Digital Education Advisor to the Ministry of Education, Prishtina, Kosovo, Education, 8.5 months

Job no: 574697
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Pristina
Level: Consultancy
Location: Kosovo
Categories: Education
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, the opportunity

Education is fundamental to both personal growth and societal development. The right to education and equal opportunities for every child to reach their full potential is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is a key objective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs underscore education’s pivotal role as a catalyst for positive change and sustainable development.

While Kosovo is making progresses in digital transformation, significant challenges persist. Issues such as low digital literacy, coordination gaps, limited cross-sector collaboration, and fragmented systems in key sectors, including education, hinder progress. A major obstacle to the digitalization of the education system and the effective use of digital technology is the limited human capacity at the central, municipal, and school levels. The lack of a functional ICT Department at the central level, which is vital for developing digital education policies, further exacerbates the issue. Strengthening capacities at the central level is crucial to overcoming these challenges.

This consultancy aims to strengthen the capacities of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) in advancing digital education reform. By providing technical expertise to support the establishment of the new Division for Technology and Digitalization, this initiative will also offer technical support in developing sub-legal acts to set standards for the creation and implementation of digital teaching and learning materials.

To achieve the desired results, the project includes one key output and three focus interventions:

Key Project Output:

Central-level education authorities have increased their capacities and developed a legal framework to allow the use of digital technology in improving services and the quality of education, in line with global digital transformation trends.

Focus Interventions:

1. Provide technical support to MESTI to enhance capacities for the effective and efficient use of digital education at all levels of pre-university education.
2. Support MESTI in developing sub-legal acts to set standards, determine formats, ensure the quality of digital teaching and learning materials, and budget implications for its implementation.
3. Support the development of guidelines for digital teaching and learning materials, including budget implications.

How can you make a difference?

The Project Consultant/Advisor will perform his/her duties and responsibilities under the formal supervision of Minister of Education, while deliverables will be reviewed and endorsed by the education specialist in UNICEF.

He/she will be responsible for direct support to the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) as the key central authority for policy making and policy monitoring in Kosovo, aimed at increasing its capacities to lead and support the digital reform at municipal and school level while being placed within MESTI premises, more specifically Ministers cabinet. Will provide guidance and coordinate the implementation of the planned intervention following the identified needs in consultation with MESTI and the Prime Minister’s advisor on digitalization.

This engagement which will be placed at the Minister of Education’s cabinet, will strengthen MESTI’s capacities through executing the following duties and responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate the day-to-day implementation of the project, ensuring adherence to the project plan and objectives of the digital education reform.
• Identify needs of MESTI for technical expertise to operationalize the ICT Department.
• Develop ToRs in collaboration with MESTI and UNICEF, enabling the engagement of consultants to address capacity gaps in the ICT department.
• Provide guidance and technical assistance to develop the sub-legal acts to set standards, determine format and ensure the quality of digital and teaching and learning materials
• Review and finalize the Administrative Instruction (AI) on the quality of digital and teaching and learning materials, including budget implications.
• Provide guidance and technical expertise to develop the broader Guidelines for digital teaching and learning materials by developing TORs and expert(s) engagement.
• Review and finalize the developed Guidelines for producing the digital teaching materials for each level of education.
• Coordinate high-level events on Digital Education for further enhancement, integration, and scale-up of digital learning solutions.
• Provide recommendations to the Minister and ICT team for possible changes in relevant policies, protocols, and systems for data collection, monitoring, and knowledge generation mechanisms.
• Compile inputs for reporting and provide essential recommendations on digital education as needed to the Ministers cabinet and UNICEF offering guidance on further actions as needed.

