Re-advertisement -International Consultant – Vocational Education and Training Senior Expert to assist the referencing process of the Albanian Qualification Framework against the European Qualification Framework

The ‘Skills Development for Employment (SD4E) programme”, financed by the Swiss Government and implemented by UDNP Albania, continues to support the Government of Albania in the national VET and Employment reform through a comprehensive approach of institutional capacity building on a macro/policy level, enabling key actors (MFE, NES/NAES and NAVETQ) to deliver coordinated and demand-driven services. Responding to national priorities and the objectives of the National Employment and Skills Strategy, this Swiss funded intervention has the ambition to make a systemic contribution where the Albanian VET system and Employment Service supply the labour market with a skilled workforce that contributes to sustainable and inclusive economic development of the country.

To achieve the programme purpose and finally the programme goal, the programme will focus in 3 strategic fields that will aim to improve the governance and quality of service provision in VET and employment promotion in Albania.

1. Outcome 1: The institutional capacity of key actors in VET and Employment (Ministry, NAVETQ, NAES) is strengthened
2. Outcome 2: The employment service portfolio is based on a balanced demand-and supply-side oriented approach
3. Outcome 3: A standardized Quality Assurance (QA) framework is in place that improves the image of VET and fosters linkages between school and world of work.

Scope of the assignment

Albania is a member of the EU European Qualification Framework (EQF) Advisory Group. This body is chaired by the European Commission and comprises the EU countries, European Economic Areas (EEA) countries, candidate and potential candidate countries, the European social partners, students’ groups and other representative associations and institutions. The Group was founded to oversee the implementation of the 2017 Council Recommendation on the EQF for lifelong learning[1]. Members of the EQF Advisory Group are invited to reference their national qualification frameworks to the EQF.

‘The recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council of 23 April 2008 on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning created a common reference framework of eight levels of qualifications, expressed as learning outcomes with increasing levels of proficiency. They serve as a translation device between different qualifications systems and their levels. The purpose of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning is to improve the transparency, comparability and portability of people’s qualifications.’ (ibid, p. 5f)

In March 2010 the Albanian Parliament adopted Law no. 10 247 on the Albanian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Amendments to this law were adopted in May 2018. Secondary legislation under this revised law was prepared. After the recent adoption of the Decisions of the Council of Ministers (DCMs) on AQF level descriptors, Sector Skills Committees and the inclusion of Lifelong Learning Qualifications in the AQF, Albania would like to start the process of referencing the AQF to the EQF.

An AQF Taskforce was established in 2015 and its mandate extended twice since then. The Director of the National Agency of VET and Qualifications (NAVETQ) and the Director of the Department for Integration of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth (MoESY) co-chair the AQF taskforce, which includes also representatives from the higher education sector and Business Albania. The mandate of the Taskforce initially included preparing a Handbook on the AQF, the revision of the 2010 AQF law and secondary AQF legislation. Now it focuses on the referencing of the AQF to the EQF.

The European Training Foundation (ETF) has been supporting the AQF Taskforce with a series of three workshops on the topic of EQF referencing.

Workshop no. 1 was held in September 2016 and discussed Basics of the EQF referencing, including 1) Referencing the AQF to the EQF – what it is and what it is not; 2) Basic requirements for the EQF referencing; 3) The referencing report – Structure and chapters; what is available and what not; where to find the information/ whom to involve, as well as issues on which an agreement must be reached. Two open issues at the time included a coherent set of level descriptors, as well as institutional arrangements and the clear functions and roles of institutions.

The workshop also came up with a practical Roadmap with tasks, responsibilities, people to involve, milestones and a time schedule for the EQF referencing process. This Roadmap has, however, not been fully implemented, yet. Its contents and deadlines would need to be updated. 

The topic of Workshop no. 2 in January 2017 was the Inclusion of qualifications in the AQF. The revised AQF Law (then a draft version) includes a scheme of types and levels of qualifications, divided into three categories: 1. General qualifications, 2. Vocational/professional qualifications, 3. Qualifications for lifelong learning. The inclusion of these types of qualifications in the AQF were discussed from the viewpoint of both the legal basis and the EQF referencing criteria 3 and 4.

