Evaluation of the project “International Sustainability Academy (ISA)”
The International Sustainability Academy (ISA) is a project of the Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald Hamburg e.V. (SDW). ISA offers a 9-month fellowship program, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with the aim to support and strengthen international cooperation in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries. The scholarship program is open to interested individuals who are involved in activities relating to the SDGs and coming from countries included in the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list. The first phase of the fellowship includes an eight-month stay in Hamburg wherein the fellows are given capacity-building training, networking opportunities, individual consultation, and support for the (further) development of their scientific or business projects or products. The fellowship ends with the second phase, an additional funded month in their home country, during which focus is on the completion and implementation of their individual projects. ISA started in September 2019.
The CEval GmbH was commissioned by SDW to conduct a mid-term evaluation of the second funding phase from 2022 to 2024. The goal of the evaluation was to draw up interim assessment and identify potential for optimizing the design of the fellowship program. The evaluation had been based on the OECD DAC criteria and addresses questions of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, impact, efficiency, and sustainability of the fellowship program.
Methodologically, a mixed-method approach was employed for this evaluation, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection and analytical procedures. Qualitative methods include a review of secondary data and project documents, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions of stakeholders, and participant observation of the application selection process. Furthermore, quantitative online surveys of current ISA fellows and alumni had been conducted to capture their experiences and personal perspectives of the fellowship program.
Measurement of customer satisfaction with AIZ services for GIZ projects, follow-up survey 2022
To ensure continuous quality control, the Academy for International Cooperation (AIZ) has mandated CEval GmbH to conduct a customer satisfaction survey concerning AIZ services for GIZ projects. The aim is to determine the level of satisfaction of AIZ customers with their services in the field of technical vocational education and training.
For that purpose, a semi-standardized telephone survey was implemented among GIZ internal clients of AIZ services on matters of communication, consulting and services, work style and development orientation. Based on the findings, strengths and weaknesses of the HCD measures implemented by AIZ as well as resulting potential for improvement had been identified.
Development of a Monitoring- and Evaluation Concept for the Deutsche Stiftung für Internationale Rechtliche Zusammenarbeit e.V. [German Foundation for International Juridical Cooperation]
The German Foundation for International Juridical Cooperation e.V. (IRZ) supports partner countries in the development and consolidation of constitutional and market-economy structures on behalf of and with funds from the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV) since 1992. Among the approximately 25 partner states are new EU member states and accession candidates as well as other states in Southeast Europe, Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. The foundation supports these states in particular in the protection of human rights as well as in the areas of rule of law and justice, civil and commercial law, public law, criminal justice and European law.
The CEval GmbH supported IRZ in the development of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation concept for the Foundation’s program line financed by the BMJV. The service included the operationalization of the target system of IRZ by means of suitable indicators and the development of a data collection plan. This included conducting an inventory of IRZ’s existing instruments harmonizing them with the new M&E concept. Within the framework of the implementation of the M&E concept, CEval GmbH had carried out a three-day capacity building training for the IRZ staff and accompany the test implementation of the monitoring instruments. Finally, the results of the development process had been documented in a handbook with hints for the practical implementation of the M&E concept.
Measurement of Customer Satisfaction with AIZ Services for GIZ Projects, Follow-up Survey 2020
To ensure continuous quality control, the Academy for International Cooperation (AIZ) had mandated CEval GmbH for the second time in a row to evaluate customer satisfaction with AIZ services for GIZ projects. For this purpose, a total of eleven GIZ internal clients had been interviewed by telephone between December 2020 and January 2021 and the data had been analyzed using descriptive statistics.
The evaluation design was divided into four key areas: communication, consulting and services, functioning and development Orientation. Based on the findings, both strengths and weaknesses of the HCD measures implemented by AIZ as well as resulting potential for improvement had been identified. Finally, the data had been compared with that from the previous year with regard to potential trends.
M&E support of two WaSH projects in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Knorr-Bremse Global Care e.V. (KBGC) is planning to implement two WASH projects in Ethiopia and Kenya. The common goal of the two projects is to reduce mortality and morbidity rates from water-related diseases. For this purpose, a series of measures adapted to the framework conditions in the respective implementation regions is planned, such as improving access to clean water, increasing the knowledge and skills of the actors involved, rehabilitating sanitary facilities, disseminating more energy-efficient stoves, health education and, finally, changing attitudes and behaviour among the target groups. These activities are intended to contribute to the improvement of the general living conditions of the target groups.
CEval GmbH is responsible for the scientific monitoring and evaluation of the two projects with the aim of assessing their effectiveness. The implementation will be carried out in close cooperation with national evaluators in both countries, while CEval GmbH is responsible for the preparation of the evaluation design and methodological concept, the training of those responsible for monitoring as well as accompaniment of the entire process.
Mid-Term Evaluation of the „Palestinian-German Science Bridge” (PGSB)
The program Palestinian-German Science Bridge is a pilot project financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), which is jointly implemented by Forschungszentrum Jülich and the Palestinian Academy for Science and Technology (PALAST). It aims at establishing a joint education and research cooperation between Forschungszentrum Jülich and the Palestinian partner universities. To this end, the program combines measures focusing on student and researcher mobility, scientific exchange among faculty staff, the support of research collaborations and the reintegration of young Palestinian researchers into the Palestinian academic sector.
Forschungszentrum Jülich mandated CEval GmbH to counsel the Forschungszentrum with regard to the conceptualization of a mid-term evaluation of the program and to assist the Forschungszentrum in implementing it. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the short- and medium-term results of the program as well as the prospects for long-term goal achievement. The objective, further, was to identify potentials for improvement in relation to the program.
Methodologically, the evaluation was based on a mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Data collection combines a document and secondary data analysis with guided interviews and semi-standardized online surveys among the project stakeholders. During data analysis, descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were applied. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the evaluation was planned as a remote evaluation.
Joint departmental strategic evaluation of the AA and BMZ engagement in Iraq
Within the framework of its crisis engagement in Iraq, the Federal Government intends to further embed monitoring and evaluation as instruments of learning and quality assurance, accountability and strategic steering. In this context, a joint evaluation of the Iraq engagement of the Federal Foreign Office (AA) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) was conducted. This was intended to serve as a pilot project and, if possible, as a model for joint evaluations of both ministries in relevant fields of action and at their interfaces. The main objective of this joint evaluation was joint institutional learning. The AA component of the evaluation was realised by a consortium under the leadership of the GFA Consulting Group, in which CEval GmbH was involved; the BMZ component by the German Evaluation Institute (DEval). Both evaluation teams worked closely together in a so called Arbeitsgemeinschaft.
The aim of the evaluation was to conduct an independent and comprehensive analysis and assessment of the engagement of the two ministries in order to gain and use insights for (joint) steering. The evaluation provided insights into the relevance, effectiveness and overarching impacts, efficiency, sustainability and connectivity as well as coordination, coherence and complementarity of the Iraq engagement of both ministries. Furthermore, the evaluation provided recommendations for optimising the overall engagement and individual measures, structures and processes in order to adjust the current portfolio if necessary. Finally, learning experiences from the AA-BMZ engagement in Iraq were identified for similar engagement in other crisis contexts. The evaluation also served as an accompanying or final performance review of the country portfolio in accordance with the Federal Budget Code (Bundeshaushaltsordnung).
Methodologically, the evaluation was based on a broad mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection and evaluation methods. Due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, the data collection was realised or managed remotely by the consortium in both Germany and Iraq.
Preparation of an AMPA overview for 20 multilateral organizations as well as two general overviews
The Annual Multilateral Performance Assessment (AMPA) is an instrument of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) for the annual performance assessment of its priority multilateral organizations. The aim is to assess these organizations as neutrally and independently as possible, with little resource input on the basis of existing and accessible information. AMPA is based on 1) MOPAN reports (external source), 2) the CCM Annual Reports (SDC assessment) and 3) self-assessments of multilateral organizations (e.g. scorecards).
As part of a consulting evaluation assignment, CEval has worked with the client to develop concrete measures to optimize the performance assessment.
Development of a systematic set of social inequality indicators in the context of German development cooperation
In the context of of the Sustainable Development (SDG 2030) goals, the United Nations have placed the reduction of social inequalities at the center of international development politics. Against this backdrop, altering social inequalities has gained importance in the field of German development cooperation. The evaluation of the impact of developmental projects on social inequalities requires a set of specific and valid indicators.
CEval has compiled a set of social inequality indicators and developed a systematic approach to categorize the indicators by vertical and horizontal dimensions of inequality, sectors and operational level. CEval has developed the adaption of relevant indicators to the context of german development cooperation and the projects of GIZ.
Meta Evaluation of CoE Project and Programme Evaluations (2016-2019)
In the framework of its Quality Assurance of CoE Decentralised Evaluation Reports, the Council of Europe had mandated the CEval GmbH to perform an independent quality check of a sample of 32 CoE decentralised evaluation reports prepared by various Major Administrative Entities for the period 2016-2019. The overarching objective of this stocktaking is to support the establishment of an Evaluation Framework and the designing of a Quality Assurance System for the CoE.
Accordingly, the quality check informs about the extent to which the decentralised evaluations fulfil widely accepted international standards in terms of quality and gives recommendations on what aspects to improve; provides an overall assessment of the major strengths and weaknesses of the decentralised evaluation reports; identifies key findings, recommendations and lessons learnt to improve the performance of CoE institutional capacity-building; and finally provides recommendations for the establishment of a framework for quality assurance. The assessment has been conducted based on an analysis grid including all relevant evaluation criteria and indicators, with a detailed guidance, in order to assure inter-rater reliability and thus to provide for maximum objectivity of the results.
