Regional Centers for Results Based Management and Evaluation Capacity Development

1. Regional Centers for Results Based Management and Evaluation Capacity Development A Multilateral Initiative October 29, 2008

2. Context: The Demand for Evaluation Knowledge is Increasing • Policy and budget reforms in OECD and developing countries • Decentralization, PRSP monitoring, results-based budgeting • Transparency and accountability • Demand for results and evaluation information relevant for public-sector decision-making • Paris Declaration • Managing for results • Mutual accountability • Accra Agenda for Action emphasis on use of country systems Both underscore the need for in-country capacity and systems for monitoring and evaluation

3. The Need for Evaluation Capacity Support is Increasing • Partner Countries are expressing the need for a range of support in results-based management and evaluation • Sharing of international experience and country examples on approaches to results-based management • Evaluation knowledge and implications for policies and programs • Detailed advice on building country evaluation systems • Results monitoring and evaluation skills development • Financialsupport for stand-alone monitoring and evaluation operations

4. The Supply of Evaluation Training is Inadequate • Current supply is mostly limited to: • Formal training programs • Short-term standard programs • Expensive international programs • M&E network initiatives in regions, but need for more support • There is demand for: • In-service and applied programs tailored to specific regional and country needs • Cost-effective and scaleable options reaching a variety of audiences • parliaments, public sector agencies, civil society • Training and knowledge-sharing for practitioners and policy-makers • Range of training and learning modalities • Training of trainers

5. The Initiative: Regional Centers for RBM and Evaluation Capacity Development • Establish a multilateral partnership to strengthen the capacity of existing academic or training institutions • Start with one center (one institution or a consortium of institutions) each in Africa, Asia, and Latin America • Possible expansion within regions and to other regions in later years • Help regional centers provide demand-based RBM and evaluation capacity development services for: • Generating performance information • Using performance information for improved decision-making • through a variety of customized training and advisory activities

6. Why Independent Evaluation Group? • In-depth evaluation knowledge • Experience across regions • Convening power • Mandate for evaluation capacity development

7. IEG Experience in Evaluation Capacity Development • International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET, since 2001) • Annual four-week program in Canada in collaboration with Carleton Univ. • Over 1500 participants from more than 100 countries • Shanghai International Program for Development Evaluation Training (SHIPDET, since 2007) • Regional and national program with Asia Pacific Finance Center, in collaboration with the Asia Development Bank • Direct support for country-driven results-based management and monitoring and evaluation • IPDET on an on-demand, country basis Additional flexible, localized, and customized approaches are required to complement these efforts

8. Benefits of a Regional Approach • Relevance • Attention to country context and language requirements • Cost-effectiveness • Local services cost less than external services • Scaleable • Several regional countries/areas participate in one center; train-the-trainer models • Flexible • On-going peer-to-peer learning • Regional synergies on measuring results • Collaboration with initiatives such as statistical capacity building, managing for development results communities of practice, and impact evaluations • Donor coordination and reduced fragmentation

9. Program Modalities and Content • Modalities • Long- and short-term courses and workshops • E-learning tools • Targeted technical assistance • Peer-learning forums and sharing of experiences • Communities of practice • Content • Technical topics – ranging from monitoring to results-based-budgeting • Evaluation findings and applications for policy and programs • Design and use of results monitoring and evaluation systems

10. Expectations from Various Partners • Expectations from host governments and institutions • Government (MoF, Planning or Evaluation Agency) commitment • Specific demand for evaluation capacity development • Host institution’s regional outreach, recognition, and experience • Potential to draw participants from neighboring countries at low cost • Contributions (in-kind and financial) from host government and regional centers • Expectations from WBG and other development agencies • Three to five years of financial support • Technical assistance (including sharing expertise, experience, and materials from existing programs such as IPDET and SHIPDET) • Catalytic and brokering role for channeling demand • Advice and co-branding of the training and knowledge products

11. Governance Structure • Advisory Board • Set broad policy directions and goals of the initiative • Steering Committee • Set strategy and specific goals • Solicit and review proposals from institutions • Review work program and commission evaluations • Executive Committee • Oversee work program implementation • Quality assurance • Secretariat • Day-to-day functioning of the partnership

12. Funding Strategy • Expected funding needs of approximately $7 million per year : • $1-2 M per year from 2-3 donors • $250 - $500K per year from 3-5 donors • $1600K from multilateral partners • $825K per year from Bank’s development grant facility (first three years) • $600K per year from Bank units • In-kind contributions from institutions/host governments • Income from M&E services (generated by centers) • Total expected funding needs of about $35 million for 5 years

13. Where is the Process Now? • Proposal presented at Accra High Level Forum • Ongoing discussions with national authorities and academic institutions • Ongoing discussions with bilateral and multilateral agencies • Identifying potential partners and options for collaboration – a preliminary list is ready • Apply for the Development Grant Facility in December • Finalizing key issues • Selection of regional centers – based on rigorous criteria • Funding and operating mechanisms • Governance mechanisms • Sustainability

14. We welcome your suggestionsThank you www.worldbank.org/ieg/ecd