Framework contract for the further development and implementation of systematic results-based approaches through monitoring and evaluation for DAAD programs (2020)
The DAAD understands itself as a modern science organization that strives to continuously improve its effectiveness through continuous learning and the willingness to change its work. This approach is formulated in the DAAD’s Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Concept, which was adopted in 2019. The concept identifies institutional learning, quality assurance, results-based orientation, transparency in processes and legitimacy as important dimensions to which the various monitoring and evaluation activities are geared. Doing so, from an overarching perspective, the strategic orientation of the DAAD and its programs is also to be supported on an evidence-based basis.
The framework contract with CEval GmbH aims to meet the increasing demands for results-based orientation and control in the various funding areas of the DAAD even better by supporting the implementation of results-based orientation and control for existing and new programmes in the AA- and BMBF-funding areas and by accompanying the results-based orientation of newly designed BMZ programmes. To this end, services are provided in the following areas:
Evaluation of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Research Fellowship Programmes for Researchers from Germany (FLF, JSPS, MOST)
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH) enables highly qualified academics from all over the world to spend longer periods of research in Germany and supports the resulting academic and cultural links between Germany and abroad. The Foundation’s network now comprises over 29,000 researchers from all disciplines in more than 140 countries.
To strengthen the Humboldt Network, the AvH’s programme portfolio also includes three research fellowship programmes that support researchers from Germany to work at research institutions abroad. The BMBF-funded Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship Programme (FLF) enables German researchers to spend a longer period of time researching abroad. In this way, the existing Humboldt Network abroad is strengthened and the potential of Humboldt alumni abroad is tapped in their function as academic advisors and “door openers” for (junior) researchers from Germany. For the target countries Japan and Taiwan, the Humboldt Foundation cooperates with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST) within the framework of the JSPS Programme and the MOST Programme. The AvH also offers support services for alumni from all three scholarship programmes from the BMBF funding. These include reintegration assistance, return scholarships, renewed research stays, institute partnerships as well as annual conferences and networking events.
The evaluation is intended to fulfil two functions: On the one hand, it should provide an evidence-based foundation for the further development of the programmes in the sense of a formative evaluation. On the other hand, it is to be used to account to the funding agencies and the public for the implementation and achievement of the goals of the scholarship programmes. The evaluation focuses on the extent to which the Humboldt Network has benefited from the three programmes and whether suitable research fellows have been selected with regard to the programme goals.
The evaluation is characterised by a participatory and multi-method approach. The evaluation combines document and secondary analyses with qualitative (guided intensive interviews) and quantitative survey procedures (partially standardised online surveys).
International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET)
The International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) is an executive training program in development evaluation. From 2018 to 2024, it was managed jointly by the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Bern (Switzerland), the Center for Evaluation at Saarland University (Germany), and the Independent Evaluation Group of the World Bank. Since 2021, IPDET has been a key implementing partner of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI).
IPDET aims to provide managers and practitioners in the field of evaluation with the tools required to evaluate policies, programs and projects at local, regional, national, and global levels, as well as to commission, manage, and especially use those evaluations for decision-making. Further information on IPDET can be found on the website: https://ipdet.org/.
Pilot project for the joint match day follow-up in German professional football
The Daniel Nivel Foundation aims to improve the relationship between football fans and the police. To that end, the foundation cooperates with national football associations and in 2018 has released funds for two pilot projects, one with the French Football Federation (FFF) and one with the German Football Association (DFB). On the German side, the following idea was developed within the so called future workshops: to establish a joint match day follow-up, to create a framework for dialogue between football fans and police. In this way, conflicts would be dealt with after match days and solutions for future events could be developed.
The DFB had commissioned CEval GmbH to provide scientific support for this project. The tasks of the CEval GmbH ranged from the conception of the project (follow-up process, selection of pilot locations, etc.) to the development of suitable instruments for fan surveys and suiting formats for match day follow-ups, as well as the support of the actors in the practical implementation and moderation of the follow-up process. Therefore, different procedures and formats for the match day follow-ups had been tested, in order to present an applicable concept after the pilot phase. All steps had been carried out in close cooperation with the DFB project team. There was also a regular, project related exchange with the Fan Projects Coordination Office (KOS) and the German Football League (DFL). The project was scheduled to run from January 2019 to May 2020. In the first half of 2019, a detailed project conception and elaboration took place, including workshops with all participating actors. In the second half of the year, during the first half of the 2019/2020 season, the developed concept for the match day follow-up had been implemented and tested in cooperation with selected pilot locations from professional football. Central partners had been the Fan Projects of the respective locations. This was followed by an evaluation and, if necessary, adaptation of the matchday follow-up concept and documentation of the project in the form of a final report.
Evaluation of the project “Digital Leadership” of the Führungsakademie Baden-Württemberg
Since March 2018, the Führungsakademie Baden-Württemberg (FüAK) has been offering the “Digital Leadership” programme. The programme comprises various advanced training formats to promote digital skills for managers in the administrative bodies of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. The aim is to prepare these managers for the requirements of digital shift, to network them with one another and to equip them with the necessary skills for driving and shaping digital change in their institutions. The program’s formats include professional training (e.g. programming, design thinking), networking events, learning journeys to innovative companies and topic-specific focus groups. The evaluation focused on the different training formats of the programme. These were evaluated in regard to their effects. The focus was on the outcome level, especially on the short- and medium-term effects of the different events. In the sense of the participatory evaluation approach of CEval GmbH, the theory of change was developed together with the project team. The effects were assessed within the evaluation using a multi-method approach. On the one hand, participant questionnaires were developed and used at the end of an event and after a defined impact phase. On the other hand, interviews were conducted with different stakeholder groups in order to obtain more in-depth assessments of relevant aspects of the programme. In this way, the advantages of both data collection methods were combined and used to evaluate the training formats.
