The School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in partnership with the City of Dakar and the École Supérieure Polytechnique in Senegal, developed this project to map and analyze a set of indicators relating to shelter, social development, environmental management, and economic development. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee) is one of the country’s premier urban universities, attracting nationally recognized graduate faculty and offering unique opportunities for advanced study and research.

As one of two doctoral degree-granting institutions in the University of Wisconsin System, UW-Milwaukee has earned the highest ranking possible from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. UW-Milwaukee is ranked as a “Doctoral/Research University” - Extensive by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. UW-Milwaukee is committed to creating and sustaining international linkages as part of its overall objectives. Under the rubric of the Milwaukee Idea, a campus wide campaign, several internationally focused initiatives are being developed at the levels of degree focus specializations, expanded course offerings, and increased opportunities for study abroad experiences.

The School of Information Studies, in collaboration with the Department of Anthropology are the key collaborating units at the UW-Milwaukee on this to develop at the University of Cheikh Anta Diop-Dakar and its consortium university campus the capacity for information technology dissemination in the West African region.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Cheikh Anta Diop-Dakar have in place an inter-institutional agreement signed in 2001. Under this grant the partnership is administered in the U.S. by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus (School of Information Studies in cooperation with the College of Letters and Sciences) and in the University of Cheikh Anta Diop-Dakar (with the Faculty of Human Sciences and Library Science).