Evaluation for Vibrant Democracies

Why Evaluation for Vibrant Democracies?

Democracy - built on rights, freedoms, and accountability - is under pressure worldwide. Polarization, declining trust, and rising populism challenge governance in Europe and across the world. Evaluation which is grounded in evidence, transparency and ethical standards, can play a vital role in strengthening democratic systems by informing decisions, amplifying diverse voices, and fostering public trust. 

Conference Themes

New methods

Evaluation thrives when methods evolve. From established approaches to emerging tools and the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence, the aim is that this conference allows us to examine how technology and innovation can enhance rigor, relevance, and impact which is critical to strong democracies. Simultaneously allowing space for the exploration into adaptive, inclusive, and future-oriented methods that are relevant to the transformation into, and thereafter sustainability of, better societies.

Systemic Learning

Complex societal challenges demand more than isolated interventions. Therefore this conference will allow us to explore system-level approaches that drive transformational change, and how evaluators can navigate complexity while maintaining accountability and learning which is critical to healthy democracies.

Responsiveness

Democracies are dynamic - and so is evaluation. Responsiveness means listening to stakeholders, adapting to shifting contexts, embracing diversity, and empowering voices often left unheard. This is key to making evaluation relevant and actionable in today’s world.

Call for Proposals

A New Two-Component Call

For 2026, the European Evaluation Society introduces an expanded structure for its Call for proposals.  

CALL A
Strands
Themes for blocks of connected sessions

This call opens on 11 December 2025 and closes 31 January 2026.

Submit your Proposal

CALL B
Stand-alone sessions
Panels, fishbowls, sparking discussions, papers, posters

This call opens on 14 February and closes 31 March 2026.

Submit your Proposal

Please note: Given the two-tier call used this year, there will be no extensions given to the initially set deadlines.

Call A: Strands – Coordinated Thematic Blocks of Conference Sessions

Submission period: 11 December 2025 – 31 January 2026

Strands are blocks of sessions on a single topic within the overall conference theme. They enable deeper exploration and conversation on the strand topic through connected sessions spanning two or three conference days (including 6–9 sessions). In effect, these are ‘mini-conferences’ within the conference. Each strand should bring together diverse perspectives, methods, and experiences around a shared theme relevant to “Evaluation for Vibrant Democracies: New methods, Systemic learning, and Responsiveness.”

Guidelines for Strand Proposals

You may submit a maximum of two separate strand proposals, of which a maximum of one strand per submitting coordinator will be accepted. No coordinator may be part of more than one strand.

Each strand proposal must include at least one and up to six session proposals. All strand and session proposals will be subject to review and approval.

Each strand proposal must include an abstract (up to 600 words) covering the following elements:

The submitted strand should be provided in English.

To help you better understand the strand structure, you can see the example here. The following strand is included solely as an illustrative example to demonstrate the structure of a strand submission.

  1. Title of the strand:
    • A clear, engaging title that reflects the strand’s central focus.
  2. Coordinators’ information:
    • Each strand must have two coordinators. Include their names, affiliations, contact details, and short biographies (maximum 100 words each). Coordinator information does not count toward the 600-word abstract limit. Indicate the strand’s connection to EES Thematic Working Groups (TWGs). While TWGs are encouraged to lead or co-lead strands, all experts and networks are welcome to apply.
  3. Rationale and objectives:
    • How the strand aligns with the overall conference theme.
    • Key issues or questions to be explored.
    • Anticipated contributions to theory, practice, and/or policy dialogue.
    • A short paragraph enabling submitters in Call B to understand the strand’s objective and propose to join it.
  4. Strand structure and session overview:
    • Proposed sessions and their rationale and objectives (1–6 sessions). Final strand length will be confirmed after acceptance.
    • Names of prospective facilitators for each session.
    • Plans for involving new and early-career contributors beyond existing networks.
    • How sessions form a coherent narrative or build on one another.

By submitting a strand proposal, coordinators acknowledge that scheduling is determined by the EES Conference Programme Committee and may fall at any time during 28–30 October 2026.

Review Process

Strand proposals will be reviewed by the EES Conference Programme Committee, which will determine how many of the proposed sessions are accepted. Any remaining slots in accepted strands will be filled with proposals submitted under Call B.

Coordinators of accepted strands will review submissions to their strand (Call B). This duty must be performed professionally and on time. Acceptance of a strand implies acceptance of this responsibility. Failure to meet these requirements may result in strand removal or reassignment.

