Program Introduction
The aim of impact evaluation is to assess the relevance and effectiveness of a project, programme or public policy in bringing about a desired change in the well-being of the target population, as well as to measure improvements in pre-defined indicators in the particular sector, where applicable, that can be attributed to the development intervention. The evaluation is usually undertaken during a defined period subsequent to the implementation of a given intervention using a variety of techniques, including counterfactual impact, that measure/compare the results achieved with what would have happened (to the beneficiaries) had the project/programme intervention not taken place. Participants will be assisted in performing an impact evaluation of a selected project (case study), putting into practice what they have learned in the course.
Program Attendees
This workshop targets technical specialists in charge of the monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes as well as officials from Ministries of Planning, UN organizations and NGOs. The course is also intended to fit the needs of social partners engaged in the design and implementation of development projects and programmes. Members of the research community contributing to the design, implementation and evaluation of development programmes are also invited to join.
Program Objectives
The direct objective of the course is to provide a thorough introduction to the concepts and methods
used for conducting impact evaluation and cost-benefit analysis.
The goal of an impact evaluation is to attribute impacts to a certain programme or project as well as to assess the relevance and effectiveness of an intervention. To this end a comparison group has to be constructed to measure what would have happened to the policy or program beneficiaries had the intervention not taken place. The process of identifying this group, collecting the needed data, and conducting the relevant cost-benefit analysis requires a lot of careful, thorough thought and planning.
Specifically, the training will serve the three following objectives:
- Improve understanding of concepts and methods for appropriate counter-factual impact evaluation and cost-effectiveness of development projects and programs;
- Help identify impact evaluation options that recognize budget, time and data constraints, and that best suit the needs of specific programs, countries and institutional context;
- Strengthen the technical capability to understand, interpret and identify the pros and cons of quantitative impact evaluations and costs-benefits analysis.
Program Contents
- M&E system in Technical Cooperation and development projects
- Concept and methods for impact evaluations
- Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses
- Conducting an impact evaluation under budget, time and data constraints
- Workshop – as a practical complement to the theoretical lectures, the participants will commit a substantial part of their study time to group work. Moving from concepts to a real-world situation, a series of sessions will allow participants to work on the development of sound plans for monitoring and evaluating the impact of existing or forthcoming Technical Cooperation and development projects. With the steady assistance of the course facilitator and resource people, participants will elaborate strategies defining the most appropriate impact evaluation method that can be used given the specific nature of their programme, data and budget constraints, and policy and country context.