The far-reaching and broad changes in Social Security require that CIESS keeps constantly under review its academic objective. In this respect, the analysis made by the Office of the President and the members of the Board of Directors of this Center during their meetings in Santo Domingo (1996) and Cartagena de Indias (1997) was intended to find ways and means of offering a more efficiently managed academic program that would have a greater impact.

With this in view, the academic program during 1997 was based on the following activities: five diploma courses; two courses; a seminar; and four course-workshops. All were interdisciplinary and dealt with priority subjects in analyzing public, private and mixed Social Security outlooks. The participation of 808 Social Security officials from the Americas in these events emphasized the interest in this academic model, which is exclusive to CIESS. Furthermore, 20 activities undertaken away from the Center's headquarters dealt with the training needs of 25 countries.

The program carried out at headquarters included the organization of the Academic Evaluation System (SIEVA) by means of which more precise information was obtained about the capacity of lecturers, the achievement of purposes and objectives, pertinence and applicability of activities, as well as their coordination and organization.

During the year, CIESS personnel taught at university level by participating in the Master's Degree on Health Services Administration, organized with the University of Puebla, Mexico. This participation, as well as that of lecturers in 19 international events, allowed the Center's academic body to exchange information and engaged in a debate about how Social Security functions and what changes are to be made.

The publication of the book "Problemas y Programas del Adulto Mayor" (The Older Adult: Problems and Programs), continued research on this subject which constitutes one of the greatest concerns of the continent's Social Security programs.

With respect to joint activities with other institutions, it is worth mentioning that under the Health Economics and Financing Program for Central American and Mexico, which channels cooperation between the Overseas Development Administration of the United Kingdom (ODA) and CIESS, work was done on eight research projects. Similarly, it is noteworthy that the Inter-American Health Economics and Financing Network (REDEFS) for whose Technical Secretariat CIESS is responsible, has undertaken eight academic activities and that more than 250 new members have become affiliated to the Network which is sponsored by the World Bank and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO).

Following a positive evaluation of the CIESS management during 1997, at its meeting last November the Board of Directors approved the continuation of activities and policies for next year. In view of this, the headquarters academic program (which is published in this issue) and, in general, the execution of the Center's mission to contribute to the development of Social Security, will include the following:

1. Compliance with Institutional Development Plan strategies.
2. Compatibility of design and academic activities with the new CIESS academic model.
3. Decision-making based on the results of the overall evaluation of the Center's substantive activities.
4. Optimization of training activities, maintaining activities at headquarters activities and encouraging those away from headquarters, as well as open and distance educational models.
5. Continuity of academic events that meet present needs to develop and train personnel, giving preference to the requirements for changes in the continent's Social Security systems.