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Evaluation capacity building

HEFCE are working with higher education institutions (HEIs) and Aimhigher partnerships to build their capacity to evaluate the impact of their widening participation interventions.

Centre for the Study of Education and Training (CSET)

Between January and July 2008 we have asked CSET at Lancaster University to provide:

  • a series of training workshops to be delivered in the north (Manchester), midlands (Birmingham) and the south (London)
  • an evaluation capacity building 'toolkit' that can be used across the sector
  • intensive consultancy work with six HEIs and two Aimhigher partnerships.

HEIs and Aimhigher partnerships have been invited to attend initial workshops which will take place in January and February and will cover the following issues, with a focus on practical outcomes:

  • basic understanding of evaluation in this context
  • evaluation experience and expectations
  • examination of core foci
  • introduction to core tools
  • outline of stakeholders' key expectations and priorities
  • contribute resources for evaluation planning.

CSET will undertake three further regional workshops between April and July 2008. These workshops will:

  • review progress
  • consolidate evaluation planning
  • undertake evaluation surgeries and problem solving.

CSET will also work intensively with six institutions and two Aimhigher partnerships over a specified period. These have been selected from a broad geographical area to span different types of HEIs and partnerships.

Further information about CSET is available from the CSET web-site, contact Anne-Marie Houghton, tel 01524 592907, e-mail a.houghton@lancaster.ac.uk.

Evaluation Plan

HEFCE wishes to encourage Aimhigher partnerships and HEIs to put an evaluation plan in place by July 2008. The plan should have a practical focus enabling evaluation reports to be produced that will be of value to a range of stakeholders.

We use the phrase 'evaluation plan' rather than 'strategy' to emphasise the practical focus and a commitment to defined outcomes. We hope to encourage HEIs and Aimhigher partnerships to carry out an audit of existing commitments to evaluation and create plans that are sensitive to their context. These plans should clearly identify:

  • what will be evaluated and by whom
  • how evaluation will be carried out (methods)
  • the evidence that will be sought
  • how evidence form different kinds of evaluation can be linked, and developed over time.

We would also advise that Aimhigher Partnerships and HEIs take account of the Aimhigher Evidence good practice guide ('Measuring success: a guide to evaluation for Aimhigher' Sue Hatt, Aimhigher evidence good practice group, November 2007). This will provide a useful resource for evaluation planning, and further guidance on evaluation. Further guidance is available in Annex 4 of the 2008-11 Guidance for Aimhigher Partnerships.

Further information

For further information contact Louisa Baker, tel 0117 931 7106, e-mail l.baker@hefce.ac.uk.

Last updated 10 September 2009