How to assess the impact of public policies

President of the Council of Ministers’ Office, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Merit, Bank of Italy, National Research Council, Agnelli Foundation, National Cancer Institute, Istat, Universities and Research Centers, public and private entities.

These are just some of the national and international entities whose representatives participated in the 2025 edition of the Public Policy Impact Evaluation Course organized by FBK-IRVAPP.

In March and April 2025, FBK-IRVAPP experts delivered lectures to executives, civil servants, consultants, project managers, and researchers on various methods, both experimental and qualitative, for evaluating public policy. The sessions specifically focused on the skills required to understand and effectively use the results of impact evaluations.

The 300 available spots were sold out early during the enrollment period, and student reviews were overwhelmingly positive, as indicated by the satisfaction surveys. In fact, 95.4% of students reported being satisfied.

“For FBK-IRVAPP, an institution that has long been dedicated to promoting a culture of public policies grounded in scientific evidence,” emphasizes course coordinator Luigina Jessica Montano, “it is essential to provide training opportunities like this. The goal is not just to impart technical knowledge, but to support those working in public administration on a journey that emphasizes the practical value of rigorous impact assessments. The course wanted to offer an accessible but comprehensive overview of the tools available today, to help public decision-makers recognize when and how an evaluation can really promote more effective policies. “

Lectures for the course, now in its third edition, were delivered online by FBK-IRVAPP researchers Dominique Cappelletti, Davide Azzolini, Alessio Tomelleri, Sonia Marzadro, Martina Bazzoli, Federico Podestà, Luigina Jessica Montano, and Iunio Quarto Russo .

“For those interested in further exploring the topics covered in the course, an advanced summer school, organized by FBK-IRVAPP in collaboration with the Italian Society of Econometrics (SIdE-IEA), will be held from June 29 to July 4, 2025, at Centro Residenziale Universitario in Bertinoro (FC). The school will be specifically targeted at doctoral students, researchers, and practitioners who have a strong foundation in econometrics and prior knowledge of impact evaluation.