Switzerland: Consultant on Future Competencies, 5 months

Request for written proposal: Consultant on Future Competencies in Curriculum, Learning, Teaching and Assessment

1. Background and Objective

This proposal sets out objectives, procedure, timeline budget and deliverables necessary to provide support to UESCO Member States where appropriate with an analysis of critical and current issues in curriculum – mainly Future Competencies, their teaching, learning and assessment, STEM. It takes its direction from the International Bureau of Education with the view to identifying and documenting guidelines, frameworks, prototypes and tools for areas of high demand in the teaching, learning and assessment of future competencies where Member States have less experience in this area.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

Within the framework of the Innovation and Leadership in Curriculum and Learning Programme, UNESCO-IBE seeks services of a consultant to contribute to the implementation of IBE focus areas “Innovation and Leadership in Curriculum and Learning” and “Critical and Current Issues in Curriculum and Learning”. These will focus on capacity development and leadership for global interaction in curriculum and learning. It encompasses the reconceptualization and repositioning of curriculum in national and regional development agendas within Education 2030, repositioning curriculum as an indispensable tool for Lifelong Learning (LLL) and the analysis of critical and current issues in curriculum –Global Citizenship Education (GCED), STEM and inclusive education- with the view to developing curriculum guidelines, frameworks, prototypes and tools for areas of emerging demand for competencies of the future and capacity building in the rile of definition, assessment, teaching and curriculum impact.

3. Tasks and Expected Output:

Under the overall authority of the IBE Director and direct supervision of Simona Popa, programme specialist, the project will complete the following tasks:

• Prepare a master list of critical and significant stakeholders that work on future competencies as partners in this initiative for consideration by the IBE director.
• Support the IBE director in convening these stakeholders and consulting them towards the articulation of a singular global list.
• Undertake an analysis of outputs by these stakeholders and develop an IBE list to serve as a global reference point.
• Ensure that the global/master list of competencies is well anchored in the global paradigm shift on curriculum propagated by the IBE (re-positioning curriculum in the global dialogue on development and lifelong learning).
• Develop paper on guidelines to integrate future competencies into curriculum (integrated approach for teaching, learning and assessing those competencies).
• Deliver and implement proposal with regard to supporting exchanges through networks and communities of practitioners working in the field of curriculum, teaching, assessment and definition of future competencies.
• Map availability of data and materials related to future competencies and deliver strategy regarding their application to the IBE mission, structure, content and developments. This would include curriculum materials, teaching notes, assessment devices and protocols, teacher education programs both in service and preservice, capacity building and pedagogical skills related to future competencies.
• Liaise and collaborate with other consultants dealing with digital developments within the education sector and within the range of IBE projects, initiatives, activities outputs and outcomes.
  The consultancy will be undertaken for a period of 5 months. The consultant is required to travel to Geneva for 3 missions (each of them for 2 weeks).

4. Deliverables

• Global reference document on future competencies (end of 2016)
• Guidelines to integrate future competencies into curriculum
• Guidelines for teaching, learning and assessment of future competencies
• Global partnership on future competencies established

5. Qualifications and experience; Academic qualifications

Years of relevant work experience

• Advanced university degree (doctorate) preferably in educational assessment, or relevant fields.

• At least five years experience with the notion of 21st-century skills, competencies, their dissemination, definition, assessment, teaching and curriculum implications with the visible track record in both digital and paper-based publication associated with these particular aspects of the project.

Competencies

• At least four years of progressively relevant experience in digital content and assessment, teaching, curriculum and management and design in the field of future competencies, of which preferably at least five years acquired at international level.
• Sound experience in working with and administrating both front end and back-end of Internet-based assessment of future competencies and verifiable track record in and experience in online communication and digital content management.
• Excellent writing skills as evidenced by the track record focusing on a range of audiences from classrooms to governments and academy.
• Rigour in research, good technical and analytical problem solving skills as evidenced by a sound record of attracting research grants, high-level high-quality and high-impact research publications
• Good interpersonal skills and proven ability to work across organizational boundaries in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Technological awareness and good knowledge of social media tools.
• Creative and innovative as evidenced by innovative methods in assessment and curriculum development;
• Proactive approach as evidenced by leadership in one or more fields of assessment, teaching, evaluation, competency development and definition.

Language requirements

• Excellent knowledge of English

6. Supervisory arrangements

The consultancy will be undertaken under the overall supervision of Simona Popa, Programme Specialist.

7. Facilities to be provided by UNESCO (if any)

During missions at IBE in Geneva, UNESCO-IBE will provide an office space, an email address and a computer.

Request to submit a written proposal

UNESCO is inviting written proposals from Individual Consultants; for the work assignment described in attachment A. To enable you to prepare a proposal for this assignment, please find attached the following documents:

(a) Terms of Reference (see attachment A);

(b) UNESCO’s contract for Individual Consultants; the contracting modality used for these assignments (see attachment B);
Your written should comprise:

(a) A Technical Proposal consisting of - an up to date curriculum vitae, and - an approach and methodology for the assignment, a work plan and comments on the Terms of Reference if any (in brief).

(b) The amount to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in US dollars or in euros only. Please show any travel costs separately.

Your proposal and any supporting documents must be in English.

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organisation best value for money.

Your proposal should be submitted by e-mail no later than close of business (18:00) on 18 July 2016. E-mail proposals should not exceed 5MB.

• The e-mail address is: s.popa@unesco.org