Insper joins the Alliance for Data, Evaluation and Policy Training

• Insper hosted an Alliance for Data, Evaluation and Policy Training (ADEPT) launch event on March 25 with the participation of Esther Duflo
• The ADEPT network is convened by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and Community Jameel

Insper, a non-profit and leading institution in research and training in Brazil, is joining the Alliance for Data, Evaluation, and Policy Training (ADEPT), a global network of campuses and other members committed to training the next generation of researchers and decision-makers in public policy evaluation and data analysis.

ADEPT is a part of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a global research centre based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with an office in Brazil at Insper, and convened by Community Jameel, an international organisation advancing science and learning for communities to thrive. Members of ADEPT are united by a shared vision: to empower the next generation of policymakers, decision-makers and researchers with tools to innovate, test and scale social programmes to improve the lives of billions.

ADEPT’s members include Princeton University, the National School of Statistics and Applied Economics of Abidjan (ENSEA), in collaboration with the Ivorian government, and the Paris School of Economics.

Esther Duflo, co-founder of J-PAL, said: "Our aim is to create a vision-driven network of institutions around the world able to equip far more people in far more places with the skills and ambition for evidence-informed policymaking. We are excited to welcome Insper to the movement and create new opportunities for learners in Brazil."

Cristine Pinto, Insper's Director of Research, said: “This unprecedented initiative in Latin America reinforces Insper's commitment to academic excellence and the internationalisation of teaching, providing Brazilian students with access to a globally renowned programme. Promoting large-scale impact through research and data analysis is a core objective of Insper, shared by J-PAL and the expansion of ADEPT.”

Launch event

On March 25, Insper hosted an event to mark the global launch of ADEPT, the formalization of Insper’s role as a member institution, and the introduction of new training offers that Insper will offer as part of this network of member academic institutions. The programme included roundtables with representatives from J-PAL, Insper, MIT, Princeton University, and ENSEA, among other guests.

A highlight will be the keynote address delivered by Esther Duflo, co-founder of J-PAL and a co-recipient of the 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel (Nobel Prize in Economics), along with Sara Fisher Ellison (MIT), the faculty director of ADEPT.

New courses

In joining ADEPT, Insper will offer courses from the MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP) in a “flipped classroom” model, in which students participate in online classes and attend weekly in-person sessions taught by Insper faculty to discuss case studies and other course content, with examples tailored to the Brazilian context.

The collaboration will utilise online courses offered by MIT’s Office of Open Learning. For each course, students who complete the online coursework and pass a final proctored exam will receive certificates from MITx, MIT’s open online course platform. Students who take and pass the final exams for five courses, three core and two electives, will receive a DEDP MicroMasters credential issued by MITx.

In addition to offering these “flipped classroom” courses, Insper is developing a Lato Sensu specialisation programme that builds on the DEDP MicroMasters courses, with five additional courses from Insper’s Stricto Sensu Postgraduate Programs (PGSS), one seminar course, and a capstone, a final project showcasing applied knowledge. Students who complete this programme will receive a lato sensu certification in public policy from Insper in addition to a DEDP MicroMasters credential issued by MITx.

Those who obtain the DEDP MicroMasters credential are eligible to apply for an accelerated Master’s programme at Insper (Professional Master in Public Policy - MPP) and/or an accelerated Master’s programme at MIT (Master of Applied Science in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy - DEDP).