Core Competencies for Postgraduate Evaluation Courses: Report of the GEMNet-Health Task Group

As countries seek to improve their M&E capacities, they need specific training in evaluation at the postgraduate level. The GEMNet-Health Steering Committee convened a time-limited technical task group to address this need. The task group's goal was to develop core competencies for a 60-hour master's level overview course in evaluation. The aim was to identify a set of essential competencies and corresponding core elements of curricula for postgraduate evaluation courses, which would help GEMNet-Health member institutions develop a consistent and coordinated approach to evaluation training. Developing and defining core competencies ensures that graduates of a program develop the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in their field. The task group consisted of representatives from GEMNet-Health member institutions, all of whom had evaluation instruction responsibilities or experience within their home institutions. The task group began by assessing an existing review of core competencies in postgraduate evaluation courses. This included reviewing and updating a previous unpublished review of core competencies of M&E postgraduate courses previously conducted by GEMNet-Health. The project focused on the top 10 schools of public health in the United States, GEMNet-Health partner institutions, other non-U.S. global health universities, and evaluation associations. This led to a total of 38 institutions reviewed, with 13 in the United States and 25 outside the United States. The project researched syllabi and course websites to gather a list of learning objectives and, if available, competencies for the courses. The task group identified core evaluation competencies organized by skill level and topic. These competencies were developed and agreed on by the task group members, who were experts in evaluation instruction and practice. The competencies were organized into three levels: foundational, intermediate, and advanced. The foundational level included competencies such as understanding the principles of evaluation, identifying evaluation questions, and selecting evaluation methods. The intermediate level included competencies such as designing evaluation studies, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting results. The advanced level included competencies such as developing evaluation theories, conducting meta-analyses, and communicating evaluation findings to stakeholders. The task group also identified optional competencies for an overview evaluation course at the master's level. The report presents the core competencies for postgraduate evaluation courses, which are essential for evaluation professionals to succeed in their field. The competencies are organized by topic and level, and are designed to be adaptable to the specific needs of students. By incorporating these core competencies into their curriculum, instructors can ensure that their students develop the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in evaluation practice. The task group's work is significant because it provides a common understanding of the knowledge and skills that evaluation professionals require. This will help harmonize postgraduate evaluation training across institutions and promote a shared understanding of the competencies required for evaluation practice. The report concludes with recommendations for core and optional competencies for an overview evaluation course at the master's level, which will be useful for instructors and students of evaluation courses.