learning. It does not have a punitive dimension and cannot serve as a method to resolve disputes.

A few examples of European projects where the peer review method was used by Risbo:

• 'Connections' was a project of Mutual Learning on Social Inclusion and Social Protection where projects of social inclusion where reviewed in eight different cities.
• 'Local Evidence-based Policy and Practice in Education' was a project between six cities in the field of networks for developing knowledge brokerage initiatives on schools.
• 'SIRIUS network'. The essential mission of the SIRIUS policy network is to promote and enhance the knowledge transfer among stakeholders in order to improve the education of children and youngsters from migrant background. With a team of experts we visited Zagreb to review their project on dealing with Roma children and in Antwerp we examined the Equal Educational Opportunities Policy in two secondary schools.