Integrated MEL Modules – Designing of MEL System, Third Edition, 24 April 2025

The latest Module within the Integrated Modules on MEL (Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning) in the field of Rule of Law took place on April 24, 2025, at the House of Europe. The focus of the session was on the development and design of a MEL system with the involvement of civil society actors, public institutions, and representatives from the private sector.

Mimoza Agolli, the lecturer of this module, opened the presentation by explaining the first three steps required for the creation and development of a MEL system:

1. Defining the framework of the policy/strategy or project to be monitored – which includes clarifying the objectives and goals of what and why MEL will be carried out.
2. Programming the Theory of Change, which connects the objectives and measures of the policy to be monitored, by identifying inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and indicators.
3. Designing Monitoring and Evaluation Plans.

Agolli emphasized that in designing a MEL system, it is important to consider that cause-effect relationships are not always linear and straightforward. Various factors may influence outcomes, often in complex and interrelated ways. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that indicators, objectives, and measures are coherently connected and that results and final outputs are carefully analyzed and interpreted.

A key element in building this system is the preparation of questionnaires and conducting interviews to gather relevant data regarding the policy’s impact, its efficiency and effectiveness, the results achieved, and the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders (implementers, key actors, and final beneficiaries). Throughout the session, Agolli also presented practical examples of evaluated policies, as well as sample questionnaires and checklists to be used in the MEL system design process.

In the final theoretical session, Agolli shared some practical advice on how to structure the Monitoring Plan and Evaluation Plan. She noted that the Monitoring Plan should address how monitoring aligns with the logic of the program and how data collection and analysis will be conducted. The Evaluation Plan, on the other hand, should build upon the monitoring results, helping assess whether the policy is achieving its intended outcomes, identifying what is working and what is not. For both plans to be effective, specific steps, clear timelines, and defined objectives for the process must be anticipated.

During the final practical session, participants were actively engaged in discussions and a group exercise. Each group selected a specific strategy within the rule of law framework – such as the National Reform Agenda, the new Public Procurement Law, Anti-Corruption Strategy, or Employment and Social Inclusion policies. Following the MEL methodology, they identified the monitoring objective, the relevant indicators, measures, and actors to be involved in the MEL system. They also discussed the most suitable approaches and methods for monitoring and evaluation based on these elements.