"In December 2005, the Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) Centre of Excellence for Evaluation (CEE) commissioned the services of the Centre for Research on Community Services (CRCS) at the University of Ottawa to develop a discussion paper that identifies for consideration actionable strategies and options for government to foster advanced professional development for evaluators in the interests of enhancing quality assurance in the evaluation function. Of particular interest are implications for government’s relationship with the university sector. To accomplish these objectives, the paper is divided into four sections. In the initial section of the paper, a review of the literature on professionalization of evaluation is conducted. The second section of the paper presents results of a survey of university-based evaluation training programs and options based on internet searches and telephone consultations. The third section of the paper provides results of a survey of existing university-based centres of excellences in Canada and internationally based on internet research, bibliographic follow-up, and telephone and e-mail consultations. Based on the first three sections of the paper, the final section of the paper provides a series of options for CEE to build evaluation capacity through partnerships with universities."

"These guidelines have been developed by the UKES to support the work of evaluators, commissioners of evaluation, evaluation participants and those involved in self-evaluation. They are divided into four sections, each of which applies to one of four key interest groups. Whilst there is some crossover of good practice issues, they are addressed individually to ensure clarity and appropriateness to each one. You will find in these guidelines the embodiment of much discussion, debate and practice in the field of evaluation. The guidelines attempt to capture, in an easily assimilated way, a diverse range of principles and frameworks for action that have been useful for evaluations in a variety of contexts. Organised in different sections, the guidelines provide a reference point from different perspectives for a range of stakeholders involved in the evaluation process. In this way practice is encapsulated from the point of view of evaluators themselves, commissioners, participants (particularly those from whom views, ideas or experience are sought) and those engaged in self-evaluation in organisations. They are intended for use in evaluations taking place in any domain or discipline."