Data are essential for public-sector decision-making to enable policymakers to design informed policies, allocate resources effectively, monitor performance, enhance transparency and accountability, plan for the future, and make evidence-based decisions to improve services to the public. However, public-sector professionals must know how to gather, analyze, and interpret data to make informed decisions. This course aims to build capabilities to use evidence-based processes for public-sector innovation, including frameworks for collecting, evaluating, and analyzing quantitative/qualitative data for evidence-based policy-making. It will also explore foresight such as the use of AI/ML, impact assessment, and decision model accounting to address risk/uncertainty management in the public sector.

Through presentations on best practices and case studies, participants will have opportunities for simulation exercises on evidence-based approaches for innovative policy-making, strategies, and performance measurement.

Course Objectives

The main objectives of this course are:

•     Understand the principles and concepts of evidence-based decision-making for innovation in the public sector
•     Learn how to interpret, evaluate, and analyze data for public policy decision-making
•     Acquire know-how in assessing evidence-based, informed decision-making for innovation in the public sector

This e-learning course will cover the following modules:

Module 1: Principles and concepts of evidence-based decision-making;
Module 2: Data collection, evaluation, and assessment for evidence-based innovation policies;
Module 3: Data analytics and foresight in decision-making;
Module 4: Decision-making models for innovation policies and strategies;
Module 5: Case studies of public-sector organizations.

Important Notes:

1. Participants who register to take this course and pass the final examination with a score of 70% or higher will be eligible to receive the APO certificate. Please note that the final examination can be taken only once. Therefore, the most appropriate time to take the examination should be chosen carefully. The self-assessment quizzes are for personal evaluation only and are not related to the final examination results.
2. Participants who perform well in this course and receive the APO certificate will be given preference, on a merit basis, for selection to attend follow-up face-to-face multicountry APO projects on similar topics, when nominated by their NPOs and if slots are available.
3. Notes 1 and 2 are applicable only to participants from APO member countries. Participants from nonmember countries are welcome to take the course for self-improvement, although they will not have an opportunity to attend the follow-up face-to-face multicountry APO projects.
4. Each module is in a prerecorded video format in which the expert delivers presentations by explaining each slide. Participants can access the video by clicking on the link provided under the title of each module.