World Dialogue on Regulation

LIRNEasia, WDR's partner in Asia, held a mid-cycle research review of two of its central research programs, the Six Country Indicators study and the Shoestrings2 project, at Habarana in central Sri Lanka. The meeting brought together LIRNEasia researchers from five countries, media experts, research partners from AC Nielsen and external observers from the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka for five intensive days of presentations, evaluation, discussion and planning.

The objectives of the meeting were the following:

1. Ensure that the Six Country Study is on track and make mid-course corrections if necessary.
2. Identify the common themes of the two multi-country papers that will be written and identify the authors.
3. Provide substantive input for indicators manual and conceptual paper (and vice versa).
4. Develop dissemination plan for 2006-07 research.
5. Improve researchers’ ability to present research results to lay audiences.
6. Obtain input for analysis of Shoestrings2 research data.
7. Identify writers for Shoestrings2 articles.
8. Strengthen the virtual organization. 

LIRNEasia researchers presented findings from supply-side indicators from India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand along with preliminary results from the Telecom Regulatory Environment (TRE) assessement in the above countries. The researchers correlated sector performance data with policy and regulatory developments in the respective countries. The review found that the Six Country Indicators study was on track. The first draft reports will be presented in coloquium starting in late October and continuing through November 2006.

Intensive brain-storming sessions produced a number of ideas for possible cross-cutting themes for two papers that would be written drawing on all six country studies.

The design of the Indicator Manual took concrete shape as a core list of ICT indicators relevant for Asia Pacific region were selected based on input from all researchers. LIRNEasia has signed on to be a partner with KADO and ITU to develop and implement the Digital Opportunity Index (DOI). Hence, along with the core list of ICT indicators, researchers will also collect data on the DOI indicators.

Media experts made presentations to the researchers on how to improve their research dissemination strategies. Mock interviews and critique of press releases prepared by the researchers were also conducted.

AC Nielsen, LIRNEasia's research partner with the Shoestrings2 project, presented the initial findings from household level surveys conducted in India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Over two days of discussions on the Shoestrings2 results pointed to a number of possible research topics for further investigation and analysis.

A trek to the ancient ruined Buddhist monastries located on a hill at Ritigale concluded the very productive research review sessions.

Download the detailed report from the Mid-Cycle Review from the LIRNEasia website...