Rome, 8 June 2023 – The emerging trends in evaluation topics are linked to the main development themes of our time. These include issues related to climate change, forced migration, humanitarian development nexus, conflict and availability of resources for production and food consumption. The latest session of the ‘Peer-to-Peer Career Advisory Sessions for Young and Emerging Evaluators’ (p2p) put these issues on the discussion table, as representatives of the Independent Office of Evaluation of IFAD (IOE) offered career insights into the evaluation profession.

Held on 8 June 2023, the p2p session featured Mikal Khan and Massiel Jiménez, Evaluation Officer and Evaluations Research Analyst respectively, as guest speakers. Titled ‘Career spotlight on IFAD’, the learning event focused on what it means to work in an evaluation office of an international multilateral organization. The discussions provided a safe space for young and emerging evaluation professionals to raise questions regarding career challenges and opportunities, and to help each other think through their career path.

In addition to the need to keep up-to-date with the emerging evaluation trends around climate and the humanitarian-development nexus, the IOE evaluators also underscored the importance of remaining abreast with the latest evaluation methods and tools. These include the use of new ICT resources, such as data analytics and geographic information systems (GIS), which are becoming increasingly available.  However, these are not mainstream and traditional methods are still central.

To follow these and other evaluation-related developments, Mikal and Massiel underscored that it is useful to monitor the websites and social media outlets of leading evaluation offices, networks and communities of practice, such as the UN Evaluation Group, gLocal, EvalForward and EvalNet, among others, and to sign-up to their newsletters and announcements. These platforms can also be used to reach out to practitioners, and to learn more about and pursue job opportunities.

Answering questions from the floor, Mikal and Massiel also explained the role of evaluation within IFAD, which is to promote accountability through evidence-based assessments of IFAD’s intervention. Evaluation also contributes to enhanced learning and feedback mechanisms to improve future strategies, interventions and processes of IFAD. IOE is an independent body within IFAD, and conducts independent evaluations.

The p2p advisory sessions initiative is the result of a partnership between the European Evaluation Society (EES) Emerging Evaluators, IDEAS Emerging Evaluators, and EvalYouth. The sessions clarify doubts and answer specific questions posed by participants about their evaluation career, basic M&E concepts, or professionals challenges. It is a demand-driven event, not a training or a workshop.

For further information, please contact Alexander Voccia [here]

NOTICE: Please note that the present learning event is NOT connected or otherwise linked to any job opening in IOE or in IFAD.

• To access the website of the Peer-to-Peer Career Advisory Sessions for Young and Emerging Evaluators, please click here.

ioe.ifad.org

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