IPUMS-International proposes to integrate individual level census samples for a large number of countries into a single databank. Our plan is, first, to standardize census microdata for selected countries from the 2000 round of censuses to the earliest available date (usually the 1960s or 1970s), and second, to distribute the integrated databank via the world wide web, CD-ROM or other means suitable for the delivery of massive datasets.

The success of such an ambitious undertaking will depend upon sustained collaboration with national census agencies, demographers, and statisticians in the countries selected. In many cases microdata samples already exist, but the project will fund, where necessary, the preservation of original data tapes on stable media as well as the extraction of new high-density samples consistent with necessary safeguards for confidentiality. The project will also purchase national technical assistance and census microdata needed for the project as well as host country professional expertise required for developing national standards for integrating census concepts and codes. The project will begin in a handful of countries where the data and expertise are of the highest quality and where the prospects for collaboration are greatest. The Historical Census Projects at the University of Minnesota will be responsible for those aspects of the project related to international integration: development of integrated documentation, data processing, provision of data extraction software and web-services, and dissemination of integrated samples.

National Census Agency. For a country to be incorporated into the project an agreement is needed between the corresponding national census agency and the Historical Census Projects for the use of census microdata for that country. Agreements have already been signed for Great Britain, Mexico and Colombia as well as the United States. A signed letter from the national census agency is needed before a project can be undertaken for that country. The agreement should certify that:

1. the project is granted access to census microdata of individuals and households (2000/1/2/3?) and earlier years for which data are available specified) under strict confidentiality guidelines
2. planning documentation for the next national census will be available to the project to be used for standardizing variables and concepts for census microdata from earlier years
3. distribution of the resulting integrated databank will be free of charge and collaborating institutions will have equal rights of distribution, including "mirrored" web-sites
4. costs charged by the census agency for obtaining copies of data and other materials, technical support, distribution rights, or other charges should be specified in the letter or accompanying budget statement

A more detailed letter of agreement stating additional rights and responsibilities of the parties may be negotiated when desired. Once funding is obtained a contract will be drafted, detailing services and remuneration.

Consultants. In addition to a working relationship with a national census agency, the project will also require the expertise of demographers and other researchers experienced in the use of host country microdata. Specifically, we seek consultants to author publication quality essays explaining the standardization of census definitions, concepts and codes for each of the microdata census samples available to the project for that country. Compensation will be set by conventional international rates. We propose essays on the following themes for each country selected:

1. design of samples and quality of enumerations for each of the censuses
2. sociodemographic variables (sex, age, marital status, family relationship, education, fertility, etc.)
3. socioeconomic variables (occupation, income, labor force participation, etc.)
4. geo-administrative variables and codes (places, administrative districts, migration, urbanization, etc.)
5. household variables (household definitions, availability of services, housing, etc.)

The IPUMS project has enjoyed almost a decade of support from federal funding agencies for integrating census microdata of the United States. The fruits of these labors may be seen at our web-site http://www.ipums.umn.edu, where researchers have access to data for 13 of the 15 national censuses conducted between 1850 and 1990.

Now, we propose to adapt this system, to internationalize IPUMS, by incorporating census microdata samples for the highest quality censuses with the longest time-spans from all the various world regions. We welcome your advice, assistance, and collaboration.