SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION SUPPORT PROJECT (SDISP)
TERMS OF REFERENCE
for
Administration and Communications Officer
for
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 will have 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 will
finance 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.
2. Objective of the assignment
The purpose of this assignment is to hire a consultant on the position of Administration and
Communications Officer to provide assistance in managing quality assurance activities and work
closely with the newly established Grants and Contracts Division of HEAEB. In particular, the advisor
is expected to (i) provide administrative assistance to the HEAEB, (ii) increase the international
visibility of HEAEB by preparing comprehensive PR strategy and (iii) establish the networking with
ENQA and EQAR.
3. Scope of work
The selected consultant will perform the following activities:
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Provide assistance to the HEAEB in managing quality assurance activities
Coordinate activities that need to be taken in order to achieve ENQA/EQAR membership;
Coordinate activities for applying for grants for improving the capacity of HEAEB;
Liaise and ensure constant communication/coordination with HEAEB members, MoES
representatives and relevant international consultants hired under the Skills Development and
Innovation Support Project;
Prepare comprehensive PR strategy aimed at presenting the role and the activities of the
HEAEB to the wider audience;
Prepare necessary presentations for key target audiences and serve as facilitator for various
meetings and discussions related to PR and grants and contracts’ applications
Disseminate project outcomes and results.
4. Reporting obligations
The consultant will report to the president of HEAEB and to the SDISP Project Director through
provision of necessary progress reports, information and other deliverables within the scope of work as
per their request.
5. Consultant’s Qualifications
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Minimum 3 (three) years of relevant experience in the area of public relations and/or
international cooperation;
Strong project management skills, i.e. excellent knowledge and experience in all phases of the
project management cycle;
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Macedonian.
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University degree in the field of international relations, science or humanities; Advanced
(postgraduate) degree will be considered an advantage
Computer literacy with practical experience in Microsoft applications.
6. Selection and Contract Arrangements
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The selection method will be Selection of Individual Advisor in accordance with “Guidelines:
Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by
the World Bank Borrowers“(January 2011).
The Contract shall be time-based. The contract period shall be March 2016-May 2019.
Payment shall be made through an intermediary agency for copyrights and other intellectual
rights to the Consultant’s bank account.
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 or the SDIS Project Director, 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.