1. AES AWARDS

The Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) is offering two Awards for Public Sector Evaluation. These are annual Awards which have been actively supported by New South Wales Government agencies since 1994. During this time NSW Government agencies have been successful in winning two of these awards.

The Award for Public Sector Evaluation is made for contributions in the public sector context of Australasia through the development of evaluation policies, systems, frameworks and/or methodologies.

There is a great deal of excellent work in this field performed within our agencies and these Awards provide an opportunity for the NSW Public Sector to compete on a National basis for an independently judged award. I fully support participation in these Awards and ask that you closely examine the possibility of your agency making a nomination.

Nominations close June 30, 1998. Information concerning eligibility, assessment criteria and procedures can be downloaded from the AES Web site home page at http://www.parklane.com.au/aes/aes. Enquires should be directed to Dr Marion Amies, Chair of the Awards Committee on telephone 0262 897368.

2. AES GUIDELINES FOR ETHICAL CONDUCT OF EVALUATIONS

The AES has also released a set of Guidelines which focus on ethical issues which arise in program evaluations. The guidelines cover the three stages of commissioning, planning, conducting or using evaluations. They can help people to recognise and then resolve or avoid some of the ethical issues that arise. They also complement the other activities of the AES such as the annual Awards for Evaluation, the international conference, publications and regional activities.

The AES encourages everyone involved in evaluation to use the Guidelines as a framework for discussing ethical issues, and as a basis for developing their own policies and procedures.

The Guidelines can be downloaded from the AES home page details listed under Awards or they are available in print from Eva Sullivan, AES Administration, PO Box 448, Curtin. ACT 2065

Yours sincerely

C. Gellatly
Director-General