Policy Analysis and Evaluation

In comparative terms, the Italian government and policy-making is an example of low analytical capacity - in particular regarding the ability to use data - and of ineffective implementation of public policies. The scientific analysis and the evaluation of public policies offer the tools to reduce this gap, by teaching evidence-based policy-making, coherent policy design, and effective monitoring of the implementation in different policy fields. This course concentrates not only on individual or organizational performance, and on laws or regulations, but also on the processes spreading from the design, the implementation and the evaluation of policies, focusing on how public policies can solve problems that nor citizens nor the market would otherwise solve. The first goal of this course is to offer the methodological skills for the expert, independent and responsible evaluation of public policies. The second goal attains to the understanding of the usefulness of evaluation for the amelioration of the governance in contemporary political systems, by means of understanding mistakes and failures in order to positively affect accountability and policy learning. Finally, the course will offer a realistic picture of the resistance and the skepticism to the professional evaluation of public policies coming from both policy-takers and policy-makers.

The course aims to provide different outcomes and related skills, such as a) Knowledge and understanding: Provide a balanced and coherent map of theoretical and methodological major perspectives underlying the policy design, implementation and evaluation; Distinguish and integrate descriptive and prescriptive approaches to the policy-making; b) Applying knowledge and understanding: Produce an analysis of a specific policy problem through collaborative group work; c) Making judgements: Read and critique an existing example of policy analysis produced by a public watchdog institution; d) Communication skills: Prepare a short, concise presentation and provide policy recommendations with a clear set of well-documented arguments.