There will be two types of acceptance:

  • Acceptance without reservations: Coordinators independently finalize their strand, develop detailed session plans, and confirm presenters.
  • Conditional acceptance: The Programme Committee provides guidance and support to finalize the strand’s elements.

Strand proposal decisions will be communicated by 14 February 2026 at the latest.

Accepted strands will be listed in Call B to allow submitters to submit proposals under those strands.

Call B

Individual Submissions (14 February - 31 March)

Accepted strands will be published on the conference website on February 14th Valentine’s Day. Call B will be open on the same day. Call B invites submitters to propose contributions they would ‘love’ to bring to Lille.  Submitters are strongly encouraged to review the available strands first and consider how their proposal aligns with the strand they choose.

EES invites individual and group submissions of the following types:

          Stand-alone sessions:

    • Panels - Three to four interconnected presentations on a common theme, guided by a chair who facilitates discussion and synthesis.
    • Fishbowls / Birds of a Feather - Highly interactive formats that foster participatory dialogue between speakers and audience members.
    • Solution-Focused Sessions - Designed for practical engagement, for example collaborative problem-solving on pressing challenges.
    • Meet the Evaluation -  In-depth presentations of complex evaluations, explored from multiple perspectives—commissioners, evaluators, and users.
    • Sparking Discussions -  Fast-paced, high-energy talks (6–8 speakers) aimed at igniting dialogue on emerging or contested issues.
    • Individual Papers - The conference team will group accepted papers into 60-minute sessions. Each paper presenter will be allocated 12 minutes to present their paper, followed by a moderated discussion to synthesize insights and engage the audience.
    • Posters - Visual presentations in traditional or digital format. Posters should also be linked to a strand as this will allow strand coordinators to link relevant sessions to the posters and increase attention to this type of submission. 

Submission Guidelines

All proposals must be submitted on 31 March at the latest via the EES 2026 Conference Submission Portal (link available on the EES website).

Each submission should be in English and include:

    1. Title and session type.
    2. Strand under which you are submitting your proposal (select from the list of accepted strands, these will be published on 14 February)
    3. Abstract – up to 500 words for session proposals; up to 300 words for individual papers.
    4. Rationale and objectives.
    5. Presenter(s) or coordinators(s) – names, affiliations, and short biographies (max 50 words each).
    6. Session structure or presentation approach, including interactive or innovative elements.
    7. 5–10 keywords.

Individuals may submit a maximum of two proposals for the conference in total (across call A and B). If a strand proposal was accepted under Call A, the proposer may submit only one additional proposal under Call B. If the submitter did not participate in Call A, they may submit up to two proposals under Call B.

Review Criteria

    • Relevance & Public Interest
      How well the topic aligns with the conference themes, strand (when relevant), and contributes to the field of evaluation. Appeal to the broader evaluation community and institutional members.
    • Quality
      Clarity, structure, and rigor of the proposal.
    • Innovation
      Originality of ideas, approaches, or methodologies.
    • Engagement
      Inclusion of interactive elements to actively involve the audience.

Note: Relevance and quality will carry the greatest weight in the review process. Appropriate representation of diversity among presenters and topics (e.g., gender, geographic location, cultural context) is expected.

Submissions under Call B will be reviewed by the strand coordinators and the EES Conference Programme Committee. The review process will be double blind.  Meta review will be conducted by reviewers that are not part of the strand coordinating team.

 Join Us in Lille

At EES 2026, we celebrate 30 years of bridging theory and practice in evaluation. Building on the “Better Together” theme of EES 2024, this conference will explore how innovative methods, systemic learning, and responsive approaches can help evaluation contribute successfully to vibrant democracies and inclusive policies.

 

EES 2026 - Lille, France

A unique opportunity to connect, learn, and shape the future of evaluation in Europe and beyond. Beautiful Lille, known as “Paris of the North”, is conveniently located less than one hour by train from Paris, London, and Brussels.

For technical assistance with your submission, please contact Conference Secretariat at ees2026@kuonitumlare.com.

For questions related to content or expertise (to discuss potential strand ideas), please contact of the EES Conference Programme Coordinators: Marta Semplici or John LaVelle. 

Please note:
All proposers submitting under Call A or Call B will be required to register for the conference and pay the applicable registration fee. The registration deadline will be communicated at a later stage.