Impact Assessment for Social Protection Analysts
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Online
Impact Assessment for Social Protection Analysts
6 October–21 November 2025
The course is available in English
Introduction to the course
Impact assessment is essential for understanding the performance of existing social protection schemes and wider systems, and identifying effective measures for extending social protection. Looking beyond one-off studies of individual schemes, this course will equip participants with the skills to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of social protection systems as they evolve over time.
Who attends this course?
Participants will be officials with sound analytical skills and a strong commitment to advancing social protection who already have a number of years' work experience in this field. They should hold a bachelor or advanced degree and have a strong quantitative background in economics, business, public administration, political science, public policy, finance, actuarial studies, mathematics, statistics or a related field. Typical participants will be professionals working in ministries responsible for the development and monitoring of social protection systems, such as ministries of labour, finance and planning, health or social protection/social affairs; representatives of the social partners involved in the governance of social security institutions; officials of UN agencies working in the field of social protection; members of non-governmental organizations engaged in social protection.
What topics does this course cover?
- Identifying theories of change and impact pathways of social protection systems
- Administrative and household survey data for analysis of social protection coverage and adequacy
- Poverty and inequality measurement using microdata
- Microsimulation and cost-effectiveness analysis: including tax-benefit microsimulation and assessment of local economy multipliers
- Impact evaluation using national household survey data and scheme-specific surveys
What will I be able to do?
- Identify the core outcomes, indicators and theories of change for assessment of social protection schemes and systems
- Design and manage impact assessment processes, including assessing appropriate analytical approaches and data sources
- Interpret results from data analysis and distil findings into accessible and compelling formats for policy maker
Why should I join?
- Put learning into practice through an Integrated Applied Exercise focused on your own national context
- Participants join and interact with a diverse network of professionals engaging in issues of impact assessment of social protection
- The course uses a mix of training methods: lectures, plenary discussions, good practices, case studies, group work, and individual exercises.
- Take a step towards achieving the ITCILO Diploma for Social Protection, a new accreditation for the next generation of social protection practitioners.
This course is one of four eligible courses for the Diploma For Social Protection Analysts. To achieve the Diploma, successful candidates must complete three of four courses within a five year period, and undertake a capstone assessment.
How?
The course consists of a number of online modules offered through the eCampus online platform to be completed over a period of seven weeks for an estimated total of 100 learning hours.
- Pre-course: Flexible (asynchronous) self-guided online learning on eCampus and an end of phase assessment.
- ‘Real time’ learning: Live interactive sessions and engaging video presentations by highly experienced trainers, blended with individual and collaborative group exercises, peer-to peer assessment and online technical forums on eCampus.
- End of course assignment: Individual assignment applying cutting-edge technical knowledge to the participants’ organization. Participants who successfully complete all assessments and the final assignment will receive a Certificate of Achievement.
