The 25th Event of the Vienna Evaluation Network took place on January 26, 2023, 4-5.30pm CET.
Topic: Improving evaluation for policy-making: lessons from the Netherlands
by guest speaker Nynke de Witte (OSCE, Head of Evaluation/Deputy Director OIO)
View or download the slides (PDF) here
As existing evaluation systems have often emerged from accountability concerns, the evaluation processes and practices they have generated are not necessarily fit for strategic decision-making and learning purposes of evaluations. In an attempt to strengthen the ‘strategic’ value of evaluations, several countries have in recent years reformed their evaluation systems to ensure that evaluation produce credible insights that can inform strategic decision-making and learning. Nynke will share some of her experiences leading a government-wide evaluation reform program between 2018 and 2021 at the Dutch Ministry of Finance. She will explain how the evaluation reform program was developed and implemented, and share some lessons learned and good practices that could be relevant for other countries and organizations. Among others, she will provide insights on the introduction of Strategic Evaluation Agenda’s within the Dutch government, and share her experience with strategic evaluation instruments, such as spending reviews and public value reviews. At the end of the presentation she will reflect on the similarities and differences of working on improving evaluation practices within a national government context as compared to an international organization. The presentation will be followed by a discussion and exchange of experiences.
Nynke de Witte has 15 years of experience in policy research, performance audit and evaluation. Before joining the OSCE, she worked as researcher in various international consortia, as performance auditor and evaluation specialist at the Netherlands Court of Audit (NCA) and as (acting) head of the Strategic Analysis Unit at the Inspectorate of the Budget at the Dutch Finance Ministry. Within the Dutch government she led a multi-year national evaluation reform program to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and organizational learning, coordinated cross-departmental spending reviews and contributed to various international working groups, networks and conferences.
Nynke studied Human Geography and Social and Political Science. She obtained a Bachelor and
Master Degree in Human Geography from Radboud University Nijmegen and an M.Phil. Degree in Social and Political Sciences from Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona. She speaks Dutch, English and has basic knowledge of Spanish and German.
WHEN: Thursday, January 26, 2023, 4-5.30pm CET
WHERE: This was an online event.
The event started with a presentation by the guest speaker. After the presentation, a discussion about the topic took place.