The meeting was held on Saturday, 20th October 2012, in the period from 10.00 a.m. to 13.00 pm at the MK Project Ltd., Kotnikova 32, Ljubljana.
During this meeting representatives of two societies exchanged their respective experiences. Colleagues from Slovenia presented the process of establishing the society which exists since 2008 in Slovenia. They also presented results, experiences, and plans for the future.
The president of Bosnian Evaluation Society presented actions taken to establish this society in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and clarified reasons for its establishing (the society was founded in the fall of 2012).
Alike Slovenian society, Bosnian society has been established in order to create platform for the development of evaluation as a discipline through promotion of importance to evaluate politics/programs/projects; to introduce professionalism (standards and ethics) in order to enhance accountability and transparency during the process of making and implementation of politics. General goals and tasks have also been presented, as for example representation of interests of its members, sharing information and cooperation with similar associations in the world, organisation of trainings, publishing, etc.
In addition present were informed that; with the aid of World Bank; the book “The Road to Results” is being translated into Bosnian language. This book is foundation for the training also known as IPDET programme (http://www.ipdet.org/). Colleagues from Slovenia have emphasized their interest in this book, and pointed out that it is going to be interesting for everybody who can understand Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian language.
At the end, both societies presidents agreed that it is necessary to spread the evaluation culture which implies development of awareness on accountability that is needed not only in B&H, but also in the whole region, because the regional approach is of utmost importance due to need for mutual learning, sharing of good practice, and due to lack of capacity in all countries in the region, because only together it is possible to attain synergetic effect.
Idea to organise regional conference were imposed as a possibility to promote evaluation culture, theory and practice. All interested in development of evaluation as a discipline would take part on this conference. Therefore, participants agreed that first regional conference could be held in Sarajevo next year.