IPDET Welcomes 171 Participants from 63 Countries to its 2023 On-Site Evaluation Training Program

From July 10 to 21, 2023, the International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET), a GEI Implementing Partner, welcomed 171 participants from 63 countries to its annual Core Course on the fundamentals of evaluation held on-site at the University of Bern in Switzerland. In addition to the Core Course, IPDET delivered 11 workshops on the fundamentals of evaluation and advanced, cutting-edge topics, theoretical issues and practical applications taught by a distinguished international faculty.

The IPDET program allows participants to enhance their knowledge and skills in evaluation and develop networks for future collaboration with co-learners from all over the world. An important aspect of IPDET’s success is the diversity of its participants. Sixty-three countries were represented at the training. Several countries were represented for the first time at IPDET including Chile, the Gambia, Guatemala, Kosovo, Morocco and Poland. In addition, 65% percent of the 171 participants in this year’s IPDET On-Site program in Bern were female. Approximately 45% of the participants were young and emerging evaluators (YEEs) who had less than 5 years of evaluation experience. In addition, 14% of attendees were IPDET alumni, who were back to refresh their skills.  

Evaluation is dynamic, and it is continuously evolving. So, that was my motivation for attending IPDET again to enhance my understanding of the recent developments in evaluation processes, methodologies and of course best practices, that are shared by participants from countries all over the world – they enrich the learning environment! – Merwin Salazar | Senate of the Philippines

Seventy-six participants received scholarships to attend the program from: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Serbia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. 

IPDET brings together individuals with diverse professional backgrounds from all over the world. Throughout the on-site program, the participants are given various opportunities for building connections and exchanging knowledge beyond the courses.  

It is a diverse, global community of like-minded professionals from different sectors, cultures, and backgrounds. The networking opportunities and peer-to-peer interactions were invaluable, fostering meaningful connections with experts, practitioners, and fellow participants. I am grateful for the new friendships formed and the knowledge shared among this supportive and inspiring cohort. – Ayatan Suleymanova | Cultivating New Frontiers for Agriculture | Azerbaijan

The 11 workshops offered at the IPDET On-Site training focused on fundamental topics, such as data collection and analysis methods, but also on new themes with increasing relevance. Two of the workshops focused explicitly on climate change, environment and "green evaluation.” Another focused on social justice. There was also a workshop on machine learning, which is expected to have a profound impact on the evaluation field in the future. An overview of all the workshops can be found HERE.

You can view more details on the IPDET 2023 On-Site program, recordings of certain sessions and feedback from participants HERE!