IM4DC evaluation of impact: The alumni's perspective

This current project is a continuation and expansion of a similar evaluation project conducted during later 2013 - early 2014 by the Accelerated Learning Laboratory of University of Western Australia, with the aim to assist the International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC) to understand how its educational and developmental programs have contributed to the improvement of the practices, policies and cultures of targeted developing nations. It is hoped that knowledge generated through this project will assist IM4DC to conduct systematic reviews of previous programs and strategic planning for the future. Overall, by consolidating various data source including two years of interview study, two and half years of 6-month alumni follow-up survey, and online survey data collected from a small portion of alumni's colleagues at work, we found that IM4DC programs have indeed enabled its alumni to apply the learning into practice and to bring about positive changes to their work and organisations. Our analysis suggests that participants have developed their leadership capability, initiated innovative activities and changes, strengthened their networks, and can potentially contribute to the improvement of social, economic, environmental status of their home countries if more time is given and if continuous support is provided. We nevertheless make recommendations for further enhancing the impact, such as: involve key personnel and decision makers in the IM4DC training; provide focused, systemic training to develop participants' change management skills; follow up with alumni to support their change initiatives; create platforms to share innovative and effective practices among alumni, among others; building cross-national forums and networks to sustain community of practice. These initiatives would collectively facilitate the achievement of transformational changes in the targeted countries over time.