• About Us

    The Friedensau Institute for Evaluation (FIFE) is an interdisciplinary, self-governing evaluation and research consulting institute located at  Friedensau Adventist University (FAU), in Germany.  We conduct programme /project evaluations, feasibility studies, strategic planning facilitation, and project planning strategies for development and humanitarian aid organizations. Since 2010, we have worked with religious and non-religious-based non-profit organizations, industry associations, international organizations, private institutions. We research and develop evaluation methods and models, carry out evaluations and contribute to networking and knowledge transfer for NGOs, philanthropic groups and foundations, social support businesses, corporate bodies, governments and UN agencies.

    At FIFE, we understand that good strategic planning and decision making comes from good information and learning. Our clients look to us to provide analysis and recommendations that will inspire and inform action. In all of our projects, we endeavour to provide our clients with the strong scientific-based evidence they need to drive the future of their organization.

About us

The Friedensau Institute for Evaluation (FIFE) is an interdisciplinary, self-governing evaluation and research consulting institute located at  Friedensau Adventist University (FAU), in Germany.  We conduct programme /project evaluations, feasibility studies, strategic planning facilitation, and project planning strategies for development and humanitarian aid organizations. Since 2010, we have worked with religious and non-religious-based non-profit organizations, industry associations, international organizations, private institutions. We research and develop evaluation methods and models, carry out evaluations and contribute to networking and knowledge transfer for NGOs, philanthropic groups and foundations, social support businesses, corporate bodies, governments and UN agencies.

At FIFE, we understand that good strategic planning and decision making comes from good information and learning. Our clients look to us to provide analysis and recommendations that will inspire and inform action. In all of our projects, we endeavour to provide our clients with the strong scientific-based evidence they need to drive the future of their organization.

Mission

FIFE exists to support organizations to maximize the impacts of their interventions. We passionately work with our clients to ensure quality evaluations and technical supports on project/program planning and management and MEAL systems. We use scientific-based analysis for pre-project implementation research, evaluations, and capacity development and training. We tailor our work to meet clients  needs using best industry standards and state of the art research models and frameworks. We maintain a long and trusted relationship with our clients. Our worldwide network team of experts places us in a unique position at meeting the needs of our clients.

Vision

To see a world in which development and humanitarian interventions make the best impact for all. Evaluations and research at FIFE promote improved effectiveness, leaning, and sustainability of development cooperation and humanitarian interventions.

Guiding principles

We strive for interdisciplinary and scientific-based methods in all our work. FIFE’s evaluations and research benefits from methodological, regional, and local context and thematic expertise of our network of professionals and academics. We impart our clients and partners with objective and impartial tailor-made configurations in a participatory manner while at the same time maintaining professional distance and independence. Our team is equipped with personal and organizational communication and negation skills, which makes it possible for us to facilitate individual and organizational learning for our clients and ourselves.

Our work at FIFE is guided by  principles which we live by and continuously improve in our daily activities

INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC-BASED

from evaluations, research, and consultations ensure that we combine the state of the art methodological theories and tools. Our assessment and fundamental research contributes to a stimulating current industry-wide debate from which our projects and clients benefit greatly.

NEEDS ORIENTED

in developing our activities and carrying out evaluations. We create, choose, and base our evaluation designs on your questions and strategic needs to ensure they are relevant, useful, and enable learning. We avoid template-based work and focus on the best individual evaluation designs for our clients.

COMPREHENSIVE METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH

ensures that we triangulate qualitative and quantitative methods for all our projects. We do so to cover every aspect of the project or program and to ensure the quality of our research. We carefully select methods and tools with the highest result delivery for data collection, analysis, and reporting.

QUALITY-FOCUSSED

activities mean robust compliance with our internal, national, and internationally recognized evaluation and research standards. We hold on to our ethics and will never compromise on them.

PARTNERSHIP

is the hallmark of our work. We promote, develop, and build a trust-based collaboration in the spirit of friendship and respect, which is mutually beneficial.

MONITORING EVALUATION ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING (MEAL)

keeps us on our toes as we strive to improve our services and activities. So we learn from our mistakes and share what we learn. We learn from others and take responsibility for our actions as we follow due diligence, objectivity and transparency.

PARTICIPATORY APPROACH

ensures that all relevant parties and stakeholders are involved in all phases of the evaluation process. We value our clients and all stakeholders dearly and see their participation key to all our activities. Abiding by this principle means we also disseminate our result by communicating clearly to promote learning for all stakeholders.

RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH

ensures that our conceptual and practical frameworks are normatively based on international human rights standards and promoting and protecting human rights. We carefully analyse inequalities which lie at the heart of development challenges. More so, we are committed to a “Do No Harm” approach with our projects and clients.

Structure & History

Dr. Kwaku Arhin-Sam

Dr. Arhin-Sam is a committed researcher and lecturer with over ten years of experience in monitoring and evaluating development and humanitarian aid interventions. He has twelve years of experience in qualitative and quantitative research and teaching including upstream methods like Outcome Mapping and Outcome Harvesting. Academically, Kwaku’s research areas include Migration and Mobility, Identity and Belonging Politics, Return Migration, Integration and Reintegration, Human Rights, Policy Analysis, and Conflict Resolutions. Read more>>

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