In a world of widening socio-economic inequalities in which individuals and cultures are increasingly confronted by financial, social, environmental and spiritual upheavals, does evaluation have a meaningful role to play as an advocate for the public good? This conference title is designed to stimulate forward and expansive thinking about the way in which evaluation is embedded in democratic process.
How can evaluation inform the public interest and challenge the dynamics of governance and policy implementation, from local through to central and global levels of governments? Evaluators are present in an astonishing array of sectors, policy areas, cross-cutting issues, governments, civil society organisations, research and education institutions, professional milieus and communities.
Evaluation encompasses a rich and growing diversity of methodologies, practices, innovations and perspectives.
This perspective places evaluation within the dynamics of policymaking where it is expected to provide understanding and learning at the levels of policy makers, implementers and beneficiaries.
The European mosaic of evaluation reflects well that diversity and vibrancy, which shall have the opportunity to flourish in keynotes, presentations and workshops at the 2010 conference. But one step further is expected: as evaluators have grown accustomed to asking what difference does an intervention makes, it is time now to ask what difference evaluation makes.