Evaluation News
OED 13 November 2007
Capacity Development for Monitoring and Evaluation MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will manage a $500,000 technical assistance grant (TA) funded by the People's Republic of China to help countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion develop results-based monitoring and evaluation systems used in assessing efforts to reduce poverty.1 IRISH DE GUZMAN
"Strong national and sector systems for monitoring and evaluation are necessary to assess efforts to reduce poverty, and to demonstrate results," says Keith Leonard.
The grant, approved in September under the Regional Cooperation and Poverty Reduction Fund, will be used to assist Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, and Viet Nam enhance skills, resources and systems for results-based monitoring and evaluation. Funding under the grant is expected to be completed in October 2009. "Strong national and sector systems for monitoring and evaluation are necessary to assess efforts to reduce poverty, and to demonstrate results," says Keith Leonard, Director, Operations Division 1, Operations Evaluation Department (OED). "Such systems are one avenue for improving performance in terms of the quality, quantity and targeting of goods and services." OED has supported evaluation capacity development since 1990 to raise awareness of its role in promoting transparency, accountability, results orientation, and effectiveness of management systems. Operations Evaluation Department Asian Development Bank
OED's projects have demonstrated the benefits of sound monitoring and evaluation systems in good governance and public sector reform as well as the relationship between monitoring and evaluation for results-based management, and internal auditing. OED has also supported the creation of country and regional networks to facilitate follow-up action when needed.
The technical assistance grant will be used to raise proficiency in monitoring and evaluation, conduct research on evaluation capacity development and increase knowledge sharing. Olivier Serrat, Senior Evaluation Specialist (Knowledge Management) said: "GMS countries have recognized the shortcomings of their monitoring systems. The 14th GMS ministerial meeting held in Manila in June 2007 resolved to address this. The TA will provide related knowledge products and services."
"OED's projects have demonstrated the benefits of sound monitoring and evaluation systems in good governance and public sector reform as well as the relationship between monitoring and evaluation for results-based management, and internal auditing."
6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City, 1550 Metro Manila, Philippines Tel +63 2 632 4100; Fax +63 2 636 2161; evaluation@adb.org; www.adb.org/evaluation/
IRISH DE GUZMAN
Staff of selected agencies in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam from the ministries of finance or planning, public service commissions, other key agencies, and relevant elements of civil society groups will receive training in Shanghai as part of the grant.
"GMS countries have recognized the shortcomings of their monitoring systems‌ The TA will provide related knowledge products and services," says Olivier Serrat.
KEITH LEONARD
Shanghai International Program for Development Evaluation Training The Shanghai International Program for Development Evaluation Training commenced in April 2007. SHIPDET is held semi-annually with the spring program focusing on Chinese participants and the autumn program focusing on international participants from the Asia and Pacific region. The program is jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China, The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Asia Pacific Development and Finance Center. Participants are selected by the sponsoring organization and evaluation agencies of participating governments. The program provides participants with instruction in essential tools and techniques of development evaluation, focusing especially on results-based management and stakeholder participation. By the end of the program, participants have a good understanding of results-based management, developing baselines and indicators for monitoring progress, various data collection methods, designing and conducting evaluations, and effectively using and disseminating evaluation findings.
Read Online: Technical Assistance Report. Available: www.adb.org/projects/project.asp?id=41094 Evaluation Capacity Development. Available: www.adb.org/evaluation/technical-assistance/default.asp Regional Cooperation and Poverty Reduction Fund. Available: www.adb.org/rcfund/default.asp Greater Mekong Subregion. Available: www.adb.org/gms/ See Also: Strengthening Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation in Key Projects in the People's Republic of China. Available: www.adb.org/evaluation/technicalassistance/ongoing-ta/ta-4581-prc.asp International Program for Development Evaluation Training. Available: www.ipdet.org/default.aspx Evaluation in Organizations: A Systematic Approach to Enhancing Learning, Performance, and Change. Available: www.amazon.ca/evaluation-organizations-systematicenhancing-performance/dp/0738202681 Creating and Developing Evaluation Organizations: Lessons Learned from Africa, Americas, Asia, Australasia, and Europe. Available: http://ioce.net/resources/case_studies.shtml
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ADB. 2006. ADB, PRC Issue Grant to Support Greater Mekong Subregion's Efforts to Monitor and Evaluate Poverty-Reduction Projects. News Release. Manila. Available: www.adb.org/media/articles/2007/12254-mekong-povertiesreductions/default.asp
ADB. 2007. Capacity Development for Monitoring and Evaluation (TA 6410-REG). Manila. Available: www.adb.org/evaluation/technical-assistance/ongoingta/prc-monitoring-evaluation.asp Evaluation News available @ www.adb.org/evaluation/
For Inquiries: Olivier Serrat; Tel +63 2 632 6710; oserrat@adb.org