Expanding the evaluation system—working with academia and VOPEs to support capacity and capability in evidence generation and use

Moderator

  • David Slattery, UNDP IEO, Regional Evaluation Adviser for Asia and the Pacific

Panelists

  • Ashley Cavers, SDG Impact Lab, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, Chief Operating Officer
  • Jenean Pretorius, CLEAR Anglophone Africa, South Africa Lead, Capacity Strengthening
  • Lycia Lima, CLEAR Lusophone Africa and Brazil, Brazil Deputy Director
  • Marijana Sumpor, Croatia Evaluation Society, Croatia, President
  • Meitao Wang, Budgetary Appraisal Center of the Ministry of Finance, China, Associate Professor 
  • Miché Ouedraogo, African Evaluation Association, Burkina Faso, President 
  • Viviana Lascano, Ecuador Evaluation Society, Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador, Vice-President 
  • Wei Tong, University of Finance and Economics, China, Director of Performance Management Research Center

Discussion Themes

  • There is a need for stronger connections between academic institutions and government to provide relevant, actionable data, while addressing challenges such as differing incentives and access to data.
  • Effort is needed to overcome barriers for effective collaboration between key centres of sources of expertise in evaluation, including in academia, and in the private sector. Developing cadres of young evaluators through academic collaboration can be a powerful model for developing capabilities and connections to expertise.
  • Voluntary professional organizations in evaluation (VOPEs) are important players in building evaluation capacity, creating spaces for peer learning, and moving evaluation from compliance-based to impact-oriented practices. Many governments are unfamiliar with the role VOPEs and academic institutions can play in the evaluation space. This lack of understanding leads to hesitation and underutilization of these organizations in building M&E capacity.
  • Academia often focuses on producing highly technical and methodologically rigorous reports, which may be valued within academic circles but are not always practical or aligned with the needs of government decision makers. There can be a disconnect between what is taught in universities regarding evaluation and the realities of evaluation in practice.
Sub Title
Session A4
Quotes
Ashley Cavers

“Academia offers the unique opportunity to inspire young minds and introduce them to careers in evaluation—something many don’t even know exist.”

Ashley Cavers

SDG Impact Lab, University of Oxford

Jenean Pretorius

“VOPEs are spaces of cohesion, where diverse players learn from one another. They are vital for moving evaluations from compliance-based to impact-driven practices.”

Jenean Pretorius

CLEAR Anglophone Africa

Cover Image
A4
Session Category
Title1
Expanding the evaluation system—working with academia and VOPEs to support capacity and capability in evidence generation and use
Rank
A4
Event Day
Video URL text
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cqa0IqjdIts?si=eqzikztbU_vgR2F0
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