Friedensau Institute for Evaluation

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Supporting development and humanitarian interventions to make the best impact for all!
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Welcome

The Friedensau Institute for Evaluation (FriEval) is a self-governing evidence-based research institute that conducts evaluations on the performance of development interventions.

The Institute originated due to the necessity for a science-based effectiveness analysis and efficiency control of the practice of development cooperation, humanitarian aid, and philanthropical projects arising from diverse theoretical models, paradigms and working approaches.

Through our evidence/scientific-based evaluations and related work, FriEval provides greater transparency, hard evidence recommendations that ultimately increase the effectiveness and impact of interventions. We also build capacity to support and enhance project development and project management and policies.

The advanced teaching and learning environment of the Friedensau Adventist University (FAU) hosts FriEval. Regarding research, teaching and development intervention practices, FriEval is closely linked to the Masters' study Program “International Social Sciences” and the Registered Society Working Group for Development Cooperation at the University”. The position of FriEval within the university's research environment and working groups ensures and guarantees a continuous review, and the development of innovative evaluation approaches, methods and standards of evaluation within the framework of theory and practice.

At FriEval, we promote Evaluation Capacity Development (ECD) and build strategic partnerships with academia, research organisations, and practitioners.

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The main Objectives of  FriEval are to;

⇒ Conduct project/intervention valuations

⇒ Develope scientific-based evaluation models for development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

⇒ Engage in publishing research results in specialised periodicals and books.

⇒ Develope and document competencies in evaluation and intervention logics in different fields of tasks, services and responsibilities.

⇒ Engage in research and practice partnerships and cooperation with academic institutions, and professional organisations

⇒ Engage in national and international cooperation networks in the evaluation industry

⇒ Intensify research and teaching concerning evaluation approaches and systems in development cooperation and humanitarian aid in the MA course of study “International Social Sciences” at FAU.

Methods and standard

Methods:

The complexity of evaluation issues demands diverse instruments and methods of data collection, data analysis and interpretation with quantitative and qualitative methods. Accordingly, different evaluation approaches are used: empirical, indicator-based, phenomenological-hermeneutic, ethnographic, participatory, comparative, systemic, cultural adaptive, business managerial and others.

Our Evaluations:

Project evaluation for the improvement of results of any intervention logic in development cooperation and humanitarian aid is complex regarding the different components of the project. The most relevant issues that are evaluated are:

❖ Planning (basic motives, needs identification, data collection, analysis and interpretation, aims and goals and their achievement in a time frame according to technical, social, political, cultural, ecological and economic factors);

❖Overall objectives, outputs, results, outcomes, intermediate goals and sub-goals and impacts regarding specific tasks;

❖ Methods (means and ways to achieve objectives), instruments, activities, means (material and human), cost efficiency of means-end relation, qualitative effectiveness, technical feasibility, economic viability;

❖ Different modes of sustainability (economic, social, environmental, internal and external sustainability);

❖ Capacity building, self-help and self-reliance, autonomous decision- making, participation and ownership, human resource development;

❖ Management (financial, technical, personal), time management, internal reporting system, bookkeeping, auditing, personal competencies, responsibilities;

❖ Information management (monitoring, process evaluation, summary evaluation, record keeping, reporting);

❖ Target groups, stakeholder analysis (planned and factual), user of services, beneficiaries (women, men, children, senior citizens, poor, rich, ethnic groups, religious, linguistic, stakeholders of any sort);

❖ Structure of support agency, capacity and performance of agency, donor and recipient agencies, service providers, administration, contract law;

❖ Networking, structural policy, sustainable institution building, social security, social legislation;

❖ General frameworks (values, justice, peace, law and order, human rights).

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Our Services

  • Evaluations

We conduct ex-post evaluations during the implementation (interim) and/or the closing stage of a project (summary) | Our evaluations cover performance reviews and impact analyses of interventions | We prepare and disseminate the findings of evaluations and methodological research with clients | We Foster Evaluation Capacity Development for our clients.

  • Project planning research (ex-ante evaluations)

We conduct ex-ante evaluations: feasibility and viability studies of different kinds (baseline surveys, needs assessments, pilot studies, intervention and inception logic analysis) related to technical, economic, political, environmental, social and cultural issues of a project in a planning phase.

  • Short term courses

We offer short-term training programmes with certification (online and face-to-face)

  • Research Partnership

Engage is research partnerships with other organisations and firms to conduct research projects

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Get in Touch

Dr. Kwaku Arhin-Sam

Director
Telefon: +49 (0) 3921-916-144
E-Mail: