EES Sixth Conference by scheuermann (Member) on 2003-12-14 07:14 PM

EES Sixth Conference

September 30 – October 2, 2004

FHVR Berlin - University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration and Legal Affairs Alt-Friedrichsfelde 60 D 10315 Berlin

 

 

GOVERNANCE, DEMOCRACY, AND EVALUATION

 

Call for papers

 

The need for evaluation is widely acknowledged inside governments that are seeking to ‘modernize’ and introduce new approaches to governance, at the national and international level. In this context, there is a real need to deepen our understanding of the contribution that evaluation can bring to democratic and transparent modes of governance.

The Conference aims at addressing various issues that may shed light on the general theme, such as:

• The complexity of programs, the multiplicity of institutional

partners and stakeholders, multi-cultural environments, and the combination of policy tools: how can evaluation improve all this in a way that respects cultural diversity and enhances social justice?

• Accountability is increasingly regarded as ‚Äòmutual accountability‚Äô between decision makers, public managers and citizens, each of these partners having responsibility toward the other, in order to better work

in the public interest.

• Standards and guidelines for evaluation activities and functions are no longer seen as rigid rules, but as shared within ‚Äòcommunities of practice‚Äô, that have to be elaborated collectively: a joint process of value construction.
• Policy implementation, with all its stress on agency, accountability

and organizational learning, has taken centre stage in the evaluation

of results and impacts. Policy making is not about a decision, it is

process – and often it is this process that explains results and impacts and how these can be improved.

• Knowledge management and education in evaluation are seen as crucial

part of institutional development. To use evaluation institutions need

to know what they know. However underlying these concerns is how knowledge is distilled through experience-networks, meta-analyses and syntheses.

The conference will be open to discuss how these themes relate to programs and policies implemented at national and European levels, to the processes of accession to the EU, to international and local

development in a ‘globalized’ world. The conference will welcome

inputs from many different perspectives: from different policy

sectors; institutional (and non institutional) perspectives; local, national, regional and international programs and interventions; civil society including NGOs, associations and third sector actors.

We invite you to send your proposal on any of these themes and on whatever you think could contribute to this agenda. We hope to make this an event that will gather practitioners and experts from many different communities of people that are working together to strengthen and better understand democracy and good governance through evaluation.

 

Deadline for proposal presentation: April 1, 2004

 

The Conference format includes these types of presentation: paper sessions, symposia, posters, group tables, networking groups:

1. Paper sessions

A paper session is based on two or three papers that reflect on evaluation research and practice. Such papers would report on particular evaluations, compare different evaluations or explore more theoretical points. The session is ninety minutes long. It includes presentation by the authors (15 minutes each), comments by discussants and questions from the floor. Papers would normally be between 5,000 and 8,000 words and be available prior to the conference. Please (e) mail your proposal, including title, an abstract of about 250 words, indicating how you propose to relate to the conference title and its themes, to the EES Secretary.

1. Symposia

A symposium consists of a moderated debate on a particular topic relevant to evaluation today and to the conference themes. It will involve four to six panellists as well as a wider audience.

The chair person will present a short introductory paper and raise a series of issues for discussion. Panellists and participants from the audience will react through brief interventions. If you would like to propose a panel session, please e-mail the title, provisional list of panellists and a short description of the content of the debate (of between 150 and 250 words) together with how it relates to the conference title and its themes, to the EES Secretary.

1. Posters

A poster consists of a participant proposing a paper for discussion for colleagues attending the conference. There will be a parallel presentation of posters in dedicated space which could allow all participants to move freely among posters.

If you would like to present a poster, please come to the conference with a poster and 25 copies of your introductory paper (1,000-3,000

words). Please e-mail the title of the poster, a brief description of

the topic of the paper (approximately 150 words) and how it relates to the conference title and its themes, to the EES Secretary.

1. Group tables.

The group table is a small-scale, quite informal dialogue in the form of a paper presentation. Two presenters and some participants sit around a table. The presenter talks for about 10-15 minutes, followed by a discussion. Then the other presenter does the same thing. Presenters are matched thematically to the extent possible. Session length for two

presenters: 45 minutes.

If you would like to present a paper in a Group table, please come to

the conference with copies of your paper. Please e-mail the title of

your paper and a brief description of the topic of the paper (approximately 150 words) to the EES Secretary.

1. Networking groups

EES Conferences are places for networking and sharing experiences, apart from the official program. There will be spaces devoted to self-organized meetings and spontaneous gatherings.

A networking group is advertised through a poster in the main conference hall and it is organized at the conference.

 

 

Send your proposal by April 1, 2004

To ees@europeanevaluation.org

(the address ees@ccrek.be is still working too for the next three months)

 

Other special events

 

 

The Conference program also includes:

v keynote addresses from internationally renowned expert in evaluation

v round tables on the conference main themes

v pre-conference training

 

The full program will be circulated as soon as your proposals have been reviewed.

 

Educational and professional development

Pre-conference training and education will be held on the morning of September 30, 2004. If you are interested in proposing a pre-conference session please submit a proposal indicating : a) the title of the

session; b) the name, affiliation and experience of the trainer; c) the content and coverage of the session (domain, methodology, evaluation practice skills); d) the pedagogic mode and learning outcomes

envisaged; e) the intended beneficiaries (level and any other expectation).

 

Help us run the Conference

 

We are keen to encourage members of the Society to take an active role in the Conference, by reviewing papers; convening, chairing and acting as discussants and rapporteurs for different conference sessions. If you are willing to take on such a role, please contact the EES Secretary, indicating which role you are willing to take on.

 

Venue of the Conference

The Conference will be held at the FHVR Berlin - University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration and Legal Affairs (Alt-Friedrichsfelde 60 - D 10315 Berlin, Germany), in the new campus where it has recently moved. It is located in the Eastern part of Berlin, and can be reached by the S-Bahn and U-Bahn. Delegates will be hosted in hotels in Mitte (the exciting centre undergoing a renaissance) and will receive travel passes to the Conference venue. Accomodation will be provided at varied standards of comfort and price; special rates will be negotiated for participants.

During the Conference there will be social events in places of historical interest.