SV-2007-0020 MEPI Study of the United States Institutes (Post-program

Congratulations on finishing your Summer Institute!

Before you leave, we would like to ask you a few questions about your program, plans, and opinions. The purpose of these questions is to help us better understand the diversity of our participants, the impact of the program, and to help us design better programs in the future.

Please feel free to give us your honest opinions. This survey is not a test, and there are no right or wrong answers. Thank you for your participation, and we wish you safe and happy travels home.

Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act Statements:

The information solicited on this survey is requested pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-62) and the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, as amended, also known as the Fulbright-Hays Act (22 U.S.C. 2451, et seq.). In order to ensure that the U.S. Department of State’s international exchange programs meet statutory program requirements (22 U.S.C. 2460(c)), the Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) regularly monitors the programs, gathers data about program accomplishments, and evaluates selected ones. ECA uses the information collected to inform program design, management, and funding. All personal information that is collected through surveys is considered confidential. All responses are coded to ensure the confidentiality of individual responses. Data collected under this study will not be shared, sold, or used for fundraising purposes. Survey data and findings will be used only in an aggregate form for the express purposes of fulfilling the data needs of the outcome assessment. Responses to this survey are voluntary.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average thirty (30) minutes to respond to this survey, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and respondents are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. Please send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to: A/ISS/DIR, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520.

1. Exchange programs provide participants with many important opportunities for learning and engaging people from other countries. In the table below, please select the three most important accomplishments of your program.

	
[INSERT Institute specific program goal 1]
[INSERT Institute specific program goal 2]
[INSERT Institute specific program goal 3]
[INSERT Institute specific program goal 4]
[INSERT Institute specific program goal 5]
[INSERT Institute specific program goal 6]
Other (Please write in): ________________________________________

2. Please elaborate on the impact of any of these or other accomplishments, not listed above.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Please rate your satisfaction with the following program components. Please check one box in each row.

	Very Dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Neutral	Satisfied	Very Satisfied
Administration
Content
Variety of experiences
Relevance of program to professional or educational development

4. Please rate your satisfaction with the following specific program components. Please check one box in each row.

	Very Dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Neutral	Satisfied	Very Satisfied
Interactions with the United States embassy in your home country prior to departure for the United States
Correspondence with your Institute, travel info, and other preparations prior to departure for the United States
State Department welcome reception
On-campus Institute orientation
Administration/organization of the Institute (for example, whether program events were well-planned and run efficiently, whether scheduling and itinerary was well-organized, etc.)
Institute academic content (topics covered, readings, etc.)
Teaching quality (professors engaging? lessons well-structured, interactive?)
Homework load
Institute leadership training content
Leadership faculty/trainer quality
Guest speakers/guest faculty
Program administrative staff
Student mentors/escorts/RAs
Housing
Meals
Access to libraries/campus facilities
Access to the Internet/email, computing facilities
Cultural/entertainment activities
Out-of-classroom trips and meetings
Site visits (including overnight trips)
Sensitivity of program to your cultural or religious needs
Community service activities

5. What did you like best about the program?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What did you like least about the program?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Do you have any suggestions for improvement of the program?

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8. Please rate your current knowledge and understanding of the following topics and themes highlighted in your MEPI Study of the US Summer Institute program. Please check one box in each row.

	No Knowledge	Less Than Basic	Basic Knowledge	Beyond Basic	Advanced Knowledge
Leadership
Community service
Political engagement and activism
The structure of the United States government
The history of the United States
The role of an independent media in American society
United States economy
Business practices in the United States
American values, society and culture

9. While you were in the United States, did you increase your knowledge and understanding of the following topics and themes highlighted in your MEPI Study of the US Summer Institute program? Please check one box in each row.

	No, not at All	A Little	Somewhat	A Good Deal
Leadership
Community service
Political engagement and activism
The structure of the United States government
The history of the United States
The role of an independent media in American. society
United States economy
Business practices in the United States
American values, society and culture

10. Please rate your current skills in these areas. Please check one box in each row.

	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
Read English
Speak English
Write English
Make presentations in English
Use the Internet for research

11. What did you accomplish or learn, during this MEPI Study of the US Summer Institute program that you could not accomplish or learn at home?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. What is the most important thing you learned about the United States while on this program?

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13. What is the most important thing you learned about your own country while on this program?

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14. Do you think you will share your program experience or the knowledge you gained during your exchange in any of the following ways? Please check one box in each row.

	Yes	No
Participate in media interviews (newspaper, television, radio, internet)
Give presentations to community, neighborhood, school or university groups
Write newspapers articles, including editorials and opinion pieces.
Write academic books
Write non-academic books
Write academic articles—for journals or academic publications
Other (Please write in): _____________________________________________

15. As a direct result of your participation in the exchange program, do you think you will do or receive any of the following at school or university? Please check one box in each row.

	Yes	No
Higher level of responsibilities or leadership at school/university
Organize or initiate new activities or projects at school/university
Establish a new organization at school/university

16. As a direct result of your participation in the exchange program, do you think you will do or receive any of the following in your community? Please check one box in each row.

