November, 2004
CIMMYT’s External Program and Management Review (EPMR) is underway. Seven members of the EPMR came to El Batán from 22-26 November to commence the meetings and evaluations, which will be continued in its main phase from 14-25 February 2005. The fifth review of this kind for CIMMYT, it is the single most important mechanism by which a CGIAR center’s science and management achievements are assessed. Under the microscope for this process are CIMMYT’s mission and strategy within the CGIAR system, its scientific significance and quality, management effectiveness, and impact of activities.
Initial discussions were on governance and began in October, when three of the review members met with the Board at their last meeting. During the November meetings, many of the reviewers met with research and discipline program members in person, over the phone or via video links. On the agenda were topics such as maize and wheat breeding, natural resource management, and economics. The results of the review will be presented to the CIMMYT Board 14-18 March 2005, and then to the Science Council from 4-8 April 2005. Panel members are:
Chair: Don Marshall (Australia) – wheat breeding and biotechnology
Peter Goertz (Germany) – maize breeding and biotechnology
Shu Fukai (Japan) – natural resources management
Eugenio Cap (Argentina) – economics
Maureen Robinson (USA) – governance
Edward Sayegh (Lebanon) – management and finances
Poverty reduction, livelihoods and jobs 