Certificate in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning for Development Practice
Thinking, designing and institutionalising M&E
Introduction
While monitoring and evaluation (M&E) remain critical to development action and broadly social change, skills for conducting an M&E remain a significant gap area, especially for smaller organisations. While many organisations do internally monitor their projects, a systematic way of thinking about evaluation, and more importantly appropriately incorporating evaluations in overall programmatic learning remains a gap. Thus, a significant need is identified for systematically conducting M&E and incorporating the learnings into organisational actions.
The certificate programme is structured around three dimensions — conceptual thinking around M&E frameworks, designing evaluations and institutionalising the learning from the evaluation. The content hence goes beyond the usual technical part of M&E to include ethical and practical concerns, methods beyond the quantitative tools to include participative methods, Community based monitoring. It also highlights the need to institutionalise M&E, skills in communicating with diverse audiences, including for advocacy.
- Understanding the context of a programme from design, intervention and outcome perspective and critically measure its attribution towards the change.
- Choosing appropriate quantitative and qualitative methods for conducting evaluations
- Interpreting the monitoring and evaluation results for organisational learning as well as communicating the same to the key stakeholders.
- Offering a blended mode — 6 days in-person, followed by 9 Saturday online sessions- creating an opportunity for deeper engagement of the participants with University.
- Development practitioners/implementers
- Grassroot organisations who are implementing programs on ground, with no or weakly developed monitoring and evaluation team
- Larger organisations who have some level of M&E set-up within the organisation.
- Donor agencies
- M&E Consultants (Especially those who may not know why a method is being adopted, how to show results, how to do M&E that improves implementation)
**Participants will require at least 2 years of work experience in the social sector.
Timeline
Last date to apply
- –
Interviews (Tentative dates)
Commencement of Classes
- In-person sessions: 10 – 15 Nov 2025, at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru
- Online saturday sessions: 22 Nov 2025 — 24 Jan 2026
Programme structure
Total 8 credits
The course lays the foundations of programme monitoring and evaluation by asking the basic questions: ‘why’ — the purpose, ‘what’ — what needs to be evaluated, and ‘whom’ — the audience.
The course would enable participants to apply evaluation techniques that achieve the right balance between representativeness and resource availability. Overall, participants would be able to apply these learnings with an ethical lens, both for formative and summative evaluations in their organization.
This course introduces participants to reflexive sensibilities and various frameworks for organisational learning. It will contribute to institutionalising evaluation thinking in programme planning, implementation and advocacy.
The participants will choose a real problem and will design an evaluation proposal.
What is the requirement to complete a Certificate?
Participants must meet the minimum attendance requirements, complete assessments with a minimum pass grade in accordance with the University guidelines for the same.
Will this be an intensive programme?
While the courses have been designed keeping working professionals and their needs in mind, the programme will require regular attendance, assignment submissions and class participation.
How many days will I need to be away from work?
The certificate will require participants to attend in-person classes for 6 days at the Bengaluru campus. The remaining nine sessions will be online.
What is the timing of the online classes on Saturdays?
The online classes on Saturdays will run for 6 hours with breaks in between. Hence, please keep the entire day free for the online classes.
Is attending offline sessions mandatory?
Yes, attending the in-person sessions at our Bangalore campus is mandatory.
I understand English but am less familiar with communicating verbally and in written form. Can I still enrol?
The courses have been designed to be delivered in English to cater to participants from all geographical regions. While you may orally communicate in Hindi, you will be required to submit your assignments in English.
I am working in an NGO specifically for education, will this programme benefit me?
Yes, the programme is theme agnostic and hence, participants from any thematic area will benefit. In fact, the university encourages diversity of thematic experience in the classroom.
I am working for a Government project; can I join and how will it help?
Yes, if your role is related to M&E even for a Government project, the learnings from this programme will be helpful.
I am a freelancer working in the development sector, can I join this programme?
The eligibility criteria includes a minimum of 24 months of work experience. Admission for applicants with freelance work experience will be on a case-by-case basis.
I am currently not working but have experience, can I join?
Yes, the eligibility criteria includes a minimum of 24 months of work experience. If the candidate is not working currently, it is fine as long as the applicant fulfils this criterion.
Is the campus accessible for differently abled people?
Yes, the University campus and some of our student residences are wheelchair access friendly.
I have a young child; is there any facility for childcare?
The University has a crèche facility on the campus. However, we would suggest that specific requirements are discussed with us on a case-to-case basis.
Will there be placement assistance?
There is no placement assistance envisaged after the programme.
Will financial assistance be provided?
Financial assistance is provided on a case-by-case basis.