At the middle of the AUN/SEED-Net Project period, the mid-term evaluation was conducted to summarize impacts of the Project based on the Project Design Matrix (PDM) in order to determine the achievement of the Project, revise the initial plan if needed, and address the issues of implementation for the Project's improvement in the latter half of the Project period and the sustainability of the Network.

Teams of joint evaluators from JICA Headquarters, JICA Thailand Office, Japanese Supporting University Consortium (JSUC), AUN Board of Trustee, and AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat traveled to several member countries to collect opinions and ideas from concerned persons in Member Institutions (MIs) through interviews and questionnaires. After a series of interviews and questionnaires the evaluation teams have reached the following results:

Functions of the Network
All MIs evaluated that the exchange of academic staff and cooperative activities through the Project can improve their educational and research capacities, which is relevant to their needs. Students studying in another ASEAN country can learn knowledge or technology in a similar setting to their home countries, which is very much useful for them. Some students pointed out that this project contributes much to unity in the region.

Effectiveness and Efficiency
It is difficult and too early to discuss the effectiveness and the overall result of the project. Some evidences, however, indicate effective implementation of the Project. Outputs in terms of faculty qualification improvement and host graduate program enhancement are being achieved, and strengthening the linkage among Members is being promoted, while more efforts can also be made. The inputs have been well utilized for the activities to yield expected outputs in general.

Impacts at Member Institutions
It is too early to assess the overall impact of the project since it requires more time and inputs beyond the Project framework to achieve the overall goal, “Economic sustainability is enhanced” through engineering human resource development. However, most MIs agreed that strengthened ties among ASEAN countries through the network and expansion of the relationship is a visible impact of the Project. After the commencement of the Project, MOUs and more collaborations have been settled between JSU and MI, or between MIs based on the network created. Some MIs have been conducting a regional seminar on their own after the Project supported the first seminar. In some HIs, international academic atmosphere has stimulated local students and brought a positive impact in terms of cultural exchange. The Project is also seen as a successful model to upgrade qualifications of academic staff.

Sustainability of the Network
Human relationships within MIs and JSUs can be sustained through expansion and function of AUN/SEED-Net, on the one hand. On the other hand, some critical issues have to be considered for sustainability of the network itself, especially in the aspects of strategy, organizational management, and finance. The strategy and the policy paper should be carefully reviewed, shared, and well understood by all stakeholders, and proper actions should be taken to sustain the Network. Support for alumni organization and members thus should be included in the future perspective. An organizational scale should be set up in a more manageable manner depending on the form of future network. It is also vital to share more portions of work or financial resources between MIs or governmental entities and to find other financial sources for scholarships, seminars, and research support funds. At the same time, each activity may need to be implemented in a more cost effective way.

Conclusion
During the first half of the Project, the schemes and the activities have been evolved toward the project purpose by field-wise and host-sending approach. This has been totally a challenge in developing a new type of network among universities in ASEAN with support of universities in Japan. Remarkably, the Network is the pioneer of its kind, and has been a model for future similar efforts. It has directed its members to human resource development in a cost effective and local knowledge oriented manner, and at the same time to tighter relationships. Further effects and impacts of the Network will be revealed later given that it becomes sustainable and durable. It is therefore imperative to set up some structures to sustain the Network after the project period.

For further details, please see the Minutes of the Meetings of Mid-term Evaluation, which was endorsed at the 10th Steering Committee Meeting and was distributed to all MIs. Copies can also be obtained from AUN/SEED-Net Secretariat upon request.

Ms. Vantanee Arunotai joined AUN/SEED-Net in March 2006 as Program Officer in charge of the fields of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) and Geological Engineering (GeoE).