Impact Evaluation measures a program's effectiveness by comparing the target outcomes of beneficiaries against a control group - both before and after project implementation. The central challenge for rigorous evaluations is to develop a credible counterfactual - establishing what would have happened to the beneficiaries had they not been exposed to the program. A reliable counterfactual comes from identifying a comparison (or control) group of participants that is as similar as possible to those benefiting from the program.

Evidence from credible impact evaluations is one of the most powerful tools available to policymakers for improving the design of programs and policies. Reliable impact evaluation results also allow policymakers and donors to better allocate funds across competing programs. Unlike other forms of evaluation, rigorous impact evaluations allow us to understand when observed changes - such as better health, nutrition or education - can be attributed to a specific development program.

Technical Track Sessions are geared toward professionals who want to deepen their knowledge of theoretical econometric estimation methodologies and lead in the design of impact evaluations. These sessions cover advanced econometric and statistical techniques and case studies that illustrate the clear link between theory and practice.