Evaluation of project, future of ICFS registration, 3 steps to conference
Date:	July 8th 2008
Location:	Canada
Contact:	Project Officer

From Marc Lemieux, Forum of Federations, Canada , lemieux@forumfed.org

Dear colleagues and friends, 
I hope that you and your families are well.

I am pleased to announce that the Forum of Federations wishes to co-host with the Iraqi Center for Federal Studies (ICFS) a 3-day conference in Arbil in middle of October.
The purpose will be to vote for the ICFS constitution and then to elect the ICFS executive committee.

This letter has three parts - the project evaluation results, the 15 survey questions, and the future of the ICFS (3 steps before the October conference).

1) CIDA evaluation results,

Only the 44 participants of the two Summer courses (2007) in Jordan were contacted by the evaluator.
The professors provided a very strong response of answers to 18 evaluation questions, many useful comments.  Here are the main results :

- professors confirm the need for federalism training and information in Iraqi society,
- many professors are now including federalism in their own university courses,
- professors are increasingly using the Iraqi website for sharing and downloading federalism materials with fellow academics and with students – www.iraqcfs.org
- the Forum has delivered translated federalism books to university libraries,
- professors want to be involved in training government officials about federalism in governorates,
- the course provided useful national networking with others,
- professors want more support from their university and Ministry,

Weaknesses of project :

1. a very poor presence of women professors in all 3 Forum courses,
2. professors want more dialogue with the Forum of Federations,
3. the Iraqi Center for Federal Studies (ICFS) is still not organised, is not registered,
4. professors trained on federalism are not contacting other universities to build an Iraqi network of expertise on federal studies, or to co-organise seminars,
5. there exists no full-time, stand-alone federalism course or federalism training certificate from a university,
6. Forum-trained professors should be more involved in training government officials and parliamentarians on federalism. 

2) Survey Questions,
I am now sending this message and list of 15 evaluation questions to 31 participants of the Third federalism course (Feb.2008). 

The Forum of Federations needs more information from you.  
Please send your answers in Arabic or English as soon as possible, to me or Mayada.

This information will assist the Forum to decide the agenda and participation of the National Conference in Arbil in October.

We need more details about 2 subjects – your university, and the ICFS :

A) your university :
1- In which university courses are you including federalism information, name the course ?
2- How many of your students are doing specific thesis research on federalism ?
3- Have your students consulted the ICFS website and used the Forum books ? How many students ?
4- How can we contact the students who are planning to do further research on federalism ?
5- Have you discussed and debated about federalism with professors from other universities ? Please comment.
6- Is the Ministry of Higher Education allowing the inclusion of federalism in a new university course curriculum during the next academic year (2008-2009) ?  Comment.
7- Will a full-time course on federalism be offered in your university next year ?  Comment.
8- Has your local newspaper, radio or TV given media coverage to federalism issues ?
9- Has the Governorate Council in your city (council officials) contacted your university to learn more about federalism ?  Comment.
10- Have you been interviewed by the media for your expertise about federalism ?

B) the ICFS, the Iraqi Center of Federal Studies,

The evaluation has determined that the Forum still has no partner organization in Iraq for future federalism training.
The ICFS must be officially registered in Iraq if the Forum wishes to continue the project in 2009.

The ICFS registration process requires the writing of a short ICFS constitution with details on ICFS purpose, structure, executive committee functions, main offices.

ICFS could be invited to join the International Association of Centers of Federal Studies.
The IACFS constitution is only 6 pages.  www.iacfs.org  (click  “by laws”)
I will soon send you the Arabic version of the IACFS constitution.

It is less important to have offices than to have active ICFS members at each university.
We hope that federalism seminars are taking place at your university, and with other universities. 

Five more questions :
11- Have you discussed the ICFS with your colleagues in the College of Law and Department of Political Science of your University ? Comment.
12- Have you reached a decision regarding registration approach : 1) as an independent scientific association under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Affairs, 2) or as an NGO.  Comment.
13- Does your dean support you in becoming a member of ICFS ?  
14- What should be in the constitution of the ICFS ? Comment.

15- Do you wish to nominate a person for the ICFS executive committee ?  Who ?
This person should be ready to assist with organizing the national conference.

3) the future of ICFS, 3 steps to a constitution,
The conference is intended to conclude with ratification of the ICFS constitution and the election of the ICFS executive committee.

Regarding ICFS independence and structure -
One example of structure that would allow ICFS independence from government is as follows : an ICFS executive and an advisory council.  
An ICFS executive committee of academics from each university and eminent federalism scholars (maybe former bureaucrats), and an advisory council which provides support to ICFS but has no voting power on ICFS decisions.

The Advisory Council could be comprised of government officials of various agencies, library officials, retired judges, eminent diplomats who would provide practical advice about the daily realities of policy makers and managers of the economy.
The advisory council would not have powers to vote on ICFS functions, thus allowing a degree of independence for ICFS members.

This structure exists at both the Institute for Intergovernmental Relations in Canada (http://www.queensu.ca/iigr/about/advisory.html ) and at the Forum of Federations itself.
The Forum’s Board of Directors is comprised of global academics and federalism experts, while a strategy council is comprised of 9 federations, state supporters (who give money to the Forum).
Consultations take place regularly between the Forum Board of Directors and the Strategic Council. http://www.forumfed.org/en/partners/partnergovernments.php  

The ICFS constitution should be discussed well before the October conference, with a final draft being agreed by vote at the conference, not after the conference.

This Summer, 3 steps can be taken for writing a draft ICFS constitution :

Step 1) Start regional discussions on ICFS constitution this Summer.
I propose four regional discussions –
- discussions between 4 universities in South (Basra, Dhi Qar, Muthana & Missan),
- between 5 universities in South-Central,
- between 6 universities in Central (3 in Baghdad, Anbar, Tikrit, Diyala) and
- between 4 Kurdistan universities, Mosul, Kirkuk.

Step 2) At end of July, results of each regional ICFS discussions including draft constitutions can be shared with academics in the other 3 regions.

Step 3) Four weeks later, at beginning of September, each region can send comments on draft ICFS constitutions of other regions.
Make a list of advantages and disadvantages of each.

Finally, at the conference in October, participants break into mixed groups to analyze all ICFS constitutional proposals.  Presentations are made. Then all academics vote.

Participants need to read these ICFS proposals BEFORE the conference.
Each university should send 2 persons to the October conference.
Professors need the dean’s permission.
The executive committee of the ICFS should be elected by members at the conference.

Thank you very much for your survey answers and comments.
Please let me know if you have any questions.

With warm regards,

Marc Lemieux
lemieux@forumfed.org