CALL FOR SESSIONS

VI Annual Conference of the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Network on Monitoring and Evaluation

25-27 August 2010

Background

Since 2005, the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Regional Network on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) has promoted the sharing, dissemination, and capacity building on M&E among a growing number of countries in the region. The M&E network serves as a vehicle to promote regional dialogue among M&E stakeholders, including academics, government officials and M&E practitioners throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and beyond.

The SixthAnnual Conference of the LAC Regional M&E Network will be held from August 25-27, 2010 in Mexico, under the auspices of Mexico’s National Evaluation Council for Social Development Policy (CONEVAL), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Use of the Results of Monitoring and Evaluation on the Public Policy Cycle”.

In preparation for the sixth conference, a call for sessions is being made to solicit best practice experiences on the design, application, and use of M&E information.

Audience

The conference is targeted towards practitioners of M&E which include the following:

  • Legislators
  • Sectoral ministries
  • Technical experts
  • Academics
  • Civil society observers

Presentation of Sessions

The conference intends to present various sessions on the successful design, application and use of both monitoring and evaluation methods and techniques. Monitoring and evaluation techniques to be highlighted in the contributed sessions could include but are not restricted to logframes, benchmarking, citizen report cards, process evaluations, evaluations of indicators, evaluations of policies, and impact evaluations, among others.

One session on monitoring and another of evaluation will be conducted to present best practices in each area. Each session will present a best practiceof monitoring or evaluation from three perspectives – (i) from the design of the methodology, (ii) its implementation and (iii) the use of the information produced. The session will be comprised of a panel of three individuals involved in each of these respective stages by the relevant agencies. The presentations will emphasize the process, institutional relationships, results, challenges and lessons learned. Each session will organized as outlined below:

  • Background (10 minutes) – Description of the program monitored/evaluated; key questions intended to be answered
  • Presentation of design, implementation and use of methodology (20 minutes for each of the three respective speakers)
  • Questions and Answers (20 minutes)

A brief proposal is requested from interested parties (see attached “Call for Sessions Template”) from which the initial selection will be made. Selected panelists will be requested to prepare a paper of no more than 30 pages to be included in the Conference Proceedings and a brief presentation to be presented at the Conference.

Criteria for Selection

The selection committee will be compromised of members from the conference organizing committee, including representatives from CONEVAL, IDB and World Bank. Proposals will be selected based on the following criteria:

  • Rigor in the design of the methodology, as measured by research, or piloting of the methodology
  • Quality of the methodology as demonstrated by the active use of the information produced/ application of results.
  • Collaboration among the three respective agencies responsible for the design of the instrument, its implementation and use of the information produced.

Those high quality proposals not selected for the presentation sessions may be invited to participate in a poster session, where participants with very notable experiences will be requested to share and display the work during the days of the event. Theirpapers may also be distributed through print and electronic media.

Timeline

Proposals will be selected through a tiered process:

  • Submission of applicationsMarch 15, 2010
  • Submission of full draft of preselected proposalsJune 15, 2010
  • Final selection of proposals for sessions July 15, 2010

Travel expenses, including airfare, lodging and per diem, will be paid for three panelists per session to participate in the conference in Mexico.

Application Form

Please see the attached application form with key guiding questions to be completed for the presentation of the initial proposals.

Please forward your questions and submissions directly to:

CALL FOR SESSIONS TEMPLATE

VI Annual Conference of the Latin America and Caribbean Regional Network on Monitoring and Evaluation

25-27 August 2010

Type of Instrument: / MONITORING EVALUATION
Title of Project/ Instrument:
Name of Agency Responsible for Design:
Name of Implementing Agency:
Name of Agency Using Information:
Mechanisms of Collaboration among the Three Agencies:
Period of Application of the Instrument:
DESIGN OF INSTRUMENT (Agency responsible for design)
Methodology: /
  1. What were the key questions the monitoring instrument sought to answer?
  2. What methodologies/techniques were used?
  3. How does the methodology respond to the key questions?

Process: /
  1. What were the step-by-step actions taken to develop the instrument?
  2. What were specific actions were taken that demonstrate the rigor of the methodology?
  3. What information/inputs were required to develop the instrument?
  4. Who were the key actors consulted/involved?

Lessons Learned: /
  1. What were the challenges/lessons learned?
  2. Resources/references

IMPLEMENTATION OF INSTRUMENT (Implementing agency)
Process: /
  1. What were the step-by-step actions taken to implement the instrument?
  2. What information/inputs were required to implement the instrument?
  3. What existing conditions, if any, were necessary to implement the instrument?

Stakeholders: /
  1. Who were the key actors involved?
  2. What were their roles and responsibilities?
  3. What were the relationships and/or arrangements among the stakeholders?

Results: /
  1. Did the instrument meet its objective? How? To what extent?
  2. How were the results disseminated?

Lessons Learned: /
  1. What were the challenges/lessons learned?
  2. Resources/references

USE OF INFORMATION PRODUCED BY INSTRUMENT (Agency using information)
Process: /
  1. Participation/consultation in the design?
  2. Feedback on design and implementation?

Use: /
  1. What are the principal uses of the results of the monitoring instrument?
  2. Have the intended results been achieved? How; How not?
  3. What changes/impacts have been seen as a result of the monitoring instrument?

Lessons Learned: /
  1. What were the challenges/lessons learned?
  2. Resources/references