East-West Population Institute : mid-course evaluation on demographic data collection in Asia

Special evaluation covers the period 6/78-2/80 and is based on visits to Indonesia and South Korea, document review, and interviews with East-West Population Institute (EWPI) staff and workshop participants. The EWPI has performed competently; the quality of its staff, resources, and research is excellent. The 13 of 23 planned workshops that have been held on censuses, vital registration, and matters relating to the World Fertility Survey have been EWPI"s strongest achievement. Difficulty in ensuring participation of Chinese and other Asian scholars, however, threatens the value of the two workshops planned on China"s demography. The EWPI has produced two reports on existing data editing and imputation software, developed and modified data evaluation and analysis software, and provided LDC"s with technical assistance (TA) in computer programs and documentation. The EWPI has also published two periodicals as well as studies evaluating the demographic situations, census and vital registration systems, and population programs of various countries. Some of the studies are excellent, but others are of lower quality. To date, EWPI has provided only minimal in-country TA on data collection and analysis. Although the EWPI deserves continued support, the emphasis of the project should be changed. Among the 25 recommendations are that: (1) the use of workshops be continued and that they be objectively evaluated; (2) the emphasis of future workshops be on data analysis; (3) workshops be tailored to participants" skill levels; (4) workshops on China not be scheduled unless proven beneficial to A.I.D.; (5) use of existing computer programs be maximized; (6) A.I.D. specify the software to be written and documented by EWPI; (7) a future EWPI contract provide for analysis of 1980 Asian census data; (8) the high cost of EWPI research activities be studied; (9) sole-source funding of EWPI be re-evaluated; (10) in-country TA on software and data collection be intensified; and (11) greater efforts be made to ensure that appropriate LDC personnel, including women, participate in EWPI activities.