J-PAL MENA 2026 Evaluating Social Programs course provided by Egypt Impact Lab
Invitation Only
The 2026 Evaluating Social Programs is organized and delivered by the Egypt Impact Lab (EIL), a strategic initiative of J-PAL Middle East and North Africa (MENA) launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MPED). This edition is made possible with funding from UNICEF Egypt. This invitation-only course is designed for policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and partner organizations interested in using randomized evaluations to generate rigorous evidence and inform the design of social programs.
Course Overview
Evaluating Social Programs introduces participants to randomized evaluations for assessing the impact of social programs and informing policy and program design.
Over three days, participants will explore when and why rigorous evaluation is useful, how randomized evaluations are designed in real-world settings, and how evidence can support evidence-informed decision-making.
The course combines lectures, case studies, group work, and discussion with J-PAL-affiliated researchers and senior J-PAL MENA staff.
The course also creates space for partnership-building and for connecting partners around questions that could lead to future randomized evaluations.
Program Structure
ESP 2026 brings together participants working across five thematic areas relevant to the Egyptian government’s policy priorities and representatives of the Egyptian government in attendance: Education, Health, Labor, MSME Development, Social Protection, Air, Water, Agriculture, and Energy.
For this edition, case study discussions are customized by thematic table. Participants will work through examples connected to their sectoral interests and professional backgrounds. This tailored structure helps participants connect evaluation concepts to the policy and program questions they encounter in their own work.
The three-day course is organized around the following topics:
Day 1: Foundations of evaluation
Why evaluate, why randomize, theory of change, and measurement.
Day 2: Designing randomized evaluations
Randomization, sample size, implementation, and ethics.
Day 3: From evidence to policy
Interpreting findings, generalizability, evidence use, and future evaluation opportunities.
What Participants Gain
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand when and why randomized evaluations can be used to measure social impact
- Identify policy and program questions that can be addressed through rigorous evaluation
- Develop a theory of change linking program activities to intended outcomes
- Understand key design choices in randomized evaluations, including randomization, measurement, sample size, and ethics
- Apply lessons from existing evidence to program and policy decisions
- Explore opportunities for future research partnerships and randomized evaluations
Key Concepts Covered
Throughout the course, participants will explore how to:
- Identify when a randomized evaluation is useful, feasible, and appropriate
- Understand the core elements of a strong evaluation design
- Use planning tools, including needs assessments, logical frameworks, and theories of change, to clarify evaluation questions
- Integrate randomized evaluations into program and policy design
- Define outcomes, select indicators, and determine an appropriate sample size
- Assess whether evidence from one context may be relevant to another
- Use evidence to improve programs, inform policy, and support decision-making