Training Programmes

Short Course Registration


Interested applicants can register for SSR Short Courses
via NUS L3AP Portal.

Upcoming Programmes and Courses

Effective Use of Theory of Change for Social Services (April 2025)

This course on theory of change introduces participants to the theory-driven family of evaluation approaches and highlights the importance of making explicit the theory underlying any policy, programme or intervention as a basis for planning, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation. A theory of change explains how the activities undertaken by a policy, a programme or an intervention contribute to a chain of action that leads to the intended outcomes. A theory of change is also a diagrammatic representation of a programme blueprint – it makes explicit the inputs, the activities, the outputs and the outcomes, and the links between them. Through this approach, the precise link between activities and the achievement of outcomes are more fully understood. With a detailed understanding of how change take places, the theory of change can potentially provide analytical insights into programme design at the planning stage. It can be useful for studying programme processes or implementation, as well as for identifying programme outputs and outcomes for monitoring and evaluation.

At the end of the course, participants are expected to achieve the following objectives:
• Understand the role of theory underlying policies, programmes and/or interventions.
• Understand the key concepts of theory of change and the analytical insights it can potentially provide to programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
• Learn how to develop and appraise theories of change through the use of case studies.

Participants conducting research projects in social and public services can apply these skills and knowledge to their research involving marginalised groups, to mitigate the power imbalance against them.

  • Date

    17 April 2025

  • Time

    9:00AM – 6:00PM

  • Venue

    NUS Kent Ridge Campus (The Shaw Foundation Building, Block AS7)

  • Trainer

    Dr Robyn Tan

Introduction to Realist Evaluation for Social Services (August 2025)

The course is designed to provide social service professionals, community workers, policy-makers and researchers, with an introduction to theories and concepts of realist evaluation.

In community development and other fields of practice, interventions are often described as being complex and have outcomes that are dependent on context and are challenging to evaluate. Realist evaluation can help make sense of the outcomes from these types of interventions. Instead of providing one-off verdicts on its success or failure by asking, “Does the intervention work?”, realist evaluation examines “What works, for whom, under what circumstances and why?”. Recognising that interventions do not work in the same way for everyone, everywhere, realist evaluation seeks to systematically develop and test theory, specifically the causal mechanisms that are activated in different contexts, leading to different outcomes. It is multi-method and draws on both quantitative and qualitative methods.

At the end of the course, participants are expected to achieve the following objectives:
• Understand what realist evaluation is, when to adopt it and how it differs from other evaluation approaches
• Be able to describe the stages of a realist evaluation
• Understand the role of programme theory in realist evaluation and be able to develop and refine one

  • Date

    28 August 2025

  • Time

    9:00AM – 6:00PM

  • Venue

    NUS Kent Ridge Campus (The Shaw Foundation Building, Block AS7)

  • Trainer

    Dr Robyn Tan

Survey Design and Analysis (September 2025)

This workshop will provide learners with essential knowledge and practical tips for designing surveys and analysing survey data. The structure of the workshop will mirror key steps taken when conducting a survey. Examples that are relevant to the social service sector will be used to illustrate key concepts and common challenges faced. Learners can look forward to opportunities for class/group discussions and hands-on practice.

This workshop aims to equip learners with practical tips in survey design and inappropriate practices. Learners will also learn to manage and analyse data obtained from surveys.

  • Date

    23 September 2025

  • Time

    9:00AM – 6:00PM

  • Venue

    NUS Kent Ridge Campus (The Shaw Foundation Building, Block AS7)

  • Trainer

    TBC

Past Programmes

2019

  • 12 Nov : Design Thinking for Community Work and Social Services
  • 13 Nov : Introduction to Realist Evaluation for Social Services

2018

  • 6 Aug - 1 Nov : Research Mentoring Programme (13 weeks)

2017

  • 2 Nov : Research Mentoring Programme (13 weeks)

  • 4 May : Research Mentoring Programme (13 weeks)