Consultancy to Draft International Standard Classification of Teacher Training Programmes (ISCED-T)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

**OVERVIEW** ------------ Parent Sector : UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) Duty Station: Canada Job Family: Education Type of contract : Non Staff Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months Recruitment open to : External candidates Application Deadline (Midnight Paris Time) : 26-FEB-2021 UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism Request to submit a written proposal for a work assignment with the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) for 10 months starting March 2021. **OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST** ----------------------------------------- **Background** As part of its mandate, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) develops and maintains the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) for organizing education programmes and related qualifications. The latest revision of ISCED was adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 2011. The UIS has initiated the development of an International Standard Classification of Teacher Training Programmes (ISCED-T) to support the monitoring of SDG target 4.c: “By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States”. In particular, ISCED-T will be used to provide better data for calculation of SDG indicator 4.1.c: “Proportion of teachers with the minimum required qualifications, by education level”. The development of ISCED-T was endorsed by the UNESCO General Conference in November 2019, which asked for presentation of a draft classification for adoption by the General Conference in November 2021. ISCED-T will be used to produce internationally comparable data on teacher training programmes (TTPs) and pathways to the teaching profession, and to improve the availability and quality of teacher statistics, especially in reference to national programmes for pre-service and in-service teacher education. The classification will also aid in the development of an international standard for “trained” and “qualified” teachers that could be used alongside the national standards currently used for monitoring. It is envisaged that ISCED-T will be a three-digit classification, based on and complementing the existing ISCED 2011. A draft classification and associated coding scheme for ISCED-T was developed by the UIS, using three dimensions for classification, in addition to the ISCED level of a TTP: - target teaching level, - entrance requirements, - duration of the TTP. UIS resources to support the methodological development and drafting of ISCED-T include: - Draft project proposal for developing ISCED-T. - Inventory of 812 national pre-service TTPs from 198 countries and territories with information on: name of the programme, ISCED level, minimum duration, minimum entrance requirements, and target level of education at which teachers are expected to teach after completion of the programme. - Application of the proposed coding scheme to the TTPs in the UIS inventory, as a demonstration of the classification. - Analytical report describing the content of the TTP database. - Data collected by the UIS to calculate global SDG indicator 4.c.1, defined as the proportion of teachers who have received at least the minimum organized teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) according to national definitions. Long Description ---------------- Under the overall authority of the director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, and under the direct supervision of the Head of the Education Standards and Methodology Section (ESM), the Consultant shall perform the following tasks: 1. Participate in virtual meetings of the ISCED-T Technical Advisory Panel (TAP), composed of international experts in the fields of classification and teacher education. 2. Contribute to and finalise the methodological development of ISCED-T, including review of literature on classification of TTPs, review of the UIS TTP database, identification of dimensions for classification of TTPs, and development of a coding scheme for the classification. 3. Prepare the first draft of ISCED-T, with a description of the scope and structure of the classification, the units of classification, the coding scheme, and examples for application. 4. Compile and integrate comments and suggestions from reviewers of the first draft (including the TAP, the Technical Cooperation Group on the Indicators for SDG 4 - Education 2030 (TCG), the UIS, and others), and prepare a revised version of ISCED-T for submission to the UNESCO General Conference. 5. Prepare the final text of ISCED-T, incorporating revisions requested by the UNESCO General Conference. Long Description ---------------- ***Deliverables and timeline*** The Consultant will submit the following deliverables to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics: a. Inception report with work plan and outline of ISCED-T text (March 2021). b. First draft of ISCED-T (May 2021). c. Revised version of ISCED-T, incorporating comments from reviewers, for submission to the UNESCO General Conference (August 2021). d. Final version of ISCED-T, incorporating revisions requested by the UNESCO General Conference (December 2021). The content and length of the ISCED-T manual is to be discussed with the TAP, TCG and UIS team. Tentatively, the ISCED-T manual shall consist of a text of approximately 6000 words (about 24 pages) written in the English language at a very good level. A tentative outline of the text of the classification includes the following sections: 1\. Introduction 2\. Purpose and scope of the classification 3\. Units of classification a. ISCED classification of a programme b. Target level at which teachers will be expected to teach after completion of a programme c. Minimum entrance requirements of a programme d. Minimum duration of a