Workshop no. 3 in May 2017 served to reach a common understanding of the current status of the quality assurance of qualifications in Albania, EQF referencing criteria 5 and 6 and the contents of the AQF by-laws on the Approval of vocational qualifications for inclusion in the AQF/ National Vocational Qualifications register and on the Establishment of sector committees.

The results of these workshops are the basis of this assignment. However, an update based on the newly adopted DCMs and other recent developments will be necessary. Members of the AQF taskforce or the ETF will make available at the start of the assignment all relevant outputs of the work done so far.

UNDP Albania is supporting the task force with the necessary international and national expertise to complete all the requirements for furthering the process of referencing.

Deliverables

The purpose of this contract is to assist the AQF taskforce in their process to reference the AQF against the EQF, for the qualification levels from 0 to 5. More specifically, the experts will help with the collection of all necessary inputs and prepare the actual draft EQF Referencing Report for Albania. The expert will work together with an international expert and a national expert. As the COVID-19 situation might prevent the international expert to attend workshops the international and national expert should divide roles taking into account this situation. The assignment of days is also based on this assumption.

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Core Competencies:

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgement;
• Self-development, initiative-taking;
• Act as a team player and facilitate team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Creating synergies through self-control;
• Managing conflict;
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
• Informed and transparent decision-making.

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge and expertise of the EQF and the referenceing process, and the VET system;
• Strong communication skills (written, spoken, composing, presentation);
• Substantive knowledge of business administration and management;
• Political and cultural sensitivity and commitment to UNDP’s development objectives in the country.

Academic Qualification

• Post-graduate degree in international development, education, economics, social sciences or other relevant field is required;

Work Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in policy analysis and/or comparative research in the field of education and training, proven by involvement in projects;
• Relevant knowledge and experience with regard to policies, strategies and practices concerning (1) National Qualification Frameworks (NQFs) and (2) the European Qualification Framework and related EU policies.
• Previous and/or current Membership in professional bodies related to EQF Advisory Group and familiarity with the requirements and steps in the process;
• Proven experience in the field of qualifications policies and practices, VET, and lifelong learning in own country and/or in other countries.
• Proven Records of the participation in a similar process (would be an asset);
• At least two publications or documents e.g. reports/analyses etc. in English in the last 5 years in one or more of the following fields:
  • qualifications systems/frameworks, transparency tools
  • lifelong learning strategies
  • EU policies related to education

Language

• Excellent written and oral English (C1 level)

Evaluation Procedure

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would consider both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

Technical Criteria – 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

Criteria A: Post-graduate degree in international development, education, economics, social sciences or other relevant field – max 10 points

Criteria B:  Minimum 5 years’ experience in policy analysis and/or comparative research in the field of education and training, proven by involvement in projects – max 10 points

Criteria C: Relevant knowledge and experience with regard to policies, strategies and practices concerning (1) National Qualification Frameworks (NQFs) and (2) the European Qualification Framework and related EU policies – max 20 points

Criteria D:  Proven experience in the field of qualifications policies and practices, VET, and lifelong learning in own country and/or in other countries. – max 10 points

Criteria E: At least two publications or documents e.g. reports/analyses etc. in English in the last 5 years in one or more of the following fields:

• qualifications systems/frameworks, transparency tools
• lifelong learning strategies
• EU policies related to education – max 20 points

Financial Criteria – 30% of total evaluation – max 30 points

Application Procedure

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the “Resume and Motivation” section of the electronic application.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form… www.un.org.al/sites/default/files/IC_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx
• Latest personal CV, including past experience from similar projects or completed and signed UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SC) and Individual Contracts (IC) – Blank form Download here.
• Financial Proposal – specifying a total lump sum amount in USD for completion of the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal should indicate an all-inclusive fixed total contract price and all other travel related costs (such as flight ticket, per diem, etc), supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template attached to the Letter of Confirmation of Interest template.  If an applicant is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. http://www.un.org.al/doc/Financial%20Offer%20template.doc 
• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport.

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Merge your CV or P11, Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.