Evidence-Based Policy-Making and Implementation
The programme is an executive course for strategic leaders and top managers in the public service. It is designed to assist participants to use evidence to make well informed decisions about policies, programmes, projects and services and to improve government’s impact on society.
There is increasing pressure on policy makers to develop more effective policies and to direct and manage resources in more focused and efficient ways that result in improved implementation and outcomes. Evidence-based policy-making is an approach that has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. It is based on the premise that better policies and better decision-making result when these are based on sound empirical evidence and solid rational analysis. It is also critical to use evidence to improve implementation. Evidence-Based Policy-Making and Implementation (EBPM&I) therefore focuses on establishing rigorously objective evidence as a key informant of policy, but also for improving implementation of public services.
However, there are many areas of government which are not well served by quantitative research, leading to debate about the methods and instruments that are considered critical for the collection of relevant evidence. In addition to data, understanding institutional policy- and decision-making processes, analytical skills and political support are seen as important elements. This course aims to engage with this debate and equip leaders with the tools to make the best decisions about policies, programmes, services and budgets.