Mid-Term Evaluation of the Asia-Link Programme

Detailed description of project Back

The Asia-Link Programme is a tool of economic cooperation embodying – across the higher education sector – the EU’s strategic priority of enhanced partnerships with Asia. It aims, through the facilitation of successful and relevant Projects, to “Reinforce existing partnerships between European and Asia universities and create new and sustainable linkages. The programme serves as a framework for a broad range of activities aimed towards:

• Upgrading and enhancing the skills and mobility of postgraduate students, teaching staff and administrators of higher education institutions through the provision of in-country and overseas training;
• Promoting the exchange of experience and encouraging mutual knowledge and recognition of study programmes and reciprocal access to higher education;
• Encouraging the creation of a basis for future development, including: common curricula and courses/modules; agreements on credit transfer and mutual degree recognition, and reciprocal access to higher education, etc.;
• Increasing the availability of information about the EU higher education system in the participating Asian countries in order to enhance the attractiveness of European higher education;
• Providing Asian students with a broader choice of study-abroad opportunities;
• Raising awareness of opportunities in the sector and developing links that can ultimately lead to mutually beneficial economic co-operation.

The operational budget of the Programme is EUR 42.793 million. A First Call for proposals was launched in 2002, a second one in 2003, and a third (on-going) one in 2004, each with two deadlines. The 2002 call generated 210 project proposals, of which 42 were approved, for a total amount of EUR 12.2 million. Under the 2003 call, the EC received 240 proposals and approved 33 projects, at a cost of EUR 10 million.

The general objective of this Mid-Term Evaluation is to appraise Asia-Link and to assess the extent to which it has achieved its objectives. The ToR require that it assess the impact of the Programme and its supported actions to date; review relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability; appraise the Programme’s organisation and management; and explore possible improvements and future actions in the framework of its possible extension.

Type of services provided

PROMAN provided the services of an Evaluation Team of an Education Specialist – Team Leader, an Asian Development Economist and a Social Scientist. The Team conducted fieldwork in eight Asian countries and seven European countries. They visited a total of 51 universities; covering 15 Projects, held consultations with Delegations and EC offices, with representatives of Member States (and prospective Member States), with Government agencies and with other relevant bodies. The Team carried out detailed analyses of the responses to questionnaires provided by universities now participating in Asia-Link but not visited, and also those from rejected applicants.On the basis of this collection of data the Team:

• Drew conclusions about the achievement and present status of implementation of the Asia-Link Programme;
• Made recommendations on how to improve the programme’s sustainability and impact and determine longer-term priorities in the area covered by the programme;
• Summarised the main lessons that should be learned from the Asia-Link Programme;
• Submitted proposals and recommendations for future interventions of the programme.