UNRISD Evaluators Pay their First Visit

The evaluation of UNRISD for the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) is now underway. Two representatives of the evaluation team made their first visit to Geneva on 18-19 September to kick off the project.

Following our announcement in May this year of a call for tender for experienced evaluators to conduct an evaluation of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), covering the years 2008-2013, DFID selected an evaluation team comprising members from the Policy Studies Institute (PSI) and Kingston University London/ St. George’s-University of London among others. The key members of the team are:

• Ben Shaw (PSI)—Team leader
• Martha Bicket (PSI)
• Bridget Elliott (PSI)
• Annette Boaz (Kingston University / St. George’s-University of London)
• Halina Ward (independent)
• Teresa Jones (independent)

On their orientation visit, Ben Shaw and Annette Boaz met UNRISD staff in order to explore the Institute’s strategic objectives, delivery mechanisms and how current challenges are being addressed. As part of their systems approach to impact evaluation, they undertook a stakeholder mapping exercise with staff to help assess how UNRISD interacts with its international and local partners. Once key stakeholders have been identified, a survey will be conducted as well as in-depth interviews with selected partners.

The evaluation team will now progress with other areas of work, such as analysis of key UNRISD documents and bibliometrics before returning to Geneva for an in-depth visit in December. The draft final report is expected in January 2014.

The team is keen to identify examples of uptake and impact of UNRISD's research and the mechanisms by which it occurs. They would welcome suggestions by email to PSI-research@psi.org.uk

Photo: Peter Utting