The African School of Economics is taking part in the fourth edition of the Policy Evaluation Days (Journées Béninoises de l’Evaluation – JBE), a three-day conference organized by the Government of Benin that started last Monday September 7 at Palais de Congres, in Cotonou. The event, themed Use of evaluation results to change the living conditions of populations, was officially opened by Mr. Pascal Irénée Koupaki, Secretary-General of the Presidency.

ASE was invited by the Ministry of Development, the organiser of the conference, thanks to the good reputation of the school and its prestigious certificate in Impact Evaluation. A total of fifteen students are participating in the conference, some as attendees while others are in charge of the reports that will be presented to the Ministry when the event concludes. ASE also has a promotional stand managed by students where a variety of brochures and booklets are offered to participants who are interested to learn more about the school and the programs offered.

After numerous lectures and training on Monday, including a presentation by ASE professor Deo Gracias Houndolo on “Impact evaluation: general and some innovative approaches “, Tuesday ushered in a host of other interesting topics. Participants discussed different topics ranging from overall evaluation planning, planning for a better use of evaluation results, and the challenges of incorporating sustainable development goals when planning for evaluation. The ASE stand continued to receive many visitors whilst students participated in the different workshops and training sessions.

Many countries shared their experiences in Evaluation: Benin, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Uganda, and South Africa. Participants also gained insights about evaluation from UEMOA (West African Economic Union) and BOAD (West African Development Bank) as well as from some local Beninese authorities.

The last day of the National Evaluation Days focused on the application and the influence of evaluation in decision-making and policy. Guests also discussed the roles of Parliament and civil society in the applications of evaluation.

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Click here to learn more about ASE’s certificate in impact evaluation.