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Deadline
21 Nov 2017
The registration is closed.

Executive Leadership Programme in Evaluation and the Sustainable Development Goals

Type
Course
Location
New York, United States of America
Date
-
Duration
3 Months
Programme Area
Other
Price
$6,000.00
Programme fees do not include travel, accommodation or incidental expenses for the New York residential segment of the programme.
A limited number of fee reductions or waivers will be available to applicants from countries in special situations, including the least developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and the small island developing States. Claremont Graduate University and UNITAR may not be able to respond favorably to all requests, however. Participants working in the United Nations, regional or other international organizations, regardless of nationality, are not eligible for fee reductions or waivers.
Event Focal Point Email
katinka.koke@unitar.org
Contact Number
+41 22 917 84 59
Partnership
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont Evaluation Centre - New York
Registration
By application & selection
Mode of Delivery
Blended
Language(s)
English
Data Protection and Privacy
The personal data of participants applying for, registering for or participating in UNITAR's training courses and other events is governed by the Data Protection and Privacy Policy. By applying for, registering for or participating in this event, the participant acknowledges that he or she is, (or they are) aware of the policy and agree to its terms.

"We must ensure the SDGs help transform the lives of people around the world. Words must be turned into impactful action. This will not happen without accountability, evaluation and learning."

               -- United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an unprecedented global endeavour that requires transformative leadership and a bold new approach. The Agenda recognizes the critical role of evaluation in informing global and national leaders of the best way to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and will require efforts to further strengthen evaluation practices, in developing and developed countries alike. The aspirational nature and interconnectedness of many of the Agenda’s goals will require those conducting and commissioning evaluations to have a thorough understanding of the Agenda and its goals, targets and indicator framework; different approaches to evaluation, such as performance-based v. system-based approaches; as well as equity and human-rights based approaches.

The Executive Leadership Programme in Evaluation and Sustainable Development Goals (ELPE) is a fee-based, executive educational programme delivered jointly by the Claremont Graduate University (CGU) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

The overarching objective of the ELPE is to develop evaluation and leadership capacities to support the voluntary national follow-up and review processes of the 2030 Agenda.

Following completion of the ELPE, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the role and importance of evaluation and impact pathways in the public and private sectors in achieving the SDGs;
  • Identify the main challenges in each SDG area, and the key linkages between the Goals;
  • Analyze options in terms of public and private sector strategy, financing and means of implementation;
  • Identify methods and implement good practices in SDG-responsibe evaluations, including understanding systems thinking and human rights, equity and gender sensitive evaluation;
  • Effectively promote the attainment of the SDGs through strategic leadership and evaluation;
  • Develop national evaluation agendas that reflect critical priorities; and
  • Effectively commission evaluations and apply results to inform decision-making processes.

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The ELPE blends online learning with residential training and skills development in New York and follow-up online coaching and mentoring with programme faculty through the development of a project. The ELPE includes the following three components:  

1. Introduction to the 2030 Agenda (13 November – 15 December 2017). This four-week course, equivalent to approximately 40 learning hours, is delivered online with moderation and objective learning assessments. The course is comprised of the following six modules:

  • Introduction to the Post-2015 Process and the Origins of the 2030 Agenda
  • From the MDGs to the 2030 Agenda: A call for Transformative Action
  • The Sustainable Development Goals: Policy Integration and Synergies
  • Leveraging Resources, working with partners: The Implementing of the 2030 Agenda
  • Follow-up, Review, and Data for the 2030 Agenda
  • Evaluation and the 2030 Agenda

2. Leadership Skills for Evaluation of the SDGs (16 January – 20 January 2018). A series of interactive skills development workshops will be delivered over five days in New York. Topics include:

  • The power of evaluation: A framework for success in achieving the SDGs
  • Navigating the leadership labyrinth
  • Evaluation as a leadership function
  • Leadership for transformative change in the SDG era
  • Differences in evaluation agendas between the Global South and North in the SDG era
  • Equity and responsiveness in monitoring and evaluation
  • Framing the right questions and picking the right approach: An overview
  • Behind the Scenes: Updates from UN Agency Evaluation Units
  • The role of evaluation in the private sector and social impact investment under the SDG agenda

3. Follow-up project with individualized faculty coaching (22 January – 28 February 2018). ELPE participants will identify a mini project or task assignment to complete as a follow-up to the New York residential segment. The objective is to facilitate the application of knowledge and skills as a follow up to the online and residential training. Possible projects may include developing terms of reference for evaluating programmes or policies related to the SDGs or developing and implementing an action plan to support a country’s enabling environment for evaluating SDGs. Periodic coaching and mentoring will be provided by selected programme faculty and moderators.

The programme consists of a creative blend of online and face-to-face instruction with follow-up coaching provided to learners on an individualized basis. Over four weeks, the Introduction to the 2030 Agenda e-Learning course is delivered online. The course is based on contributions from 22 entities of the United Nations family and consists of six interactive modules, from the origins of the 2030 Agenda to the important role that evaluation will play in informing the review process. Each of the six modules includes an objective knowledge assessment to measure learning, and discussion forums are integrated into the course to promote interaction and exchanges among participants and course moderators. As a follow-up to the online course, learners then gather in New York for the Programme’s residential component and actively take part in a series of interactive mini-workshops facilitated by renown faculty from Claremont Graduate University. During the week, learners also identify an assignment or mini-project on which they will work as a follow-up with coaching from one of the faculty to apply knowledge and skills.

The ELPE targets experienced and new leaders from a broad audience, including evaluation commissioners and practitioners of evaluation, policy and planning, from developing and developed countries, and from public, private, non-profit and academic sectors. The ELPE also targets staff of the United Nations and other international organizations. Enrollment is limited to 30 participants. In accordance with the 2030 Agenda’s principle of reaching the furthest behind first, the ELPE prioritizes qualified applicants from countries in special situations, comprised of the least-developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and the small island developing States. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note the following additional information:

Faculty: The Programme will be delivered by a team of experts working in the fields of evaluation, leadership and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Additional information on the Programme, including bio profiles of the resource persons, can be downloaded here.

Online course technical requirements:

Browser: The online course is best accessed with Firefox 3.6 or higher; compatible with Google Chrome, Javascript and Cookies must be enabled. Internet Explorer is not recommended.

Software: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Flash Player and Microsoft Office or Open Office

Platform: Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, ME, XP or superior, MacOS9 or MacOSX.

Hardware: 64MB of RAM, 1 GB of free disk space; Modem: 56K

Scholarships/fee waivers and reductions: The Claremont Graduate University and UNITAR are mobilizing funds from donors to provide full and partial scholarships to a number of participants from countries in special situations (least-developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and the small island developing States). Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis. Applicants should stipulate if participation is dependent on scholarship funding on the ELPE application form.

Certification: Participants successfully completing the programme requirements, including the online course end of module assessments and actively taking part in the NY residential and follow-up coaching components, will be entitled to a Certificate of Completion. Participants not successfully completing the online course but meeting other programme requirements will be entitled to a Certificate of Participation. Certificates will be issued jointly by Claremont Graduate University and UNITAR.