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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF EVALUATION

As evaluation evolves, so does the way we come together. For our 40th anniversary, Evaluation 2026 introduces a more connected program experience, with five streams designed to help you explore ideas, discover new perspectives, and focus on what matters most.

Explore the streams below to find your path.

Foundations and Core Practice

This stream focuses on the foundational knowledge and practices that ground the evaluation profession. Sessions explore core competencies, ethical practice, professional standards, theory-informed evaluation, and the day-to-day realities of evaluation work across contexts.

Design, Methods, Evidence,
and Use

This stream focuses on methodological learning and design choices that produce credible, useful evidence to support evaluation learning, use, and influence.

Equity, Culture, and Justice
in Evaluation

This stream highlights sessions that foreground equity, cultural responsiveness, and justice across contexts. Sessions explore how culture, power, history, identity, and evaluator positionality shape evaluation questions, relationships, methods, interpretation, and use.

Innovation, Complexity, Systems, and Futures

This stream focuses on evaluation in or of dynamic systems and/or uncertain environments or contexts. Sessions explore systems thinking, complexity-awareness, developmental approaches, innovative methods, technology-enabled evaluation, futures-oriented thinking, and foresight approaches.

Building Professional Community Within and Beyond AEA

This stream centers explicitly on the people and relationships that sustain the evaluation profession. Sessions focus on professional identity, career pathways, mentoring, leadership development, collaboration, and community building within and beyond AEA.

Learn More

visit charlotte, nc

Experience the energy of Charlotte. From Uptown's vibrant skyline to the forefront of our field, join the AEA community as we gather to advance the practice and impact of evaluation. All conference functions will take place at The Charlotte Convention Center, and AEA has secured discounted hotel accommodations for attendees in hotels nearby.

evaluation 2026 checklist

Register

Reserve your spot to connect with thousands of colleagues from across the globe.

Plan Ahead

Explore the program to find the sessions you want to attend at Evaluation 2026.

Connect

See what this year’s theme, Evaluation Across Boundaries, is all about.

Explore

Explore Charlotte, NC, ahead of the conference to learn more about the "Queen City".

eval26 sponsors

Make New Connections

From small-group conversations to large community celebrations, Evaluation 2026 is designed to help you build relationships at every turn. Join Birds of a Feather discussions for informal, topic-driven exchanges, connect one-on-one with thought leaders at Meet the Authors, explore communities at the TIG Fair, and close out the week at the AEA Send-Off Celebration—a special 40th anniversary gathering to reflect, connect, and carry new ideas forward. 

Explore Networking Events