About this course
In this seminar you will learn about theory-based impact evaluation, drawing on the latest advances made in terms of methodologies for impact evaluation from impact evaluation expert Benedict Wauters.
We will show you how theory-based impact evaluation can match the rigour associated with counter-factual impact evaluation and when it might be a better approach to determining how interventions can be more effective .
We will cover in particular Process Tracing, Congruence Analysis, Qualitative Comparative Analysis, Pawson and Tilley’s Realist Evaluation and Mayne’s Contribution Analysis.
Who will most benefit?
This two-day seminar is for public officials from EU Member States, candidate countries, the EU institutions and other multilateral institutions, as well as auditors, consultants, staff of NGOs, and other stakeholders with experience of the process of impact evaluation of policies, programmes and projects.
Come and learn how and when Theory-Based Impact Evaluation will help you to make decisions about how interventions can be made to work better to meet your aims
What you will learn in this course
By the end of the seminar you will be able to more effectively design and commission theory-based impact evaluations.
To help you to do so we will:
- Distribute pre-reading material so you can prepare yourself for the seminar and thus to maximise the benefit you will gain from it
- Give you initial input explaining the methodologies
- Use case studies to explain how these methodologies work
- Give you exercises to better understand the practical application of the methodologies.
You will also have the chance to discuss with other participants and the project leaders approaches which you have used or are planning to use.
Benedict Wauters (External Expert)
Practical information
Course venue
European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA)
O.L. Vrouweplein 22
6211 HE, Maastricht
the Netherlands
Programme Organiser
Ms Belinda Vetter
Tel: + 31 43 3296382
b.vetter@eipa.eu
Fee
The fee includes documentation and refreshments. Lunches, a reception or dinner are included if mentioned in the programme. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.
Discounts
EIPA offers a 10% discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency.
Early bird discount
For this course EIPA offers an early bird discount of 50 euro. The early bird deadline is 12 August 2019.
Who are the supporting countries?
Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
For all other participants, the regular fee applies.
Meals
Lunches, the reception or dinner will be served at a restaurant in town. Special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic) can be indicated once you receive the confirmation of the seminar.
Hotel reservations
EIPA has special price arrangements with a number of hotels. All hotels are within 10 minutes walking distance from EIPA. Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please book directly via the links below. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel upon checking out. At the time of booking, please mention in the requested field the EIPA project number for your course.
Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation.
Cancellation policy
For administrative reasons you will be charged €150 for cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins. There is no charge for qualified substitute participants.
EIPA reserves the right to cancel the activity up to 2 weeks before the starting date. In that case, registration fees received will be fully reimbursed. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, accommodation, etc.).
The programme
| 08.45 | Registration of participants |
| Day 1 How does an intervention work? Understanding theory, inferencing and causality in theory-based evaluation | |
| 09.00 | Welcome and introduction to the course
Dr Theo Jans, Associate Professor, EIPA Maastricht |
| 09.15 | Theory in theory-based impact evaluation
Benedict Wauters, Director, Innovation and Impact Evaluation, ESF Department, Flemish Ministry for Labour and Social Economy, Brussels (BE) A brief history of theory-based evaluation
|
| 09.30 | Case study: Intervention theory for a policy to give every citizen a personal development process (PDP) – a first look at a Theory of Change and a Theory of Action |
| 10.00 | Common theories as used in the social sciences |
| 10.30 | Coffee break |
| 11.00 | Exercise: What social science theories are underpinning the PDP case study? |
| 11.30 | Quantitative, conceptual and mechanistic theories for use in evaluations |
| 13.00 | Lunch |
| 14.15 | Exercise: Construct a mechanism for the PDP case (or for your own case) |
| 15.15 | Coffee break |
| 15.45 | Causal inference
|
| 16.45 | Exercise: Devise various tests for a hypothesis |
| 17.15 | Causal inference (continued)
|
| 18.00 | End of first day |
| 18.30 | Reception |
| Day 2 Alternative evaluation strategies in theory-based evaluation | |
| 09.00 | Within case study methods for asserting causality
|
| 10.00 | Within case study methods for asserting causality (continued)
|
| 11.00 | Coffee break |
| 11.30 | Within case study methods for asserting causality (continued)
Exercise: Creating mechanism-based observable implications for the PDP case (or your own case) |
| 12.15 | Lunch |
| 13.30 | Within case study methods for asserting causality (continued)
|
| 15.00 | Coffee break |
| 15.30 | Within case study methods for asserting causality (continued)
|
| 16.30 | Multiple case study methods
|
| 17.45 | Evaluation and end of the seminar |
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