MACEDONIA

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION SUPPORT PROJECT (SDISP)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

for

Quality Assurance and Evaluation Officer for the

Needs of the Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board (HEAEB)

  1. Background of the Project

The Government of Republic of Macedonia (GoM) is implementing the “Skills Development and Innovation Support Project” (SDISP), financed by a World Bank loan. The expected duration of the project is from 2014 to 2019. The Project would support interventions which foster education and skills relevant to the job market, and enhance the innovation capacity and activity of firms in Macedonia. It will also address key missing elements of the Macedonian innovation system and ailing aspects of the research sector that are likely to be vital for improving the competitiveness of the enterprise sector and Macedonia’s longer term economic growth prospects. It will also help improve absorption of EU funds earmarked for innovation activities. The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve transparency of resource allocation and promote accountability in higher education, enhance the relevance of secondary technical vocational education, and support innovation capacity in Macedonia. The Project’s direct beneficiaries include around 24,000 students and 1,500 teaching and management staff from technical vocational education and training institutions who would receive a new curriculum and practical training facilities, as well as training on management, planning, and process improvement capacity.

Component 1: Improving Transparency of Higher Education

This component has three main sets of activities, all targeted toward improving both the transparency and efficiency of the quality assurance and finance mechanisms in the higher education sector: (i) institutional strengthening and stronger quality assurance in higher education; (ii) reforming the higher education financing model; and (iii) establishing centralized office to foster mission oriented research and university industry collaboration.

Sub component 1.1: Quality Assurance in Higher Education

- Improving the capacity of the Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board.

- Funding of external evaluation by foreign experts of Macedonia’s higher education sector.

Specific information/background regarding the assignment

As part of Component 1, Subcomponent 1.1 – Quality Assurance in Higher Education the Project finances activities targeted toward improving the quality assurance mechanisms in higher education, including:

(i) providing training for improving the administrative capacity of the Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board (HEAEB) and other stakeholders in charge of managing quality assurance activities;

(ii) funding of external evaluation by foreign experts of Macedonia’s higher education sector, and up; and

(iii) upgrading of the education management and information system, including the development and implementation of the central data base.

As an initial step, the Project will fund technical assistance to support the Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board (HEAEB) meeting the requirements to be accepted as a member in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR).By doing so, the Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board (HEAEB) will be recognized as an internationally qualified accreditation agency, and their accreditation outcomes for Macedonian higher education institutions and academic programs will be of a globally recognized and assessed quality.

  1. Objective of the assignment

The objective of this assignment is to hire a Quality Assurance and Evaluation Officer for the needs of the Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board (HEAEB).

  1. Scope of work

The Officer is responsible for:

  • Provide administrative and logistical assistance to the Higher Education Accreditation and Evaluation Board (HEAEB), related to the implementation of the activities for accomplishing the requirements of the process for HEAEB acceptance in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR),
  • Provide assistance for preparing all necessary documentation for ENQA membership,
  • Provide assistance to the President of the HEAEB, and assist the relevant International consultants engaged under subcomponent 1.1. ,
  • Provide assistance and coordinate the activities and communication between the President of the HEAEB with the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), European University Association (EUA), The European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE),The Council for Higher Education and Accreditation (CHEA) International Quality Group (CIQG), and other national, regional and international agencies responsible for quality assurance in higher education;
  • Provide assistance in the procedure for selection of teams that perform evaluations of universities, faculties and study programs; Application of European Standards and Guidelines and quality standards in higher education bodies;
  • Provide technical support in the administrative management of evaluation experts' pool, assist in the process of nomination of pool members for different quality enhancement tasks, provide technical assistance in the process of development of strategies for further activities for the pool, planning and organizing trainings/events/projects.
  1. Reporting obligations

The consultant shall report to the President of HEAEB and Vicepresidentsof the HEAEB. Upon request by the President of HEAEB, Vice presidents of HEAEB, the Officer shall produce and submit progress reports for the implementation of the activities.

  1. Consultant’s Qualifications

University degree in political sciences, law or other social sciences;University Diploma (social sciences) from an EU Member State University will be an asset;

At least 5 years of extensive experience in quality assurance and evaluation projects for accomplishment of ESG standards and experience in ENQA, EUA , ESU and EURASHE projects and initiatives;

Experience in planning and implementation, familiarity with donor funded development projects in accreditation and evaluation in higher education is an asset;

Strong analytical skills, oral and written communication and team building skills;

Full computer literacy and experience in working with PC-based equipment;

Substantial experience in leading teams of national and international experts;

Excellent working level of English language in both writing and speaking;

Possession of certificates or proofs for acquired skills and trainings for implementation of ESG for Higher Education will be an asset.

6. Contract arrangements:

- The Consultants shall provide full time services for the period ending May 31st 2019.

- This is a full-time appointment for which the Consultant is required to work a minimum of forty hours a week under a work schedule determined by the President of the HEAEB. National holidays are non-working days. Reimbursement for overtime work, as may be requested from time to time by the President of the HEAEB, is included in the monthly remuneration fee.

- For each full month of work the Consultant will accumulate 2 (two) days of annual leave. Annual leave should be used within the duration of this Contract.

-The contract shall be time based

- Payments shall be made through an intermediary agency for copyrights and other intellectual rights