AES Alert 20 August 2025

‍‍AES Alert: 20 August 2025

‍Dear Visitor

It’s an exciting and busy time for the AES! With the aes25 International Evaluation Conference just 26 days away, we’re preparing for our biggest event yet, featuring the largest exhibition and a vibrant social program. Alongside conference preparations, AES is continuing to deliver a full calendar of online workshops and seminars. AES Members, keep an eye on your inbox for the AES Board ballot - the newly elected Board members will be announced at the AGM on Wednesday 17 September in Canberra.

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‍aes25 Update

• 26 days until the aes25 International Evaluation Conference!
  
• aes25 is on track to be the largest AES conference to date.
• aes25 will have the largest exhibition of any conference to date.
• The full program is available online. 
  
• The social program is available online.

‍We’re excited to share the fantastic line-up of Pre-Conference Workshops for the aes25 International Evaluation Conference. Whether you're keen to sharpen your technical skills, explore new methodologies, or dive deep into the future of evaluation, there’s something for everyone! Check out the full program here: https://www.aes25.aes.asn.au/workshop-program and 🔗 download the PDF.

• Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Adviser, DT Global Asia Pacific Pty Ltd
  (deadline: 24 August 2025) 

• Senior Consultants, Allen + Clarke
  (deadline: 1 September 2025) 

• Director Of Impact, Adara Development
  (deadline: 8 September 2025)

• Evaluation and Learning Lead, Partnerships for Local Action and Community Empowerment (PLACE)
  (deadline: 26 September 2025)

October 2025

• Workshop: Introduction to culturally responsive evaluation: Principles and
  practical approaches
  (Online 14 October 2025)

• Workshop: An introduction to Results-Based Accountability: a practical framework for measuring outcomes for clients and communities
  (Online 15 October 2025) (NEW 2025 WORKSHOP)

• Workshop: Making it stick 1 – Crafting an evaluation report for impact and use
  (Online 16 & 17 October 2025)

• Workshop: Introduction to Evaluation: Core Concepts and Methods
  (Online 20 & 21 October 2025)

• Workshop: Evaluators as mediators, negotiators, and facilitators
  (Online 22 & 29 October 2025) (NEW 2025 WORKSHOP)
  

November 2025

• Workshop: Practical Evaluation Capacity Building
  (Online 5 & 12 November 2025)

• Workshop: Navigating AI in Evaluation, from Basics to Advanced Applications
  (Online 11 & 18 November 2025) (SOLD OUT)

• Workshop: Learning to apply the AES First Nations Cultural Safety Framework
  (Online 17 November 2025)

• Workshop: Making it stick 2 –Visual Reporting with Posters and Infographics
  (Online 20 & 27 November 2025)

• Workshop: Experiments and quasi-experiments: research designs for undertaking
  outcome evaluations
  (Online 21 & 28 November 2025) (NEW DATE) (NEW 2025 WORKSHOP)
  

• VIC Seminar: Evaluation Library – making evaluations available for learning
  and transparency
  (Online 27 August 2025)

• NSW Panel: Ethics Pathways for Evaluators
  (Online 28 August 2025)

• aes25 Welcome to Canberra Drinks

• aes25 First Night Supper

The Of Interest section of the AES Alert includes information from international evaluation societies as well as upcoming events and other articles that may be of interest to our members and wider evaluation community. There is no charge to be included. Please send content to aes@aes.asn.au by Tuesday lunchtime. Your article should include a short blurb and any relevant links. Note that we don't include images or upload documents. Note that the AES reserves the right to refuse publication if we don't judge that your copy is of interest to members of the AES. Member notices are given preference. 

‍Iris Ethics HREC opens for applications 
Following successful registration with the NHMRC, Iris Ethics has opened its Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) for submissions, making it the first privately operated, open access HREC to focus solely on the evaluation, market research, and social research sectors. The committee is chaired by Professor Chris Maylea, an experienced social researcher and legal scholar, and includes people from all over Australia representing a range of lived and professional experiences and includes practicing evaluators. This ensures that reviews are completed quickly with an understanding of the research purpose and methodologies used, and that the committee can act as a trusted advisor and partner. Iris Ethics also delivers rapid reviews for lower risk evaluation projects and produces a growing library of resources to support ethical evaluation practice.

‍New Resource: The It Depends Podcast with Matt and Tenille
Looking for a podcast that tackles questions without straightforward answers? Welcome to The It Depends Podcast, hosted by Matt Healey and Tenille Moselen from First Person Consulting. In each episode, Matt, Tenille, and their guests explore the tricky, nuanced world of evaluation, systems change, design, and complexity. It's your go-to source for thoughtful conversations, practical insights, and comfort in embracing uncertainty.

