External evaluation report. Master’s program in “Communication for Development”, Master’s program “Intercultural Communication” 2006 -2013

Background:
Within the framework of the agreement of inter-institutional cooperation between the Centre for Postgraduate Studies, the Department of Social Communication (CEPI) at the University of San Fransisco Xavier (USFX) in Bolivia, NLA Gimlekollen University College, the University of Agder (since 2008) and the Norwegian Mission Alliance, three versions of a Master program in ‘Communication for development’ (the first version) and ‘Intercultural Communication’ (the two last versions) have been carried out in the period September 2006 – March 2013. The program has been given in three cities in the Southern part of Bolivia; in Tarija, Oruro and Sucre. Representatives from all partner institutions have constituted an inter-institutional committee with overall responsibilities for the design and the running of the program.

Purpose/objective:
As part of the finalization of the three versions of the Master program, NLA Gimlekollen University College has programmed an external evaluation. The main objective of this evaluation was to get information about the organization and the management of the program. The objective was to assess the achievements in terms of purposes and goals specified in plans and project documents, considering the efficiency in the execution of the plan, the achieved results and with an emphasis on impact. Furthermore, to provide input to the possible continuation of the Master degree program and other post graduate programs at USFX. (The fact that the third version was finalized without any concrete plans for a new version of the program and without any prospects of financing from Norway implied that the input from the evaluation could not be utilized in efforts to improve and strengthen this master’s program.)

Methodology:
The evaluation team consisted of two persons who both have long experience in teaching, supervision and research at universities in Bolivia and Norway. The team has employed conventional methods in the production of data; in depth interviews with stakeholders, teachers, supervisors and students; an internet-based questionnaire; and revision of relevant documents.

Key findings:
The report parts from the context of postgraduate studies in Bolivia in a time of social and political crisis, conflict and change. The evaluation team considers this Master program to be highly relevant both because of its thematic orientation and because it offers a theoretical/professional response to a crisis situation. The program is also pertinent because of its location in the South of the country and because of its uniqueness within the context of higher education in Bolivia.

A legal change occurring in Bolivia in 2010 with the introduction of the Financial Law, has seriously affected the contracting of program and educational personnel in this as well as other Master programs at USFX. This change, which has complicated the running of the program in an uncontrollable way, has been taken into consideration in the team’s evaluation of its efficiency. Both the organizational – institutional set-up and the management of the program have been efficient and impressive taking into consideration that it is academically as well as logistically ambitious. However, from 2010 the new legal conditions for contracting have had negative effects that together with other institutional changes weakened the academic and administrative management of the third version. The evaluation team notes that this weakening took place in spite of the program management’s and leadership’s capacity to incorporate into the program design recommended changes from the first external evaluation report from 2008.

The change from 2010 has also to some extent affected the efficacy of the program. Most notable concerning the efficacy, however, is that the results in terms of the numbers of students admitted to the program, the students graduating from it and the number that have defended their thesis are similar to other postgraduate programs in Bolivia. It is surprising that the numbers are not higher when we consider the fellowships offered and the relatively higher level of economic investment (from external Norwegian sources) in this program.

Because the decision has been made to discontinue the external economic support of the program, the team has given importance to the evaluation of its possible impact in the current and foreseeable future. One of the crucial aspects is how and to what extent the graduated students manage to apply theory on and skills concerning intercultural communication and development in their professional lives. This is especially important because this program has offered perspectives and approaches alternative to the traditional economistic development paradigm. One can clearly observe that the degree of application varies considerably due to the sector of the job market the graduated students are active in. Students report that there are more possibilities and openness to their ideas and proposals in the university and NGO sectors, and considerably less opportunity in the media and public administration sectors. Moreover, the Master program has definitely qualified new professionals in social communication outside of the geographical axis of development in Bolivia. The impact, however, is insecure because the restricted and changing job market and better job opportunities in the areas of the central axis causes significant internal labour migration. From a longer list of impacts, it should also be mentioned that it is probable that the master program has served CEPI to gain experiences within new themes at the postgraduate level. Moreover, the specialized library at USFX is of value and has a potential impact for a longer time period – if it is continuously re-actualized.

Recommendations:
Concerning the possibility of establishing a future version of the program or a distinct but similar program, the evaluation team welcomes the two existing proposals at CEPI and the Department of Social Communication. At the same time, it is crucial that the two unities at USFX start the planning of a new program by clarifying the issue of where to locate the program. The team also recommends that the Norwegian partners renovate their institutional contact with USFX CEPI, with the aim of contributing academically and financially to the establishment of a future program – and as a minimum to support the continued building of the specialized library.