Evaluator Education in the Sustainability Era: A Landscape Analysis of Africa and Call for Contextual Relevance

As evaluation capacity becomes central to systems change and accountability, and the proliferation of evaluator educator programs (EEPs) suggest institutional responsiveness to a growing demand for evaluative expertise, the question of how African universities are preparing evaluators is both timely and strategic. This presentation shares insights from a continent-wide mixed-methods investigation of 110 university-based monitoring and evaluation (M&E) programs across African higher education institutions, including interviews with program representatives. The study surfaces patterns in program distribution, curricular design, and the extent to emergent priorities such as sustainability are reflected in course content. The session will conclude with an interactive dialogue on strategies for reimagining and strengthening university-based M&E education as a transformative space for equity, relevance, and local-led development.