2014-03810. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program 1894-0001

AGENCY:

Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing a reinstatement of a previously approved information collection.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before March 26, 2014.

ADDRESSES:

Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting Docket ID number ED-2014-ICCD-0020 or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov site is not available to the public for any reason, ED will temporarily accept comments at [e-mail]. Please note that comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period will not be accepted; ED will ONLY accept comments during the comment period in this mailbox when the regulations.gov site is not available. Written requests for information or comments submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the Director of the Information Collection Clearance Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., LBJ, Mailstop L-OM-2-2E319, Room 2E103, Washington, DC 20202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For specific questions related to collection activities, please contact Pamela Maimer, 202-502-7704.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department of Education (ED), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Please note that written comments received in response to this notice will be considered public records.

Title of Collection: Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program 1894-0001.

OMB Control Number: 1840-0005.

Type of Review: A reinstatement of a previously approved information collection.

Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals or households, Private Sector.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 680.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 17,000.

Abstract: The purpose of Section 102(b)(6) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (Fulbright-Hays Act) is to promote and develop modern foreign language training and area studies throughout the educational structure of the United States. To help accomplish this objective, fellowships are awarded through U.S. institutions of higher education to American doctoral dissertation fellows enabling them to conduct overseas research and enhance their foreign language proficiency.

Under the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) program, individual scholars apply through eligible institutions for an institutional grant to support the research fellowship. These institutions administer the program in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Education (US/ED) as provided under the authority of Sections 102(b)(6) and 104(e)(1) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, 34 CFR part 662, the Policy Statements of the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board (FSB), and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).

Dated: February 19, 2014.

Kate Mullan,

Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management.