The President of the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF), Cristina Herrero, closures the course “Evaluation of Public Policies: Evidence for Decision-Making” this afternoon. The course was organized by ESADE in collaboration with AIReF and J-PAL Europe. During her speech, she emphasized that evaluation is no longer optional but has become a structural necessity considering the current challenges faced by public administration.
Cristina Herrero highlighted that collaboration between academia and institutions is key to building a broad, decentralized evaluation network based on shared criteria of quality and usefulness.
Throughout the six sessions of the course, participants explored everything from theoretical foundations to advanced tools and methodologies, including essential aspects such as data usage, evaluation cycle planning, and results communication. “What matters is how to integrate that knowledge into decision-making regularly, not sporadically, so that evaluation serves society as a whole,” she noted.
The President reminded attendees that public administrations currently face three major challenges: a growing demand for transparency and accountability, a demanding economic and fiscal context, and deep structural issues such as population aging, defense spending, and climate change. In this context, she stressed that evaluation is essential to ensure effective, efficient, and equitable public policies.
She also announced the launch of AIReF Divulga, a new section on the institution’s website aimed at bringing its work closer to the public through an informative approach. Among the first posts is one on evaluation, designed to capture the reader’s attention with questions such as “Is there unnecessary spending in Spain?” and “How can public policy evaluation be addressed?” Other posts have also been published to lay the groundwork for understanding the institution itself and the sustainability of public finances, a central issue for AIReF’s mission.
To conclude, Cristina Herrero emphasized that evaluation is an act of responsibility and humility, enabling the improvement of public policies through evidence. “This course has not only provided technical learning, but has also promoted a different vision of the public sector—one in which decisions are based on analysis, resources are allocated according to strategic criteria, and accountability ensures continuous improvement,” she concluded.
