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Survey Work and Demographic ResearchThe University: Experience and Qualifications Since its founding in 1855 as the first land grant university in the U.S., Michigan State University has adhered to its original mission: to “strive to discover practical uses for theoretical knowledge, and to speed the diffusion of information to residents of the state, the nation, and the world.” In operational terms, MSU has concentrated on building its strengths in educating and training succeeding generations of researchers both from the U.S. and the world at large. It has sought to establish collaborative links with people and institutions worldwide, broadening its research, academic and service outreach. MSU is recognized as a center of excellence in international development. The academic and professional community at Michigan State is highly diverse and responsive and augments the University’s international goals with a broad array of globally relevant skills and expertise. People from every county in Michigan, every state in the U.S. and 134 countries around the world contribute to the University’s success. Annually, more than 3500 international students and scholars enroll in MSU’s graduate and undergraduate and certificate programs. MSU plays host to hundreds of international visitors every year who come to view campus research facilities, participate in campus life as visiting scholars and specialists, or to meet with MSU colleagues. Hundreds of MSU faculty members are engaged in critical outreach programs in many countries throughout the world, teaching, conducting research or providing technical assistance. For more than 50 years, Michigan State University has been a leader among U.S. universities in international development programs. MSU has had a broad and deepening involvement in conducting technical assistance and research in developing countries, assisting the development of new institutions, and providing training for development tasks. MSU, through its Departments and Institutes and Centers, has also managed projects throughout the world, providing short- and long-term in-country technical assistance, degree and non-degree training programs, and extensive backstopping support from the main campus. The Office of the Dean of International Studies and Programs has overall responsibility for the university’s international initiatives. While historically a majority of MSU’s international development and technical assistance projects have been conducted by faculty in various departments of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, international expertise is increasingly incorporated into all aspects of university life marking MSU as a global university. The Office of Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) holds fiscal audit authority and responsibility for the MSU contractual portfolio with both domestic and international external donors. In fiscal 2005-2006 awards for sponsored projects reached $319 million. To ensure that MSU is aware of, and can comply with the various agency regulations, CGA is organized by funding agency. CGA has a separate group dedicated to administration of international projects. Views of our globe remind us of an invaluable lesson: the planet on which the human drama unfolds is beautiful, complex, but finite. Just as we understand that our natural environment is composed of an interconnected web of living organisms and inanimate resources, so too, we have come to realize that societies around the world are interdependent. Today’s rapidly changing world of instant communications, international economies and shifting political patterns demands leaders in all fields who recognize the global and community dimensions of human interactions. Graduate students and undergraduates discover the importance of conducting and utilizing information through surveys and demographic research. One of the entry points is the specialization on international development through MSU’s Center for Advanced Study of International Development. Multidisciplinary in theory and practice; the specialization is based on the methodologies, theories and literatures of the social sciences and liberal arts and involves faculty from the social sciences, arts, languages, and applied professional fields. MSU has a distinguished record in the field of demographic research and survey work. Renowned for Michael Bratton’s Afrobarometer, the application is widespread for retrieval of survey data in an increasing number of countries around the world. Afrobarometer The Afrobarometer conducts a comparative series of national public attitude surveys to measure the social, political and economic atmosphere in Africa. Because the survey instrument asks a standard set of questions, countries can be systematically compared and trends in the evolution of public opinion can be tracked over time. Results are shared with decision makers, policy advocates, civic educators, journalists, researchers, donors and investors, as well as average Africans who wish to become more informed and active citizens. Surveys are repeated on a regular cycle. Round 1 (1999-2001) included 12 countries, and Round 2 (2002-2003) expanded to 15. Round 3 surveys (2005-2006) will be conducted in 18 countries: Benin, Botswana, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Afrobarometer Network is comprised of three core partners – Michigan State University, the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa), and the Center for Democratic Development in Ghana (CDD-Ghana) – as well as National Partners in each of the survey countries. Donor support for Round 3 will be provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the African Development Bank, the U.K. Department For International Development, and the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Afrobarometer recently received the Comparative Politics Dataset Award from the American Political Science Association. ( http://www.afrobarometer.org/) Institute for Public Policy and Social Research Extending MSU’s scholarly expertise to policymaking communities is at the heart of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research’s mission. Over the past three decades, IPPSR has built a reputation for serving leaders and scholars with top-notch research, inviting discussion, and world-class political leadership training. IPPSR applies research to pressing policy issues and builds problem-solving relationships between the academic and policymaker communities. To this end the Institute:
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