programme e. Other criteria for classification of a programme (to be confirmed) 4\. Coding scheme 5\. Examples for application of the classification 6\. Governance 7\. Glossary ***Cost and technical arrangements*** The total cost of the consultancy will be agreed in advance. All payments under the consultancy will be made against deliverables, as shown in the table below. ***Deliverables and payments:*** - Inception report with work plan and outline of ISCED-T: 10% Payment - First draft of ISCED-T: 40% Payment - Revised draft of ISCED-T for submission to the UNESCO General Conference: 30% Payment - Final version of ISCED-T: 20% Payment The consultant is accountable for the quality of the work and full delivery of the assignment within the agreed timeframe and at no extra cost to the UIS, other than the amount specified in the Consultant’s contract. Two weeks following the final deliverable due date are added for the UIS to complete all required reviews and administrative procedures, if needed. The work will be carried out remotely. It is expected that meetings will be held using video or audio conferencing and that most communication will be through email or other electronic means. The Consultant is responsible for the cost of any expenses in connection with the contract. **COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)** ------------------------------------ Accountability (C) Communication (C) Innovation (C) Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement (C) Planning and organizing (C) Results focus (C) Teamwork (C) Building partnerships (M) **-** ----- For detailed information, please consult the [UNESCO Competency Framework](https://en.unesco.org/sites/default/files/competency_framework_e.pdf). **REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS** --------------------------- ***Education*** - Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) in education planning, public policy, social research, international development, economics, statistics, or a related discipline. ***Experience*** - A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in theories and concepts of teacher education (pre- and in-service) and professional development. - Proven experience in social and economic classifications, preferably in the field of education. - Knowledge of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) and its application to the classification of education programmes. - Relevant experience at the national level in a government ministry or at the international level (UN or international organization) would be an asset. - Experience working in both developed and developing countries would be an asset. ***Skills*** - Strong communication and writing skills in English. - Capacity to plan, organize and manage for quality and results. - Demonstrated ability for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and consensus building. - Demonstrated ability to improve programmes or services, analyse situations, propose options to solve problems and meet client needs. - Ability to work effectively through email, videoconferencing and other means of remote communications. ***Languages*** - Excellent knowledge of English, a working knowledge of another UN language is a strong asset **SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS** ------------------------------------- Interested candidates should click on “Apply Now”, then download and complete the Employment History form (Word file). At the end of the Word file, insert extra pages with the following required information (As a part of the Technical Proposal) in English( \* Upon completing the Word file with all the requested information above, upload the file at the “My Employment History Form / My Documents” section of the online application form. Only applications with the above requested information will be considered). I. A statement indicating how your qualifications and experience make you suitable for the assignment. II. A Technical Written proposal consisting of: - A description of your proposed approach and methodology for undertaking the assignment. - A work plan with detailed milestones and key deliverables/activities as per the terms of reference. - Comments on the Terms of Reference, if any (in brief). - An up to date curriculum vitae (CV). - The amount to be charged for the assignment per day. III. Please design your payment scheme against clear and specific set of deliverables and milestones as reflected in your work plan. Please indicate your proposed daily rate. IV. Please provide a list of work assignments and THREE (03) contacts as references as part of the submission. V. The proposal must be in English. 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.](https://careers.unesco.org/careersection/2/joblist.ftl) No modifications can be made to the application submitted. The evaluation of candidates is based on the criteria in the vacancy notice, and may include tests and/or assessments, as well as a competency-based interview. UNESCO uses communication technologies such as video or teleconference, e-mail correspondence, etc. for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. Please note that only selected candidates will be further contacted and candidates in the final selection step will be subject to reference checks based on the information provided. **Footer** ---------- UNESCO applies a zero tolerance policy against all forms of harassment. UNESCO is committed to achieve and sustain gender parity among its staff members in all categories and at all grades. Furthermore, UNESCO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities, as well as nationals from non-and under-represented Member States [(last update here)](https://en.unesco.org/careers/geographicaldistribution) are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality. Worldwide mobility is required for staff members appointed to international posts. UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.