	Yes	No
Assume a leadership role or position in your community
Organize or initiate new activities or projects in your community
Establish a new organization in your community

17. How much do you agree/disagree with the following statements about you as an individual? Please check one box in each row.

	Strongly Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Neither agree nor Disagree	Somewhat Agree	Strongly Agree
I feel I have many choices in my life
I feel I can make a difference in my family
I feel I can make a difference in my community
I feel I can influence people around me

18. Please rate your knowledge or understanding of the following topics. Please check one box in each row.

	No Knowledge	Less Than Basic	Basic Knowledge	Beyond Basic	Advanced Knowledge
United States democracy
United States economy
United States values and culture
Religious and ethnic diversity in the United States
Freedom of speech and press in the United States
Voluntary community service in the United States
Daily life in the United States

19. How much did participation in the program change your understanding or knowledge of the following topics? Please check one box in each row.

	No Change	Minimal Change	Moderate Change	Substantial Change
United States democracy
United States economy
United States values and culture
Religious and ethnic diversity in the United States
Freedom of speech and press in the United States
Voluntary community service in the United States
Daily life in the United States

20. How do you view the United States government and the American people? Please check one box in each row.

	Strongly Unfavorable	Generally Unfavorable	Neither favorable or unfavorable	Generally Favorable	Strongly Favorable
United States government
American people

21. How did your views of the United States government and the American people change as a result of your program participation? Please check one box in each row.

	Much Less Favorable	Less Favorable	No Change	More Favorable	Much More Favorable
United States government
American people

22. How do you view the United States government and its relationship with your home country?

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither Agree or Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
The United States government is a trustworthy partner for my country

23. Please respond with your evaluation of the following statements about the United States. Please check one box in each row.

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
Americans rely on a system of laws to protect the individual
Americans are materialistic
The United States is a violent country where people do not feel safe
The United States is a well-functioning democracy
Americans are not well informed about my region of the world
Americans are not a religious people
Americans are family-oriented
Americans play an active role in their communities
The United States provides equal opportunities for all
The United States has even-handed policies toward Muslim countries
The United States imposes its views on other countries

24. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statements below? Please check one box in each row.

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
Voting is important because real decisions are made in elections
Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of democracy
An independent media is important to the free flow of information
All citizens in a country should have equal rights and protections under the law, regardless of circumstances
The Rule of Law is fundamental to a functioning democracy
Individuals and organizations have the right to free speech and to voice opposition
Democratic principles enhance the workplace. Supervisors should incorporate democratic principles into their management practices

25. To what extent have your expectations or plans for the future changed as a result of participating in the program?

	
Not Changed at All
Have Changed Somewhat
Have Changed a Great Deal
Unsure

26. If so, how have they changed?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

27. Do you think you will remain in contact with people you met during your exchange program?

	
Yes
No

28. Do you think you will stay in touch with the following people when you return home? Please check one box in each row.

	Yes	No	Do Not Know
Other Institute program participants
Institute staff/program administration
Institute Faculty
Student facilitators
Other students
Americans in the community whom you met
U.S. State Department staff in Washington D.C.
U.S Embassy staff
Other (Please write in): _______________________________________

29. What year of university/college have you most recently completed?

	
None
1st year
2nd year
3rd year
4th year
5th year

30. Which of these fields are you considering studying or working in when you graduate? Please check one.

			
Agriculture		Media, mass communications, journalism, communication technology, advertising, graphics
Athletics		Medicine
Arts and humanities (history, languages, literature, art, theater, etc.)		Military service
Business administration, finance		Public administration
Computer science, information technology		Public health
Education		Religion
Engineering		Science (physics, math, chemistry, biology, astronomy, geography, agronomy, etc.)
Environment		Social sciences (sociology, economics, psychology, political science, etc.)
Government		Social work
Humanitarian affairs, development assistance, conflict resolution		Teaching English, English language instructions
International relations		Teaching (general)
Labor, trade unions		Not sure
Law, judicial, law enforcement		Other (Please write in): _____________________
Library and information science

31. Geographic location: I live in…

	
My country’s capital city
Another major city in my country other than the capital
A small city, town or rural location in my country

32. Home Country [Drop down box]

32. Age [Drop down box]

32. Gender

	
Female
Male

32. Which language do you consider to be your native language/mother tongue? ________________

32. What religious group do you consider yourself a member of or feel closest to? Please check one.

			
Baha’ism		Judaism
Buddhism		Shintoism
Christianity		Sikhism
Confucianism		Taoism
Hinduism		Zoroastrianism
Islam		Other (Please write in): _______________________
Jainism

32. Do you know about and have you registered for the State Department Alumni website, https://alumni.state.gov?

	
Yes, I know about it and I have registered
Yes, I know about it but I have not yet registered
Yes, I know about it but I do not plan to register
No, I do not know about it

32. Thank you for completing this survey! If you have additional comments you would like to make, please do so here.

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32. How long did it take you to complete this survey? ______ Minutes

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!

0 OMB No: 1405-0158

Control No: SV2007-0020

Expiration Date: 02/29/08

Estimated Burden Time: 40 minutes