Education Research Consultant for Higher Education

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Overview

‍Consultant Title: Education Research Consultant for Higher Education

‍Internal Title: External Consultant

‍Period of Performance: Four months

‍Level of Effort: up to 60 days, with potential for additional days

‍Reports to: Chief of Party         

Location: Manila, Philippines

‍Applicant Type: Philippine nationals 

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‍About the Organization 

RTI International / Research Triangle Institute (RTI) is both a global research institute and a leading international development organization. We combine these powerful capabilities with those of our partners to co-create smart, shared solutions for a more prosperous, equitable, and resilient world. Based in North Carolina, USA, RTI is one of USAID’s top implementing partners. A commitment to making meaningful change energizes our 6,000 staff who deliver results across eight international development sectors and in more than 80 countries.  RTI's Sustainable Growth & Resilience (SG&R) technical unit within the International Development Group brings together RTI experts and capabilities across food security, agriculture, energy, environment, water, governance, and economic opportunity. SG&R will leverage RTI's experience designing and delivering multisectoral programming and technical solutions to respond to climate change, build resilience, and promote economic growth around the world. 

‍The RTI Center for Governance promotes strong, stable societies by empowering people and strengthening institutions. Building on RTI’s decades-long legacy of leading governance projects around the world, the Center works to increase transparency and accountability, mitigate corruption, and help government actors to better deliver on the needs of citizens. Boasting a global reach, the RTI Center for Governance includes partners, expertise, and learning from major initiatives spanning sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. The Center leverages RTI’s longstanding local partnerships to bring together governments, civil society, the private sector, and communities to define problems and jointly create sustainable solutions in countries around the world.

‍Project Description

‍USAID’s U.S.-Philippines Partnership for Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning (UPSKILL) Program aims to strengthen the Philippine higher education system to support broad-based and inclusive growth. It will do this by strengthening the innovation capacities and workforce development functions of Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs) through faculty development, curriculum improvements, and engagement with industry and international partners, as well as overall improvements in HEI management and administration. UPSKILL will also support an enabling regulatory and policy environment to improve governance in the sector and provide convergence platforms for local stakeholders to work together in achieving shared development goals. At the request of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), UPSKILL will support EDCOM 2 to fulfill its mandate of conducting a “comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector for the purpose of recommending transformative, concrete, and targeted reforms in the sector with the end in view of making the Philippines globally competitive in both education and labor markets” in the next three years, from 2023 to 2025.
Responsibilities

RTI International is seeking an Education Research Consultant for Higher Education for the UPSKILL Program. The Education Research Consultant for Higher Education will conduct a study on the evolution of the mandate of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in relation to its organizational capacity since 1994. In particular, the study will focus on the following research questions:

1. What were the intentions of the first EDCOM, and of the legislature, in the establishment of CHED, via Republic Act 7722?
2. How does this governance structure compare to those in ASEAN, and in other relevant education systems to study (if any)?
3. Was CHED organized and resourced in accordance with the intentions of EDCOM 1 and the legislatives deliberations for RA 7722? 

To answer these questions, the Consultant will review records of deliberations and recommendations during the public hearings and other documents during the period of EDCOM 1 and RA 7722.

1. What other laws and government initiatives/programs (e.g. PCARI) have added to the responsibilities of the agency since?
2. To what extent did they affect/rely on CHED’s initial structure?
3. What were challenges faced? 
4. How has CHED’s organizational structure and manpower complement evolved since 1994?

To answer this question, the Consultant will review CHED rationalization plans, plantilla allocations through the years, and contract of service personnel it has had to hire to complement its manpower, resources/budget provided, etc.; review Central Office and Regional Office staffing in relation to their respective mandates, and the HEIs supervised; and review level of positions and technical versus administrative positions relative to the respective mandates and functions of offices.

1. What are the specific recommendations in relation to RA 7722 and CHED’s rationalization plan in 2013, vis-a-vis the ongoing effort to “right size” government agencies.
2. What are the additional powers/mandate of the Commission?
3. Are these funded or unfunded?
4. How is CHED delivering the services which are unfunded?
5. How does this affect the performance of CHED in delivering these unfunded mandates? 
6. What are the additional powers/functions that would help CHED in pushing for quality assurance in HEIs? Salient points of recent proposed legislation concerning CHED (such as mandating CHED to exercise reasonable supervision and regulation of HEIs) should also be considered in the analysis.

Responsibilities 

The Education Research Consultant for Higher Education will work closely with EDCOM 2 through its Technical Secretariat led by the Executive Director. The Consultant is expected to perform the following tasks:

• Conduct research on the review of CHED’s evolved mandate and organizational capacity since 1994.
• Ensure timely delivery of reports, successful implementation of consultations and discussions, and organization of research outputs for finalization.
• Work on the finalization of policy recommendations based on the research outputs.
• Ensure best practices and lessons learned are captured and disseminated across the project.

Expected Deliverables 

‍Deliverable Estimated Schedule 

‍Inception report October 2024

Submission of initial findings November 2024 

Presentation of initial findings January 2025 

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Qualifications

• Master’s degree in education, economics, business administration, development economics, or related fields at a minimum is required.
• Have at least six (6) years to eight (8) years of experience in the field of research and/or education governance, either in the public or private sector.
• Demonstrate expertise and a deep understanding of Philippine education.
• Having comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Philippine higher education system is preferred
• Have outstanding research, coordination, writing, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work throughout the Philippines.
• This position is exclusively open for Philippine applicants.

Application Instructions 

If interested, please follow the link to the RTI portal. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible as interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Due to the volume of applications that we receive and the urgency to fill positions, only shortlisted applicants will receive notifications on next steps. The application deadline is on September 11, 2024.
EEO & Pay Equity Statements

As a global employer of choice, RTI is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace and the communities and markets where we serve our mission. We value diversity of thought, culture, background and perspective and welcome applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, creed, citizenship status, disability, protected veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable discrimination laws or RTI policy.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Further information is available here.

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