Research network At Umeå Center for Evaluation Research (UCER), evaluation research is conducted in collaboration between researchers at the Department of Social Work, other departments at Umeå University and other higher education institutions.
Umeå Center for Evaluation Research (UCER), is currently a research network, with the aim of being reconstituted as a center. Evaluation research is conducted in collaboration between researchers at the Department of Social Work, other departments at Umeå University as well as other universities and organizations in Sweden and other countries. UCER also conducts research-based evaluations, as well as arranges a seminar series in evaluation research.
Research on evaluation includes, among other things, research on the emergence and institutionalization of evaluation and evaluation systems in various sectors and organizations, as well as on the knowledge that evaluations generate and do not generate. Research on evaluation also includes consequences of evaluations and evaluation systems for the individual, organization and society. Moreover, research on evaluation also embraces systematic follow-up at different levels in the public sector. In various research projects, the use of evaluations and follow-ups in governance, accountability and organization development is investigated.
The consequences of evaluations and follow-ups for schools and social services practice are examples of research in this area. Method development concerns the development of models and methods for policy and program evaluation and for analysis of evaluation policy, as well as consequences of evaluations and evaluation systems. Within UCER, theory is also developed for evaluation and follow-up. Research-based evaluation is conducted in the form of external evaluation assignments or self-initiated evaluations where proven methods and theories are used in the evaluation. One example is a national evaluation of The Literacy Lift, a national in-service training for preschool staff and teachers, which was carried out on behalf of the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) and another example is a local evaluation of Umeå grows safe and secure (UGSS) which is financed by the The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (BRÅ).
UCER also organizes a seminar series with several seminars per year. At the seminars we discuss, for example current books, theses and articles published in international and national evaluation and policy journals. A few times a year, invited researchers start the discussion by for example present a current book or article.
