On December 27, 2016, Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) held a staff workshop on program evaluation by inviting Prof. Yuriko Minamoto from Meiji University, Graduate School of Governance Studies, also Vice President of the Japan Evaluation Society. Forty two staff members from International Students Affairs Department participated in the workshop, learned the theory of program evaluation and obtained viewpoints on how to administer international students programs effectively through the theory based approach for evaluation which is one of the key approaches of program evaluation.
In the workshop, Prof. Minamoto first explained the theory of program evaluation such as program theory and viewpoints. Then, the participants were divided into six groups and did an exercise on making a logical model of JDS Program which is administered by JICE.
In the group discussion, each group proposed new activities which would enrich the program contents of the JDS such as leadership workshops and Japanese language training courses. It was also proposed that this kind of participatory evaluation would be effective to enhance the commitment of program stakeholders such as the beneficiary governments of the JDS.
We will be committed to enhance the quality of scholarship programs entrusted to JICE through more comprehensive and systematic approaches for evaluation. So far we have mainly conducted evaluation based on needs or outcome. Moving forward, we will introduce the new approach focusing on assessment of program design and theory that we have acquired through this workshop. In addition to this, we will further elaborate on-going process evaluation for which we have an advantage as an implementing agency.

JICE holds the workshop on program evaluation with 42 participants.

Prof. Minamoto (center) from Meiji University facilitates the workshop.

The participants evaluate the design of JDS Program in the group work of theory evaluation.