About Us

Our story begins in the late 1980s, as government programmes and initiatives increasingly required an evaluative dimension. While evaluation took place in centres such as government agencies (including the National Audit Office), large consultancies, and universities, the field in the UK was still in its early stages.

By 1994, a group of dedicated practitioners came together, recognising the need to support, advance and promote evaluation in the UK. Among them were Professor Elliot Stern, Professor Murray Saunders, May Pettigrew, and David Goldsworthy, who played a key role in founding the Society.

Since then, the UK Evaluation Society has grown into the leading provider of evaluation training in the UK, supporting a diverse and active membership community. The Society has expanded its reach and impact, representing evaluative practice in national discussions, including speaking at the British Academy and contributing to the review of the UK government’s Magenta Book policy evaluation manual.

In 2023, the Society began the process of professionalising its operations, appointing its first Executive Director in early 2024. That same year, the Society achieved charity status and continues to develop its work to support and strengthen evaluation practice across the UK.

Today, the Society continues to grow. It remains committed to advancing innovation and excellence in evaluation, supporting practitioners at all stages of their careers to achieve their goals and contribute to positive change.

Years

We've been proudly advancing UK evaluation for more than three decades.

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Members

We support a diverse and active membership community across the UK and beyond.

Helping to shape the future of evaluation through education, collaboration and a shared commitment to good practice.

In a world of limited resources and complex challenges, understanding the impact and outcomes of policies, programmes and interventions is essential. Good evaluation provides clear, reliable information to support better decisions, identify effective solutions, and help organisations and policymakers make choices that benefit people and communities.

Our mission is to advance education and training in evaluation for public benefit by promoting high standards of professionalism, education and ethics, by:

Promoting the value of evaluation through training, advocacy and community engagement.

As a charity, our work focuses on advancing education and training in evaluation for public benefit. We connect people, support learning communities, provide expert-led training, and promote the importance of evidence-based evaluation. Our aim is to share good practice and create a learning environment where everyone feels welcome, able to contribute and be heard.

We support a diverse community and welcome people of all ages, abilities, genders, backgrounds and beliefs. Our members include commissioners, practitioners, users of evaluation evidence, and anyone with an interest in evaluation.