International Consultant

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: New Delhi

Classification of duty station: [[filter12]]

Standard Duration of Assignement : [[filter13]]

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 21-10-2024

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

BACKGROUND

The UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia in New Delhi is looking for an International Consultant to support the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development (MoHE) in the Maldives to conduct a national assessment of the benefits and implications of the Maldives’ ratification of the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (‘Tokyo Convention’) and the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education (‘Global Convention’). The Tokyo Convention and Global Convention integrate key principles to support international mobility and promote international cooperation, namely, a shift in favour of applicants; the development of transparent, coherent and reliable procedures; granting recognition unless substantial differences are identified; information-sharing and networking with experts; development of codes of good practice or recommendations and guidelines, and a legal framework.

Long Description

As the only United Nations agency with a mandate in higher education, UNESCO has established a number of regional recognition conventions in higher education. The conventions constitute a unique legal framework for allowing the recognition of qualifications in higher education between States Parties, subject to national legislation, for academic and professional purposes. The main objectives of the conventions are to promote international cooperation in higher education and to reduce obstacles to the mobility of teachers, students and graduates. Over 135 Member States are signatory to at least one regional convention on recognition in higher education. To support the Maldives’ interest to ratify the conventions, a comprehensive national assessment is necessary to provide an objective basis for the Maldives to evaluate the benefits and implications of ratifying either of the Conventions.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this consultancy is to conduct a national assessment of the benefits and implications of the ratification of the Tokyo Convention and/or the Global Convention. This assessment will inform the Maldivian government about the context of the Tokyo Convention and the Global Convention, analyze the potential impacts on higher education institutions, students, and the labor market, and explain the obligations arising from ratification.

SCOPE OF WORK

The aim of the assignment is to support Maldives’ progress towards joining the international community that cooperates to strengthen processes on recognition of qualifications for academic and professional purposes in line with international norms. The consultant will be responsible for:

1. Conduct a national benefits analysis for the Maldives to ratify the Tokyo Convention and Global Convention on Higher Education and join the Asia-Pacific Network of National Information Centres (APNNIC).

2. Facilitate a one-day in-person consultation involving the Maldives Qualifications Authority, higher education sector stakeholders, industry stakeholders, and government officials by preparing a concept note and programme for the one-day consultation, facilitating all the necessary sessions and producing a report of the consultation proceedings. The logistics of hosting the consultation will be handled by MoHE.

SCOPE OF WORK

3. Conduct stakeholder interviews involving the MQA, MoHE, universities, private sector representatives, industry associations or councils, other relevant ministries to gather insights on their perspectives regarding ratification.

4. Analyze the impact the potential economic, social, and educational impacts of ratification on the Maldives, including:

• Benefits for students and graduates in terms of mobility and employability.
• Implications for higher education institutions regarding accreditation and quality assurance.
• Effects on the labor market and workforce development.

5. Provide evidence-based recommendations on whether the Maldives should ratify the convention, including strategies for implementation if ratification proceeds.

The contractor must ensure that sources are properly cited by using the Harvard referencing style, following international academic standards and making sure that no copyrights are violated. Please refer to the UNESCO Style Manual for citation style, terminology and spelling, abbreviations, references, etc.

The consultant will be working remotely. UNESCO will provide feedback throughout the process, in particular there will be feedback and revisions that are expected to be incorporated for all deliverables. The contractor and UNESCO will hold regular meetings to discuss progress and next steps. In line with UNESCO’s overall gender mainstreaming strategy, the contractor is expected to integrate a gender perspective in all activities and apply gender analysis and mainstreaming concepts whenever feasible. 

The technical assets produced will be the property of UNESCO. 

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree (Master’s degree and above) in the specialized field of higher education, law, public policy, or related fields.
• At least 4 years of professional experience in higher education, or related fields.
• Proven experience in the area of higher education recognition conventions.
• Strong understanding of the Asia-Pacific higher education landscape and the implications of qualification recognition.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• The applicant must have excellent oral communication and writing skills in English.

DELIVERABLES

1. A detailed work plan outlining the methodology, timeline, and key milestones (estimated 3 days)

2. National consultation report from an assessment visit to the Maldives of maximum 4 days (estimated 4 days) 

3. A draft national assessment report of not more than 20 pages, A4, single spacing, Calibri font size 11, not including references and annexures, with the following draft chapter headings: (estimated 8 days)

• Introduction
• Background
• Overview
• Stakeholder consultations comments
• Preliminary impact analysis
  1. Obligations
  2. Higher education mobility and enrolment
  3. Employment and labour
  4. Implementation process
  5. Costs
• Preliminary recommendations

4. Final comprehensive national assessment report of not more than 20 pages, A4, single spacing, Calibri font size 11, not including references and annexures, with the following draft chapter headings: (estimated 8 days)

• Executive summary
• Introduction
• Background
• Overview
• Stakeholder consultations comments
• Impact analysis
  1. Obligations
  2. Higher education mobility and enrolment
  3. Employment and labour
  4. Implementation process
  5. Costs
• Recommendations

Total estimated number days of work is 23.

REMUNERATION INSTALMENTS

Payment No.                       Upon submission to and approval by UNESCO of the following work               Last date for submission                          Distribution of payment (%)

1.                                               Inception Report                                                                                                            30 October 2024                                       10%

2.                                               National consultation report                                                                                       20 November 2024                                   20%

3.                                               Draft assessment report                                                                                            02 December 2024                                     30%

4.                                               Final assessment report                                                                                            13 January 2025                                          40%

Short Description

Logistics

The contractor will be responsible for arranging their own logistics: office space, administrative and secretarial support, team members, telecommunications, travel arrangement, printing of documentation, etc. The costs of these logistics, including all research-related travel costs, will be included in the lump sum proposal.

Duration

The consultancy is expected to last for a period of three months, starting from the date of contract signing on or around 28 October 2024.

Budget

The budget for this consultancy will be determined based on the best value for money approach for technically qualified proposals.

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Please note that all candidates must complete an on-line application and provide complete and accurate information. To apply, please visit the UNESCO careers website. No modifications can be made to the application submitted. Queries of a technical nature about these TORS may be directed to:  [email protected] and copy to [email protected].

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