Higher Education and Industry Innovation Short-term Consultant

Higher Education and Industry Innovation Short-term Consultant

Location: Amman, Jordan

IREX seeks a short-term expert consultant with immediate availability to provide technical inputs to the design and implementation of the Higher Education for Innovation and Growth (HEIG) Activity in Jordan.  

This new activity aims to strengthen the core functions of higher education institutions (HEIs), and support effective and sustainable collaboration among HEIs, industry, and government stakeholders to improve teaching and learning, research, and innovation.

The consultant will work closely with IREX and with local lead partner iPark to refine the design of a partnership incubator and sector specific catalytic innovation clusters (C3s). They will also analyze and refine options for the structure of a partnership incubator fund and will support IREX to refine existing modules of its tested Higher Education Institutional Capacity Assessment tool (HEICAT).  

Consultant is expected to conduct work in Amman, Jordan. If the consultant is currently located outside of Amman, they may conduct some work remotely prior to and following mobilization.  

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Provide written inputs to the development and revision of the activity’s workplan.  
• Engage a range of stakeholders to refine design of sector-specific catalytic collaboration clusters (C3s).  
• Support lead local partner to develop terms of reference for C3 secretariats.
• Analyze and refine options for the structure of a catalytic investment fund to seed innovation partnerships between higher education and private sector actors.
• Adapt existing modules of IREX’s Higher Education Institutional Capacity Assessment tool (HEICAT) on topics including data and institutional research, knowledge transfer and external relations, quality assurance and enhancement, and research for use with selected partnerships institutions.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred) in Education, Economics, International Development, social sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in higher education/technical and vocation education and training (TVET) strengthening, and/or private sector engagement.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing and leading partnerships to foster and drive research and innovation collaborations between higher education and industry.
• Knowledge of best practices in data and institutional research, knowledge transfer and external relations, quality assurance and enhancement, and research for higher education institutions.  
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration, reflection, and learning.

• Experience with short-term technical advising in a fast-paced start-up environment.  
• Experience working in a higher education institution is preferred.
• Availability for in-person technical advising in Amman, Jordan in December 2023.
• Must be fluent in English, fluency in Arabic is a plus.

To Apply:

Click on “Apply” above to submit your CV/resume for this role, dates of availability between 11/27/23 – 2/15/24, and stating your daily rate ($) expectations and availability.

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