Impact Evaluation

Jean-Louis Arcand

E628 | Spring | 6ECTS
 

Statistically assessing the impact attributable to social programmes in developing countries is increasingly, though slowly, becoming standard practice in the development community. Unfortunately, and despite the great value of such exercises in terms both of programme evaluation and informed policy dialogue, much remains to be done in terms of mainstreaming impact evaluations into the project cycle. In particular, the importance of the basic underlying concept of any properly conducted impact evaluation, that of a counterfactual, is often difficult to impress on individuals involved in purely operational aspects of programme/project execution. Heavy emphasis will be placed on concrete examples where these methods have been applied, in such areas as privatisation of basic services, conditional cash transfer programmes, health, community-driven social programmes, education, and nutrition.