AES Alert: 18 March 2026 |
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Dear Visitor We’re excited to announce that AES will return to Brisbane for the 2027 International Evaluation Conference. We’re making a final call for members based in Brisbane and across Queensland to join the Conference Content Committee and help shape the conference vision and program, details are available in the Members’ Corner below. The call for aes26 proposals closes tomorrow, 19 March. If you’re considering submitting a proposal, now is the time to do so. A reminder that AES members receive access to seminar materials and recordings via their member profile. Visit the members-only section to explore highlights from this year’s seminars so far. Stay connected! Make sure you continue receiving the latest news and opportunities, take a moment to check that your member details are up to date. Login and update your details. |
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We’re coming back to Brisbane! We’re inviting AES members based in Brisbane or Queensland, including staff from organisational members, to volunteer for the Conference Content Committee. This group will work closely with the AES team to help shape the vision, theme and program of aes27.
No previous conference experience is required - just your ideas, enthusiasm and willingness to collaborate.
What’s involved
• Four Zoom planning meetings (April–July 2026)
• Monthly one-hour meetings from August onwards
• A one-day, face-to-face abstract moderation session in Brisbane (April 2027)
Interested in getting involved?
Email Bill Wallace (ceo@aes.asn.au) by 18 March 2026 - today with:
- Your name and contact details
- A short paragraph on why you'd like to join the committee
- Whether you're interested in a leadership role
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Set yourself up for a great 2026: join the EvaluAdd buddying program! The EvaluAdd program pairs buddies with ‘EvaluAdders’, with the goal of developing participants’ evaluation skills and capabilities. Evaluadders and buddies meet informally, according to their own schedule. Check out more about the program, timings and find the EOI forms here. You can also read about an EvaluAdder and buddy experience on the AES blog. EOI's close 27 March 2026. | |
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Mentor EOIs are now open for the AES Peer Group Mentoring Program. AES is seeking leaders and emerging leaders in evaluation to volunteer as mentors in our Peer Group Mentoring Program. Now in its fifth iteration, the program connects experienced evaluators with small groups of emerging and mid-career evaluators to support their professional journey. - Build your leadership and mentoring skills
- Expand your professional network
- Support the next
generation of evaluators - Mentor EOIs close 29 March 2026: Application here
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Applications for mentees will open soon.
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| Call for proposals close in 1 day - 19 March 2026 | |
We are excited to invite you to submit a proposal for the aes26 International Evaluation Conference, scheduled to taking place in Darwin, from 14 to 18 September 2026.
With only one day left before submissions close, this is your final opportunity to contribute to the program and share your work with the evaluation community. This years theme "Making space, valuing place" invites delegates to engage with the diverse perspectives and contexts that shape how we approach and use evaluations. We are making space for multiple disciplines, methodologies and worldviews to foster collaborative learning and shared understanding. By valuing place, we will honour Indigenous values and listen to the voices of our region from across Australia, the Asia Pacific and beyond. This is an opportunity to explore the breadth and depth of the evaluation ecosystem – welcoming evaluators, community leaders, funders, researchers, policymakers, data analysts, economists, implementation scientists, social scientists, international development specialists, educators, learning specialists, practitioners, and people with lived experience. If you’ve been considering submitting, or have an idea you’d like to see represented in the program, now is the time to act. Submissions close on Thursday 19 March and there will be no extensions. |
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Help Shape the 2026 Conference Program in Darwin!
We’re looking for volunteers to help review conference papers for 2026 and play a key role in shaping an exceptional program.
All experience levels are welcome. Whether you’re new to evaluation, early in your career, or highly experienced, your perspective is valuable. Reviewing is also an excellent opportunity if you’re considering submitting a proposal in the future, as it offers insight into what makes a strong conference submission.
Review period: 24 March – 9 April 2026 (typically around two weeks)
Deadline to volunteer: 19 March 2026 Click here for more details and to volunteer |
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We’re delighted to announce the first aes26 Keynote Speakers, Dr Robyn Ober and Professor Bagele Chilisa. Their work aligns closely with the theme Making Space, Valuing Place and the unique context of Darwin. Additional speakers will be announced shortly. Read the full keynote bios on the aes26 conference website. |
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March 2026 April 2026 May 2026 | |
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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. |
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NSW Government Evaluation Library: NSW Government has launched their own Evaluation Library - a searchable, central collection of published evaluations from across NSW agencies. It consolidates reports on programs, policies and regulations, making it easier for public servants, researchers, community partners and the public to find and use evidence about what works. The library will continue to grow as new evaluations are published. |
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National Statement changes: Are you ready? The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research is changing. Whether you're running government evaluations or procuring evaluation services, you need to know what's coming. Allen + Clarke recently hosted a free 45-minute webinar with their evaluation experts breaking down what's changed, when HREC review is now required, and exactly what you need to update in your ethics processes and evaluation design before the changes take effect. Watch the recording here. |
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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 the Podcast host website, 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…". |
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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.
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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). Learners will get free access to Track to Change, Clear Horizon’s digital MEL platform, when they signing up to a course.
FREE Webinar: Developmental evaluation beyond the label | 19 Mar | 9am – 10am AEDT – Developmental evaluation (DE) was originally conceived to support adaptation, often in situations of high complexity and innovation. We are seeing more initiatives informally integrate developmental evaluation and weaving it together with the language and ideas of human learning systems, social learning, adaptive strategy, and systems change. Timeframes are tighter. Expectations are sharper. The pressure to move to solutions is real. Yet the need for disciplined adaptation has not disappeared. In fact, it has intensified. In this webinar, Jamie, Jess and Zoe will explore how the developmental evaluation toolkit is being applied in today’s conditions, often without the label and often in surprisingly pragmatic ways. We will discuss how DE supports systems and how evaluation strategies can be shaped in different levels of uncertainty and bring this to life with real examples. Learn where developmental evaluation skills matter and how they can be applied with confidence. Complete Guide to Measurement, Evaluation and Learning | starts 27 March – This course is designed to equip you with the knowledge and the tools to effectively build and implement your measurement, evaluation and learning plan for your program to help you create maximum impact. MEL provides critical evidence and insights that can drive strategic decision-making and ongoing improvement, meaning greater impact and value for money for your initiative. Throughout the learning modules, you will explore how to scope, design, and implement a tailored approach to MEL for your context. We unpack theory of change to clarify how activities lead to outcomes, then build a measurement framework around it. From there, we address the bigger evaluation questions and finally explore how to visualise, learn and adapt throughout your MEL journey. The unique focus is on how measurement systems can feed real-time learning to enable you to create deeper and more equitable impact. Developmental Evaluation | starts 24 April – This course is designed to empower evaluators and designers to navigate complex and evolving environments. Developmental Evaluation (DE) is a dynamic approach that fosters a continuous feedback loop between evaluators and initiative teams, enabling real-time adjustments to enhance design effectiveness and amplify impact. The learning is tailored to evaluators and designers facing challenges such as evaluating outcomes in rapidly changing contexts, driving impact in systems change scenarios, and innovating through the design of new initiatives. |
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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.
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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| 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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