Applications are now open for the United Nations University Public Policy Analysis Online Course!

Ednah Carrick August 8, 2025

0 1,244 2 minutes read

Closing Date: 20 August 2025

Applications are now open for the United Nations University Public Policy Analysis Online Course!

Designed for those wishing to learn about the foundations of policy analysis, this course provides an in-depth understanding of evidence-based policymaking, as well as monitoring and evaluation practices in both developed and developing settings.

The Public Policy Analysis online course will be introduced to the fundamentals of public policy analysis in developed and developing settings and is offered by United Nations University Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT)

About this course

There is more and more need nowadays for relevant, evidence-based policy making to achieve significant change in our world. In this online course, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of public policy analysis in developed and developing settings. Monitoring and evaluation of policies and projects is endorsed by international organisations, NGOs, and national goverrnments to produce meaningful and science-based recommendations on success and shortfalls of implemented plans. It is therefore imperative for anyone interested in the realm of public policy to have a grasp of what it means to conduct rigorous evaluations.

In a world of information overload and “post truth”, the need for rigorous policy analysis is more evident than ever. With this course you will learn the basis of public policy analysis and dig deep into the different methods used by researchers and experts worldwide to assess projects’ and programmes’ results. By taking our course, you will be making your first steps in acquiring a set of skills currently in high demand within governmental institutions, international organizations, and NGOs.

Francesco Iacoella – UNU-MERIT

Learning Goals

By the end of the Public Policy Analysis Online Course students should be able to:

Understand the basis of public policy analysis and evidence-based public policy.
Understand the distinction between monitoring and evaluation.
Understand the different types of data used in policy evaluation and their sources.
Understand the different types of monitoring and its evolution through time.
Be able to critically assess when monitoring is preferable to impact evaluation.
Understand the different analytical methods used to perform impact evaluation.
Grasp the statistics behind experimental and quasi-experimental techniques.
Overall, the students should be able to critically reflect on the literature provided and be able to distil this knowledge into their own country context.

Prerequisites

A MSc or MA degree (or equivalent) in Social Sciences

Cost

600 EUR

Estimated Workload

The estimated is 60 hours including:

10-15 hours per week.
10-15 hours per assignments/ oral exams.

Duration: 10 weeks

1 week to access the platform and become familiar with the material
4 weeks of coursework
1 week to submit the final assignment and
2 weeks for potential resits.

ECTS equivalent

Participants will earn 2 ECTS credits and receive certification via an online educational badge.

Application Process

You can apply for each course by using the online application form. During the application process, you will need to upload the following documents:   

Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
A copy of your (valid) passport (PDF or JPEG)

After completing the application, you will receive a confirmation email along with the payment information. Once UNU-MERIT receive the payment, UNU-MERIT will register you as a participant for the course, and the Online Courses Administration Team will contact you. The administrative process typically takes an average of 5-10 working days.  

If you have questions regarding the application documents or the application process or if there are any clarifications you need before applying, please feel free to reach out to the Capacity Development Office at the email address: [email protected].