LATIN AMERICAN TEACHING FELLOWSHIP (LATF) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THIS FINAL EVALUATION OF LATIN AMERICAN TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS (LATF), WRITTEN WITHOUT ACCESS TO CONTRACTOR"S FINAL REPORT (POSSIBLY MIS-FILED AT TFTS UNIVERSITY), NOTES THAT THE NUMBER OF COURSES AND THE RESEARCH CAPACITY IN LATIN AMERICAN (LA) UNIVERSITIES APPEAR TO HAVE INCREASED, BUT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF MUCH INTERACTION OF LA PROFESSORS WITH INDUSTRY. 41 U.S. FELLOWS PARTICIPATED IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH IN LA. TWO CRITICISMS WERE RECORDED: 1. SOME LATF FELLOWS LACKED BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE WHICH SOME LA COUNTRIES EXPECTED AND, 2. SOME LATF FELLOWS FELT THE DEMANDS OF THE PROGRAM WERE NOT ACCURATELY REPRESENTED DURING THEIR RECRUITMENT. THERE WAS NO DATA TO CONFIRM WHETHER TRAINEES WERE RETURNED TO HMOE COUNTRY UNIVERSITY ASSIGNMENTS OR WHETHER 20 WORKERS IN PRIVATE ENTERPRISE WERE TRAINED BY INTERNS. HOWEVER LATF REPORTS THAT PROGRESS WAS MADE BY COOPERATING COUNTRIES IN ESTABLISHING 10 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS IN NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES. THERE IS NO WAY TO CONFIRM IF THE EDUCATION OF INDIGENOUS LA PROFESSORS AND TECHNICIANS WAS ENHANCED. AID/W NEEDS TO PROVIDE STRONG MANAGEMENT TO SIMILAR GRANTS.