Development of Higher Education Policy for Palestine

Ref: RAM/2017/ED/SE/416

UNESCO: Request for Consultancy

Development of Higher Education Policy for Palestine

Deadline: 31 July 2017
Assignment finalization period: 05 August – 30 November 2017

The UNESCO Ramallah Office would like to engage an experienced consultant or organization to support the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in developing a Higher Education Policy in Palestine.


Introduction and background

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Palestine (MoEHE) has established a separate thematic group on Higher Education comprising members from MoEHE, international partners, universities and colleges. The Higher Education Thematic Working group has been established based on the decision of the co-chairs of the Education Sector Working Group. This is the technical arm of the Education Sector Working Group (ESWG), which provides the appropriate scientific, evidence-based professional expertise in support of strategic planning and policy making in Higher Education. Its membership is based on technical competence in the area of Higher Education. The main purpose of establishing this thematic group is to guide all higher education policies and practices taking into consideration the provision of equal opportunities for all learners, by supporting policies that respect the diverse needs of students and eliminating all forms of discrimination at higher education institutions.

In order to reform higher education in Palestine, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the members of the thematic group found the need to develop a Higher Education Policy within the framework of the Education Sector Development Plan, and the Ministry’s vision to achieve quality higher education in Palestine by 2030.

Objectives and Expected Results of the assignment

The main objective of the consultancy will be to develop a Higher Education policy in Palestine, through

-    Analyzing Higher Education policies
-    Identifying obstacles and challenges in Palestine
-    Exploring the context contributing to poor quality of education outcomes and the resultant high unemployment rates among graduates
-    Suggesting available opportunities, methods and alternatives to address those challenges by preparing a well-researched National Policy for the Higher Education sector in Palestine.



The expected results of the activity are:

-    The Higher Education Sector in Palestine is comprehensively reviewed, including interviews, academic style references, research, bibliography and annexes
-    A draft Higher Education Policy is developed for Palestine

Specifically, the selected consultant /organization shall carry out the tasks as shown below. Interested parties should provide, in their response to this call for consultancy, the proposed budget for each of two tasks:

-    Required tasks in developing the Higher Education Policy

.Review relevant literature on higher education policies and framework such as the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), World Bank  etc. , including studies undertaken in Palestine and in the Arab Region (if any).
.Study the role of the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission (AQAC) in the governance of the higher education sector.
.In addition, identify the necessary required AQAC tools and power to ensure the quality and relevancy of higher education programs.
.Diagnose the higher education sector status quo and identify the elements to be included in the policy in terms of governance and management, financing, quality assurance, etc.
.Prepare and facilitate consultation meetings and workshops organized by MoEHE and UNESCO among the higher education stakeholders.
.Submit an initial draft National Higher Education Policy to be submitted to UNESCO and the MOEHE for their review and comments.
.After taking comments and edits into consideration, submit a final cleared version of the draft policy

Required tasks supporting the expected results

-A comprehensive higher education sector review report including the role of AQAC in the governance of the higher education sector as well as recommendations to ensure quality and relevancy of the higher education programs. 

-Production of a legally sound draft Higher Education Policy in English and translated into Arabic after initial review of draft/s.

Duration

The assignment is expected to start on 5 August 2017 and be concluded not later than 30 November 2017.

Roles and responsibilities

UNESCO Ramallah office will:

a)Host an initial inception meeting to provide suggestions on approaches for the development of the higher education policy and action plan
b)Share relevant material to be considered in the development of the higher education policy
c)Regularly monitor content and the effective and timely implementation of the contract tasks
d)Review drafts for all deliverables and request revisions where necessary (also liaising with the MoEHE and Higher Education Thematic Group members

The interested consultant/organizations will:

a)Indicate a total budget for the required task, including coordination, meetings, workshops and all incidentals including competent translation
b)Once selected, to prepare a detailed action plan to present at the inception meeting, on how the tasks will be implemented according to the agreed work plan, and in regular consultation and coordination with the UNESCO Ramallah Office and the focal point from the MoEHE
c)Ensure that research, reporting, writing and presentation requirements are met to the highest standards
d)Ensure that the expected outputs are delivered within the agreed deadlines

Qualifications and experience of interested organization/party

It is mandatory for the interested consultant/organization to have the following qualifications and experience:

-    Diverse qualifications by the consulting team at PhD level in Planning, Management, Education, Monitoring and Evaluation
-    At least 7 years of experience in policy, planning, management, research, monitoring and evaluation of Higher Education and associated policies
-    Linguistic skills: Excellent speaking and writing skills in both  English and Arabic languages
-    Communication and management skills
-    Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while ensuring consistent quality outputs
-    Punctuality

How to apply

By the deadline date of 31 July 2017, please submit ALL of the following via the following link: 
 

Apply now

Including the subject: Development of Higher Education Policy in Palestine

-A proposal (2-3 pages) for the activity (including methodology, time-line and budget quoted in US dollars per task, according to the outputs/deliverables foreseen)
-A description of the proposed team, including CVs, and a description / profile of the organization interested in undertaking the assignment.

-Online links to previous similar work done in the past 5 years

Missing, unclear or incomplete information or documentation and evidence of experience as requested above, may exclude you from further consideration.

 

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