Developing Evaluation Capacity Building Competencies: Participant Reflections From the Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge

In 2023, McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy hosted the inaugural Evaluation Capacity Case Challenge (EC3) competition with a cohort of 19 selected graduate students and early-career professionals studying or working in Canada or the United States. It was a multifaceted learning opportunity for participants to expand evaluation capacity building (ECB) competencies and served as a bridge between formal education and real-world practice. This practice note offers reflections from five students representing all teams and one coach on how EC3 supported competency development as outlined by the Canadian Evaluation Society and the American Evaluation Association. Focused on domains related to professional reflection, technical and methodological skills, situational context, as well as management and interpersonal skills, this article explores the role of EC3 in honing skills specific to ECB, preparing evaluators to excel in their roles and champion ECB in diverse and evolving contexts.