The ARK2GEA Project

Home

Activities

Projects

The ARK2GEA Project

ARK2GEA Project

Project Overview

The project "ARK2GEA - Transnational cooperation Albania-Romania-Kosovo towards the implementation of Global Evaluation Agenda 2016-2020" is implemented during December 2016 - July 2017 under the Call 2016 of “EvalPartners Small Grant Program" managed by IOCE - International Organization for Cooperation and Evaluation.

This Call encourages VOPEs as Professional Associations of Evaluators to seek mutually beneficial partnerships with local stakeholders. The projects are aimed to support the implementation of the Global Evaluation Agenda 2016-2020.

In this respect the projects must respond to at least two out of the three following criteria:

(i) Directly contribute to achievement of the EvalAgenda2020: stronger evaluators, stronger VOPEs and a better enabling environment for evaluation;

(ii) Link to and operate in synergy with the activities of at least one EvalPartners networks/initiatives: EvalGender+, EVALSDGs, EvalIndigenous; EvalYouth; Global Parliamentarians for Development Evaluation;

(iii) Integrate initiatives for professionalization of evaluation and/or development of National Evaluation System.

Following to a high level competition, 11 projects have been selected for funding, namely one per each Region/Continent. The project ARK2GEA was awarded to represent Europe in the Programme.

The general objective of the ARK2GEA is to enhance capacities of 3 National VOPEs of Balkan countries (ASPE of Albania, RoSE of Romania and KEN from Kosovo), members of IOCE and EvalPartners Network to play strategic roles to enabling environment for evaluation in their countries per the vision for the future of evaluation profession established by Global EvalAgenda2020.

Partners

The challenge (and the beauty) of ARK2GEA project is the national professional associations teaming up together to approach the EvalAgenda2020 from a system perspective where proposed interventions feed into multiple outcomes valid across the various countries/regions where the proposed actions are taking place (as opposed to interventions per specific country).

The partners are 3 VOPEs (Voluntary Organizations of Professional Evaluators) as National Professional Associations from 3 countries of Balkan Region, namely:

1. Romanian Society of Evaluators (RoSE) that has brought its fruitful contribution in strengthening individual capacities of evaluators by developing occupational standards, enforced in 2012 by the Romanian Government, enhancing competences and developing codes of ethics and practice based on Gender+ principles. RoSE has already successfully implemented two projects under the EvalPartners Initiative.

2. Albanian Society of Programme Evaluation (ASPE) that has the mission to contribute to the development of evaluation in Albania and to promote the use of evaluation in public and private organizations. ASPE has already successfully implemented three projects under the EvalPartners Initiative.

3. Kosovo Evaluation Network (KEN), as an informal network and think tank, has the mission to achieve the objectives set in the Global Agenda 2020. Its member experts possess a strong background in evaluation of strategic policy documents at both central and local level (i.e. Kosovo National Development Strategy).

Specific Objectives

The ARK2GEA Specific Objectives are:

1. Enhancing VOPEs ’ strategic roles to strengthen enabling environments for evaluation within their countries, contributing to improved national evaluation systems and policies per GEA vision;

2. Strengthening VOPEs’ institutional and operational capacities and to develop participatory approaches with stakeholders concerned with evaluation per GEA vision;

3. Strengthening the individual capacities of evaluators in each country and promoting professional education and occupational framework.

Project Activities

All project activities have joint work and specific deliverables as contribution of each VOPE clearly identified. They are structured as 4 work packages that are focused to comply with specific objectives and fully compliant with Global Agenda 2020 and Programme requirements.

A specific work package concerns the project management including coordination among partners, transnational meetings, communication plan, monitoring/evaluation and dissemination of results.

Brief information on the project implementation is provided below, with progress updates:

1. Communication and dissemination. Information on the project is widely disseminated through project partners’ networks and via on-line channels (website, social media, forums, blogging and e-mail).

2. Project Kick-off. Three main events have been held in the participating countries in December 2016. In Romania, the project Kick-off event was held on 9 December 2016 at ROSE Headquarters in Bucharest, bringing together both RoSE members and stakeholders concerned with evaluation who expressed their interest to participate. The project coordinator provided a presentation on the project (available here) followed by group discussions and proposals for further actions.

3. Mapping of the status of evaluation in each project partner’s country and/or updated the existing one. This activity is in progress following to the work plan agreed in each project launching event.

4. Transnational meetings held in in each project partner’s country. The meetings are foreseen to be held starting with May 2017. The project management and coordination is currently provided through on-line conferences, forum and e-mail.

5. Adapt priorities in Global EvalAgenda2020 to local environment. Activity in progress through various means and channels in each country.

6. Strengthen individual capacities of evaluators to conduct credible and useful evaluations. Activity approached through various means and channels in progress in each country.