Work Assignments Overview:
Lead and coordinate the day-to-day implementation of the digital education reform project, ensuring strict adherence to the project plan, timelines, and objectives.
Deliverables/Outputs:
- Monthly progress reports submitted.
- Quarterly project review meetings conducted.
- The project plan and timeline are updated regularly
Delivery deadline:
30 days (continuous oversight and coordination throughout the project duration)

Work Assignments Overview:
Support MESTI in identifying the technical expertise needs required to functionalize the ICT Department and conduct assessments to determine specific technical and operational requirements.
Deliverables/Outputs:
- Needs assessment report completed.
- List of required technical expertise documented.
Delivery deadline:
20 days (includes conducting assessments, consultations, and compiling reports to determine the specific needs for the ICT Department)

Work Assignments Overview:
Collaborate with MESTI and UNICEF to develop comprehensive ToRs for enable the engagement of consultants based on identified needs, ensuring alignment with the digital education reform objectives.
Deliverables/Outputs:
- ToRs for consultants created and approved.
- Consultant engagement plan developed.
Delivery deadline:
15 days (Facilitating the process of developing comprehensive ToRs, detailed discussions, guidance to drafting and revisions to ensure alignment with project objectives.

Work Assignments Overview:
Provide guidance and technical assistance in the development of sub-legal acts to establish standards, formats, and quality assurance for digital teaching and learning materials, including costing, and facilitate the creation of ToRs for expert engagement.
Deliverables/Outputs:
- Draft sub-legal acts created.
- Finalized sub-legal acts approved.
Delivery deadline:
15 Days (includes providing inputs and guidance to drafting legal frameworks, consultations, and integrating technical and financial details)

Work Assignments Overview:
Review and finalize the Administrative Instruction (AI) on the quality of digital and teaching and learning materials, including budget implications to ensure it meets required standards and objectives.
Deliverables/Outputs:
- Reviewed AI document.
- Finalized AI document approved.
Delivery deadline:
20 days (involves detailed review, feedback integration, and finalization of the AI, considering both quality and budget implications)
Work Assignments Overview:
Provide technical expertise to develop, review, and finalize comprehensive Guidelines for producing digital teaching materials for each level of education, and facilitate the development of ToRs for expert engagement.
Deliverables/Outputs:
- Draft Guidelines created.
- Finalized Guidelines approved.
Delivery deadline:
20 days (collaboration, expert input, and multiple iterations)
Work Assignments Overview:
Coordinate and lead high-level advocacy events on Digital Education, regular donor coordination meetings and engage with key stakeholders and policymakers to drive the digital education agenda forward.
Deliverables/Outputs:
- Number of advocacy events conducted.
- Event plans and reports produced.
Delivery deadline:
15 days (includes preparation, coordination, and execution of advocacy events and meetings throughout the project)

Work Assignments Overview:
Provide recommendations to the Minister and ICT team based on knowledge management practices, suggesting possible changes in policies, protocols, and systems for data collection, monitoring, and knowledge generation mechanisms.
Deliverables/Outputs:
Policy recommendation report submitted.
Delivery deadline:
15 days (involves research, analysis, and drafting recommendations based on best practices)

• Work Assignments Overview:
  Compile inputs for reporting and provide essential feedback to the Minister's cabinet and UNICEF, ensuring timely and accurate reporting on project progress, challenges, and outcomes.
  Deliverables/Outputs:
  Monthly and quarterly reports submitted.
  Feedback documents provided.
  Delivery deadline:
  10 days (Regular reporting and feedback require structured input compilation, drafting, and submission)

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• A relevant master’s degree in education Educational Technology, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Public Policy, or a related field.
• At least 3 to 5 years of relevant experience in the education sector, with a strong focus on digital education, ICT in education, or educational technology.
• Proven experience in designing, implementing, and managing digital education initiatives at a national or institutional level.
• Demonstrated experience in policy development, particularly in areas related to digital education, ICT integration, or education reform.
• Previous experience working with government ministries, international organizations, or educational institutions in a consulting or advisory capacity.
• Project management skills with a minimum of [5] years of experience in project coordination and leadership.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective stakeholder engagement.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability and experience in coordination, and ability to work under pressure is required.
• Fluency in both oral and written English. Fluency in oral written Albanian and English language is required.
• *Listed requirements will be used for technical evaluation in the competitive process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

 To view our competency framework, please visit  here.

 UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Advertised: 16 Aug 2024 Middle East Daylight Time
Deadline: 30 Aug 2024 Middle East Daylight Time

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