About Us
CEGA is a new mult-disciplinary research center at UC Berkeley addressing international development challenges through impact evaluation and economic analysis. The Center's mission is to improve development outcomes, by designing and rigorously testing strategies for poverty alleviation in low- and middle-income countries. As our name suggests, CEGA also seeks to bridge the gap between scientific research and social action, by equipping policy-makers and donors with the knowledge needed to improve development practice. In addition, the Center trains developing country researchers in the latest evaluation methods, to promote sustainable advances in social science and policy-making.
The Problem: Limited Knowledge of What Works
A persistent challenge in international development is that high quality, rigorous evaluations are rarely included in the planning and implementation of new programs for global health and economic growth. As a result, the development community has missed numerous opportunities for "learning while doing." Instead, we move from one fad to another—from microfinance and women's empowerment programs, to nutritional supplements and new textbooks for schools—without ever understanding what actually works to improve the lives of the poor. This failure to learn has led to massive investment of precious aid dollars in programs that do not work, or cannot achieve their intended objectives.
Finding Solutions Through Impact Evaluation
Thanks to recent media attention, advocates and policy-makers are increasingly realizing that rigorous evaluation of anti-poverty programs and policies can yield major benefits for international development— including enhanced aid effectiveness, improved household and social outcomes, and greater returns on development spending. There is a real demand for knowledge of "what works." CEGA is at the forefront of this movement toward evidence-based policy. Like our sister centers, the Jameel Poverty Action Lab at MIT and Innovations for Poverty Action at Yale, we work to identify and disseminate the most effective strategies for poverty alleviation. Our researchers have led some of the most influential studies of development in recent years and have provided training in rigorous evaluation for hundreds of researchers and professionals in the developing world.
University Support
CEGA has received core funding from the university, as well as seed funding and in-kind support from the following campus units: