International Attendees: The American Evaluation Association (AEA) welcomes attendees from around the world to our Evaluation Conference to be held November 5-8, 2008 in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. This page is designed to help international attendees learn more about AEA's international outreach, available resources, and ways to make the most of the conference experience. Click on any of the topics below to go directly to more information.

• International Travel Awards
• Letters of Invitation
• International and Cross-cultural Evaluation Topical Interest Groups (ICCE TIG)
• Nametags
• Questions

Call For Proposals for 2008 AEA International Travel Awards for Conference Presenters: We are pleased to invite professional evaluators living and practicing in developing countries or countries in transition to submit applications for travel subsidies to attend and present at the 2008 AEA Annual Conference, to be held November 5-8, 2008 in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. Funds are raised through generous donations to a silent auction held annually. This year we anticipate awarding four travel subsidies of approximately $2,000 each. The subsidies may be used to cover actual travel costs, food, shared accommodations, and conference registration. All awards are paid out at the conference as reimbursement of expenses. Those selected will be notified by July 3, 2008.

Eligibility Criteria: In order to qualify for the AEA International Travel Award, applicants must meet all criteria below: 

• Have not previously participated in AEA conferences;
• Demonstrate good fluency in English, being able to make a professional presentation and sustain a discussion in English (potential award winners may be interviewed by one of the International and Cross-Cultural TIG Co-Chairs as part of the selection process);
• Submit a complete INDIVIDUAL application (no group applications will be accepted!) including cover letter, budget, and letters of reference;
• Reside and practice evaluation in a developing country or country in transition for at least two years;
• Propose to present at the Evaluation 2008 conference and have at least one proposal accepted.

The Submission Process: Begin by reviewing the proposal submission guidelines online by clicking here. You may submit a proposal to make any type of presentation focusing on any evaluation topic.

To apply for the travel award, (1) submit the proposal to present, using the regular conference proposal submission guidelines, by the March 14, 2008, deadline, and (2) send an email to Tessie Catsambas at tcatsambas@encompassworld.com with the following documents: 

• A cover letter, of no more than two pages, indicating (a) your unique evaluation experience that could be shared with evaluators in similar/different settings, (b) how you expect this opportunity to enhance your work in evaluation in your home country, (c) your eligibility for the award as defined by the criteria listed above, and (d) your full contact information: email, telephone, postal address, and work affiliation.
• A budget, indicating your expected travel expenses
• Two letters of support, one of which must come from, and document your membership in, your local evaluation association (if one exists), and  your full contact information: email, telephone, postal address, and work affiliation.

Proposals should be in English, while letters of support may be in a different language (English, Spanish, or French are preferred). Reviewers will rank the candidates based on the quality and relevance of the proposals submitted by the applicant for presentation at the conference and the quality of the supporting documentation (cover letter and letters of support). 

Assistance With Your Proposal and Application: If you are considering applying for an international travel subsidy and would like assistance in developing and compiling your conference proposal and/or your travel award application, please contact Tessie Catsambas at tcatsambas@encompassworld.com on or before Friday, February 29, 2008. We will connect you with a coach from AEA's International and Cross-cultural Topical Interest Group.

Application Deadline: Friday, March 14, 2008 at midnight in the Eastern time zone in the United States. Please note that this is the same deadline as for submitting a conference proposal and that you must have both submitted your conference proposal AND emailed your supporting documents to Tessie Catsambas on or before Friday, March 14, 2008.

Letters of Invitation: For many people, letters of invitation help smooth the visa process and we wish to support international attendees in their efforts to secure the needed travel documentation. However, in order to receive a letter of invitation, the conference organizers must have some assurance that you intend to attend the conference if your travel request is granted. Letters will be issued to those meeting any ONE of the following criteria:

1. You have been a member of AEA since prior to 12/31/2007
2. You are scheduled to present at the annual conference
3. You have completed and paid for 2008 conference registration
4. You have won an AEA international travel award
5. You can provide evidence of your work or study in the field of evaluation.

If you require a letter of invitation in order to attend the annual conference, please email (indicate "invitation letter" in subject line) the following information to Heidi Nye in the AEA office at heidi@eval.org.

• An indication of which of the five criteria above you meet, including documentation of your work or study in the field of evaluation if you meet only criteria #5
• The full address that should appear on the letter
• The name and title of the person to whom the letter should be addressed
• Whether you prefer that the letter be mailed or faxed (and provide a fax number if the latter is preferred)
• Any other information that you believe is needed in order to process your request for a letter or to develop the letter of invitation.

Letters of invitation will be either faxed or mailed via the United States Postal Service using standard international delivery. Due to the costs involved, AEA cannot send letters of invitation via express mail services. We strongly encourage you to make your request at the earliest date possible. Requests received after October 6th may not be able to be honored. Letters of invitation are sent within three working days of receipt of all requested information. If you have questions about obtaining a letter of invitation, please direct them to Heidi Nye in the AEA office via email at heidi@eval.org or via phone at 1-508-748-3326.

International and Cross Cultural Topical Interest Groups [ICCE TIG): The International and Cross-cultural Topical Interest Group focuses on knowledge and information sharing about evaluation in the areas of:

• International settings, policies and programs, with emphasis on developing countries
• Economic, social, and human development programs and projects
• Cross-cultural programs and projects.

At the conference, the ICCE TIG sponsors a strand of sessions focusing on their areas of interest. Under each session listed in the program, you can find its TIG sponsor. This is a great way to narrow down selections during the timeslots when you have over 20 sessions from which to choose! The full program will be posted online in September. The full list of TIGs may be found at http://www.eval.org/aboutus/organization/tigs.asp.

Nametags: When you check in at the conference registration desk, you will receive your hardcopy program and nametag that indicates the country from which you hail. The nametag serves as a wonderful networking tool throughout the conference. Having your country shown on your nametag is sure to start up conversation about evaluation, and life, in your part of the world.

Questions: Please address questions about registration and logistics to Heidi Nye in the AEA office at heidi@eval.org or 1-508-748-3326.

We look forward to seeing you at Evaluation 2008.