World leading experts from across UCL spoke at the Government Evaluation Conference 2025, as part of a first-of-its-kind collaboration to advance government evaluation practice.
The event, held at UCL's Bloomsbury campus and attended by over 400 civil servants, brought together government, academia and business and set a new benchmark of excellence. It provided a unique forum for exploring the latest thinking in evaluation methods designed to measure the impact and effectiveness of public services
The conference is the first such partnership for a civil service event and was co-designed by the UCL Public Policy Team in partnership with the government's Evaluation Task Force, a joint Cabinet Office and Treasury unit, and leading consultancy Frontier Economics.
Bringing these diverse sectors together, the conference connected global experts with key decision-makers. Topics included mission-led government, citizen involvement in evaluation and emerging research on key issues such as safer streets.
Among the UCL speakers were:
- Professor Cecilia Vindrola, Director of the ICL Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab
- Professor Rainer Kattel, Deputy Director at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
- Dr Gemma Moore, Associate Professor and Faculty Lead for Impact in the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment
- Dr Ine Steenmans, Associate Professor and Director of Policy Engagement in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy
- Professor Jess Deighton, Professor in Child Mental Health and Wellbeing, who will be sharing a platform with senior civil servants.
The conference, held on Tuesday 29th April, was opened by Lucie Moore, Acting Head of the Evaluation Task Force, with a welcome by Professor Marc Stears, Pro-Provost (Policy Engagement) and Director of UCL Policy Lab.
Professor Stears said: "As the government prioritises effectiveness and value in public service design and delivery, UCL has been working with the Evaluation Task Force and Frontiers Economics to co-design an ambitious programme, bringing together leading experts from research and practice to exchange ideas and drive innovation.
"By collaborating and spending time together, we can strengthen the dialogue between academic and policymakers. UCL is proud to be a world-leading, top ten global university with a reputation for driving meaningful change through research and innovation. Our commitment to applying our expertise to tackle real-world challenges is evident in our interdisciplinary approach and partnerships with policymakers, public bodies, and government departments."
Further highlights included a Safer Streets spotlight session led by Dr Keri Wong, Associate Professor and co-Director of the UCL Centre for Education in the Criminal Justice and ESRC Policy Fellow at the Home Office Crime Analysis Unit (2023-25).
Dr Jack Blumenau, Associate Professor of Political Science and Quantitative Research Methods at UCL and UKRI Fellow based in the Evaluation Task Force in the Cabinet Office (2023-25), led a session on transparency in evaluation.
UCL Public Policy - an institutional initiative dedicated to linking academic expertise with public need - plays a central role in advancing links between government and UCL academics. Through expert panels, briefings and challenge-led collaborations, it supports policymakers to access cutting-edge research in a non-partisan and independent way. UCL Policy Lab, directed by Professor Marc Stears brings together researchers with political, industry, and civic society leaders to help answer the most pressing policy challenges
The Evaluation Task Force, established in 2021, works to embed evidence and evaluation into the heart of public spending decisions. Frontier Economics is one of Europe's leading economic consultancy firms, advising public and private clients on policy design and impact.
The conference was closed by Lord Gus O'Donnell, former British senior civil servant and economist, who served as the Cabinet Secretary, the highest official in the British Civil Service between 2005 and 2011. Lord O'Donnell is a visiting professor at UCL in the Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy and Ambassador of Frontier Economics.
