Professor Connolly appointed to UK Government role

Professor John Connolly has been appointed by the Cabinet Office to the UK Government's Evaluation and Trial Advice Panel.

The Head of Glasgow Caledonian's Department of Social Sciences will help support Whitehall civil servants and beyond as they evaluate policy and programmes across the UK.

Comprising more than 50 experts from across government and academia, the panel provides advice and support to staff across a range of areas, including housing, justice, energy infrastructure, and employment.

The panel strives to put robust evaluation evidence at the heart of government decision-making to ensure projects deliver value for money.

Professor Connolly, a former in-house Evaluation Specialist for the NHS in Scotland, will serve for the next two years.

He said: "I'll be providing support to civil servants on how to enhance evaluation, including giving advice on approaches and methodologies to support evidence-based policy-making. It’s a great opportunity to ensure that evaluation is fundamental to the business of government. I'm looking forward to getting started".

Since 2014, the panel has advised on more than 160 projects across government departments and public bodies.