Evaluation of refugee projects supported by the Representative of the Federal Government for Migration, Refugees and Integration
In 2019, 25 refugee projects were supported by the Representative of the Federal Government for Migration, Refugees and Integration in three areas, i.e. strengthening volunteers in refugee assistance, empowerment and prevention of violence, and political and social participation. The funding aimed at contributing to an improved integration of refugees in Germany. The goal of the evaluation was to assess the goal achievement, efficacy and efficiency of the funded projects and to develop recommendations for future funding of such projects. At the same time the evaluation was to support the projects in setting up and implementing a results-based monitoring system. The evaluation was designed as an accompanying evaluation with formative and summative elements. It also involved a capacity building component. In terms of methodology, the evaluation relied on a mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Among others, a document review, guided interviews, focus group discussions as well as an online survey were conducted.
Factors for successful cooperation in vocational training with People Republic of China – acomparison of governmental, civil and private sector concepts
The research project “Factors for successful vocational education and training cooperation with the People’s Republic of China (efach) – a comparison of state, civil society and private sector concepts” aimed to investigate for the first time whether the success factors for international vocational education and training cooperation identified in previous research work and combined into a key variable model also apply to cooperation outside of development cooperation, in the private sector and in China. General recommendations for action were generated from the quantitative and qualitative analysis of state, civil society and private sector VET cooperation and individual projects or measures were highlighted as examples of best practice. Conferences and publications promoted comprehensive dissemination, discussion and use of the findings in international VET research and practice.
Evaluation of the “Strategic Communication on Refugee and Migration Abroad” of the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany
In 2016 the Federal Foreign Office (AA) initiated a new communication strategy on flight and migration abroad. This strategy consists on the one hand of direct communication measures such as a dedicated website and information on social media channels, and on the other hand of indirect communication work through project funding by partner organizations. The aim of these efforts is to contribute to a better information base on flight and migration abroad and to strengthen humanitarian and international law principles.
The aim of the evaluation was to assess the achievement of objectives, effectiveness, economic efficiency and sustainability, as well as the impact of the funded projects and the direct communication activities of the Federal Foreign Office, and to use this as a basis for deriving recommendations for future funding and strategy development. At the same time, the funded projects were to be supported in setting up and implementing impact-oriented monitoring of their projects. The evaluation contained summative and formative elements. Thus, the evaluation was intended to support AA-internal learning in the area of communication strategy on the one hand, and to serve transparent accountability on the other.
The evaluation followed a theory-based, participatory approach in which a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods of empirical social research were applied and triangulated together. The data collection included document and secondary analysis at project and programme level, guideline-based telephone interviews with persons in charge at the Federal Foreign Office, field studies in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Nigeria, expert reports, partially standardised and experimental online surveys with project partners and target groups, and the participatory evaluation of an exchange meeting with representatives of the African diaspora.
Evaluation of the “PROBONO Teacher Training” Program in Tanzania
The PROBONO Teacher Training program aims at contributing to the improvement of education quality in Tanzania as the results of national final exams indicate a great need especially in the STEM subjects. This is done by delivering a 4-year in-service capacity training in form of workshop activities, providing equipment and infrastructure in their partner schools and fostering a network of education authorities and actors.
The final evaluation was based on the OECD-DAC critieria (relevance, effectiveness, impact, sustainability) in order to derive recommendations for shaping the program´s next phase.
The evaluation utilized different methods: next to interviews with the leadership of the project, project partner and head of schools; Focus Group Discussions gave voice to teachers, students and trainers. A comprehensive survey among all participating teachers and trainers enabled an in-depth quantitative analysis.
Impact analysis of the project “Kita im Aufbruch: Prozessbegleitung Richtung Nachhaltigkeit” [Kita im Aufbruch: Process support for sustainability in education]
The State Association for the Protection of Birds in Bavaria e.V. (Landesbund Vogelschutz, LBV) had implemented the environmental education project “Kita im Aufbruch: Process support for sustainability in education” between November 2020 and March 2022. The aim of the project was to contribute to the structural embedment of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in early childhood care by process support for selected Bavarian day-care centers. The CEval GmbH conducted an impact analysis of the project. By means of a before-and-after survey of day-care center staff, parents and day-care center operators, the impact of the project on the competencies of the pedagogical staff and the quality of educational offers as well as pedagogical processes in terms of ESD had been investigated. In addition, the CEval team further analyzed to what extent the project contributes to a holistic transformation of the learning and teaching environment towards a structural embedment of ESD in the daycare centers. In addition to pedagogical concepts, this also includes the areas of sustainable procurement and catering in the sense of a sustainable menu. In order to be able to clearly assign observed effects and impacts to the interventions of the project, the impact analysis was based on a quasi-experimental design including comparison groups (daycare centers without participation in process support) into the survey. The team combined, qualitative and quantitative survey methods in the process of data collection.