IPDET: A Fond Farewell and a New Beginning

Dr. Candice Morkel is the Head of Program for the International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET). Previously, she served as Director of the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Anglophone Africa.

At the beginning of 2025, we bid farewell to the phenomenal and effervescent Stefanie Krapp (affectionately known to all as simply “Steffi”) after seven highly successful years as the Head of Program at the International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET). Steffi led IPDET through a pivotal transformation, relocating it from its birthplace in Ottawa, Canada to Bern, Switzerland, where it re-emerged at the University of Bern as a dynamic and forward-looking IPDET 2.0.

For over two decades, IPDET has been recognized as the leading global program in Evaluation Capacity Development (ECD), continuously evolving while maintaining its high standards. Through its solid institutional foundation at the University of Bern, jointly hosted with CEval GmbH from 2018-2024, IPDET remains a trusted leader in ECD, fostering an international community of practice that transcends disciplines and borders. As IPDET’s academic home, the University of Bern plays a crucial role in ensuring the program’s scientific rigor, credibility, and continuous innovation.

Of the more than 4,000 participants who have been part of IPDET since it was established in 2001, many see themselves as more than just alumni who once participated in a training program—they see themselves as part of a multi-disciplinary community of practice, committed to the vision of better evaluations, better policies, and a better world.

Steffi’s poignant farewell message and the hundreds of heartfelt responses on her LinkedIn page demonstrate how much she meant to the program, and the program to her.

With my appointment as the new head of IPDET, I am excited to lead the program into its next phase of evolution. This new role builds on my 25-year career, during which I have had the privilege of working locally, globally, and regionally in monitoring and evaluation (M&E), public sector governance, and capacity building. I plan to harness my experience and understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by countries in the global south to uphold IPDET’s strong foundations and drive its expansion into new global regions.

Ambitious Expansion Plans

The Cambridge English dictionary defines “expansion” as: “the increase of something in size, number, or importance”. And, IPDET has ambitious and exciting plans to increase in size, number, and importance as we embark on IPDET 3.0.

As part of its ongoing development, IPDET will expand its offerings in 2025 through two new regional training programs. Hosted by the University of Bern, in partnership with the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA) and École nationale d'administration publique (ENAP), implementing partners of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), these programs will cater to professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, North Africa, and West Africa, with the first delivery taking place in Morocco and the second in Nairobi. These initiatives complement IPDET’s flagship summer program in Switzerland and underscore its commitment to enhancing accessibility and regional relevance.

Commitment to Core Values

IPDET’s five core values: inclusive, global, excellence, participatory, and engaging, remain pillars of substance in the ambitious expansion plan. We understand that, in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, the needs of evaluation practitioners—across all functions—are changing. The expansion plans are strategically aimed at globalizing IPDET, ensuring it becomes more inclusive and accessible to practitioners worldwide. Whilst working on greater levels of participation and inclusivity, it remains committed to standards of excellence that have been embedded in the program for the last 24 years.

With accessibility and inclusivity being key to IPDET 3.0, scholarships will remain on offer, making sure that those who are unable to pay to attend the course are provided with the financial assistance to do so.

Information about scholarships and registration will be made available on a rolling basis on all our channels from 1 March 2025, so look out for these wherever you get your latest information about IPDET!