Find and follow the It Depends Podcast with Matt and Tenille on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts to get the latest episodes, and discover why the best answer to tricky questions often starts with "it depends…".

‍Registration is now open for the 2025 International Conference for Realist Research, Evaluation and Synthesis, taking place September 22–25 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This biennial convening brings together researchers, evaluators, practitioners, students, and commissioners from around the world to explore advances in realist methodologies.

With a theme of “Developments in Realist Methodology,” this year’s conference will feature sessions on realist economic evaluation, integrating realist approaches with other methods, and contextualizing realist methodologies across diverse settings, amongst other things. Whether you're a seasoned realist or new to the field, this event offers valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and collaborate.

Register now to take advantage of early bird pricing through June 15 at 11:59pm CDT (UTC-5). For more information and to register, visit: https://cvent.me/RD0XyR 

Please direct all inquiries to the conference organizers at convenings@texashealthinstitute.org

‍‍‍Clear Horizon Academy – Courses Now Available

Enrolments are now open for a range Clear Horizon courses, with AES members eligible to receive a 15% discount (just use the code “AES15” at enrolment to claim your discount).

Evaluation | starts 3 October – This course explains what evaluation is and its importance in Measurement, Evaluation and Learning (MEL). It provides a deep dive into the five steps to develop an overarching evaluation framework for the MEL plan. Starting with scoping the evaluation framework, the content takes you through criteria selection, which then feeds into the crafting of the big evaluation questions. You will learn a tested, practical approach to develop a strong set of evaluation questions to complement your measurement framework. The fourth step gives you insights into the different evaluation methods and teaches you how to select the most appropriate ones. Completing the journey is a module focused on analysis and sense-making.

Systems Transformation: Strategy & Evaluation | starts 10 October – This course has been developed to help changemakers and evaluators who are working to transform complex societal systems in the pursuit of a just, sustainable, and equitable world. This work goes beyond surface-level fixes and aims to shift the very structures, mindsets, and dynamics that shape social, economic, and environmental realities. In this course we explore how to develop strategy and evaluate progress while constantly learning. The content dives deep into the nature of systems transformation work, exploring what it truly means to change a system and the implications for strategy and evaluation in this context. The learning is grounded in real-world case studies, cutting-edge frameworks, and the experience of systems transformation leaders supported by a strong network of thinkers, academics, evaluators and practitioners. Importantly, you will learn the inner practices and mindsets required to navigate the inherent complexities and uncertainties of this vital work both as an evaluator and strategist.

Evaluating Place-based Approaches | starts 24 October – This course has been designed to equip you with the unique skills required to effectively measure and evaluate place-based initiatives for maximum impact. Starting with an overview of systems change – the umbrella discipline of place-based approaches – you will learn about the key principles and unique challenges of evaluating place-based approaches before delving into strategies to develop an evaluation framework specific to place-based initiatives. You will apply the learnings through practical exercises and see this approach in action with real-life case studies. This course has been developed by the creators of Australia’s game-changing place-based evaluation framework.

AES Blog

We want to hear from you! What is interesting you in the world of evaluation? Have you attended an AES event recently and are keen to share what you learned? Please refer to the Guidelines for what and how to submit to the AES blog and if you have any questions, please email the team at blog@aes.asn.au. Check out the the latest AES blogs by clicking here. 

Job Vacancies

Employers looking to fill positions in program monitoring and evaluation and performance measurement can list their job vacancies on the AES website. This service is available to members and non-members for a small fee. Discover the benefits of advertising on the AES website as recruiters and for applicants. Local and overseas opportunities are listed throughout the year and are also included in the AES Alert e-newsletter. 

Consultants Directory

The AES often receives enquiries looking for evaluators with specific areas of expertise. These enquiries are directed to the online searchable Consultants' Directory. As well as being 'discovered' by potential customers, consultants in the directory also enjoy receiving early advice on any call for Evaluation services tenders. AES members can be listed in the Consultants' Directory for a small fee. Log into the AES website and access the form here.

Logging On to Member Only areas of the new AES website

Members can now remain logged into the AES website rather than log in each time - simply click on the 'Remember me' box when loggin in. If you have forgotten your username and password, please email us at aes@aes.asn.au. 

Become an AES member

Do you work as an evaluator, commission evaluation work, manage evaluation projects, are an academic teaching and conducting research, a tertiary level student or even a professional interested in evaluation and performance measurement? Are you interested in developing your knowledge and skills across evaluation theory, methods and practice while networking with other professionals involved in similar work? Then you will benefit from joining the AES. Click here for more information and to apply to join. 

‍We acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands in which we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present.

The Australian Evaluation Society is committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.

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