[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 222 (Monday, November 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63709-63710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24877]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 10938]


30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Evaluation of 
the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission to OMB of 
proposed collection of information.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State has submitted the information 
collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 we 
are requesting comments on this collection from all interested 
individuals and organizations. The purpose of this Notice is to allow 
30 days for public comment.

DATES: Submit comments directly to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) up to December 18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Direct comments to the Department of State Desk Officer in 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB). You may submit comments by the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]. You must include the 
DS form number, information collection title, and the OMB control 
number in the subject line of your message.
     Fax: 202-395-5806. Attention: Desk Officer for Department 
of State.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed collection instrument and 
supporting documents, to Natalie Donahue, Chief of Evaluation, Bureau 
of Educational and Cultural Affairs, who may be reached on at 
[email protected] or at (202) 632-6193.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
     Title of Information Collection: Evaluation of the Mandela 
Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.
     OMB Control Number: None.
     Type of Request: New collection.
     Originating Office: Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/
P/V).
     Form Number: No form.
     Respondents: Mandela Washington Fellowship program 
implementers and participating private individuals and organizations 
who interacted with the Fellows (including University staff, internship 
host organizations, peer collaborators, home stay hosts, and site 
visit/community service organizations).
     Estimated Number of Academic and Leadership Institute 
Survey Respondents: 100.
     Estimated Number of Academic and Leadership Institute 
Survey Responses: 40.
     Average Time per Academic and Leadership Institute Survey: 
30 minutes.
     Total Estimated Academic and Leadership Institute Survey 
Burden Time: 20 hours.
     Estimated Number of Professional Development Experience 
Host Survey Respondents: 407.
     Estimated Number of Professional Development Experience 
Host Responses: 122.
     Average Time per Professional Development Experience Host 
Survey: 30 minutes.
     Total Estimated Professional Development Experience Host 
Survey Burden Time: 61 hours.
     Estimated Number of Reciprocal Exchange Alumni Survey 
Respondents: 172.
     Estimated Number of Reciprocal Exchange Alumni Responses: 
52.
     Average Time per Reciprocal Exchange Alumni Survey: 30 
minutes.
     Total Estimated Reciprocal Exchange Alumni Survey Burden 
Time: 26 hours.
     Estimated Number of U.S. Community Members Survey 
Respondents: 50.
     Estimated Number of U.S. Community Members Responses: 15.
     Average Time per U.S. Community Members Survey: 25 
minutes.
     Total Estimated U.S. Community Members Survey Burden Time: 
6.25 hours.
     Estimated Number of Academic and Leadership Institute 
Staff Key Informant Interview Participants: 15.
     Average Time per Academic and Leadership Institute Staff 
Key Informant Interviews: 60 minutes.
     Total Estimated Academic and Leadership Institute Staff 
Key Informant Interviews Burden Time: 15 hours.
     Estimated Number of Professional Development Experience 
Host Organization Staff Key Informant Interview Participants: 15.
     Average Time per Professional Development Experience Host 
Organization Staff Key Informant Interviews: 60 minutes.
     Total Estimated Professional Development Experience Host 
Organization Staff Key Informant Interviews Burden Time: 15 hours.
     Estimated Number of Reciprocal Exchange Alumni Key 
Informant Interview Participants: 15.
     Average Time per Reciprocal Exchange Alumni Key Informant 
Interviews: 60 minutes.

[[Page 63710]]

     Total Estimated Reciprocal Exchange Alumni Key Informant 
Interviews Burden Time: 15 hours.
     Estimated Number of U.S. Community Member Focus Group 
Participants: 15.
     Average Time per U.S. Community Member Focus Group: 90 
minutes.
     Total Estimated U.S. Community Member Focus Group Burden 
Time: 22.5 hours.
     Estimated Number of Fellowship Experience Map 
Participants: 40.
     Average Time per Fellowship Experience Map Interview: 60 
minutes.
     Total Estimated Fellowship Experience Map Burden Time: 40 
hours.
     Total Estimated Number of Responses: 329.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 271.10 annual hours.
     Frequency: Once.
     Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department.
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

Please note that comments submitted in response to this Notice are 
public record. Before including any detailed personal information, you 
should be aware that your comments as submitted, including your 
personal information, will be available for public review.

Abstract of Proposed Collection

    The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, begun 
in 2014, is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders 
Initiative (YALI) that empowers young people through academic 
coursework, leadership training, and networking. The Fellows, who are 
between the ages of 25 and 35, have established records of 
accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive impact in their 
organizations, institutions, communities, and countries. This program 
is funded pursuant to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchanges Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451-2464).
    To evaluate the impacts of the program, the U.S. Department of 
State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) intends to 
conduct an evaluation of the program which cover Alumni from the 2014 
through the 2018 cohorts, Academic and Leadership Institute staff and 
representatives, Professional Development Experience representatives, 
Reciprocal Exchange participants, and other U.S. Community Members. 
This timeframe covers the first five-year grant period of the Mandela 
Washington Fellowship, which was implemented by IREX. As the Mandela 
Washington Fellowship has been implemented for five years, ECA is 
conducting this evaluation to determine the extent to which the program 
is achieving its long-term goals. In order to do so, ECA has contracted 
Guidehouse LLP to conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups with 
Fellowship Alumni and relevant stakeholders they engaged with during 
their time in the U.S.

Methodology

    To create an understanding of how the Mandela Washington Fellowship 
impacts individual stakeholder groups who engage in the program, the 
evaluation team will segment data collection by identifying the impact 
of the Fellowship program on Alumni, U.S. participants, home 
communities in Africa and the United States, and overall progress 
towards U.S. foreign policy objectives. The evaluation team will also 
review areas for improvement and/or change within the program's 
operations based on respondent feedback.
    The evaluation will use a mixed methods approach to data 
collection, utilizing qualitative and quantitative techniques, 
including: Online surveys, stakeholder interviews (remote and in-
person), focus group discussions (in-person), and Fellowship Experience 
Maps of a small sample of Fellowship Alumni and one U.S. 
representative. The Fellowship Experience Maps are detailed case 
studies of select Fellows' and Reciprocal Exchange Awardees' 
experiences during the Fellowship. Data analysis will then be 
undertaken to illustrate impact and lessons learned, and to draw 
linkages between program track and outcomes.

Nini Forino,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Bureau of Educational and 
Cultural Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2019-24877 Filed 11-15-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-05-P