Global Wales Scholarships Impact Review Research Project

Tender description

Global Wales Scholarships Impact Review: Request for Expressions of Interest 1 Brief Global Wales (GW) is seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced suppliers to undertake a research project analysing what impact GW’s scholarships portfolio has on helping to achieve its objectives. 2 Context 2.1 What is Global Wales? Global Wales is a project within Universities Wales, which is itself a part of Universities UK. Global Wales brings together universities and colleges with Global Wales partner organisations behind a single strategy to increase international profile, recruitment, and partnership opportunities for universities and colleges for the benefit of students, institutions and Wales as a nation. Global Wales funds four scholarship programmes within its portfolio – one centrally administered postgraduate scholarship and three scholarship programmes funded via partner organisations. More information can be found here. 2.2 Objectives of the Global Wales Programme Global Wales’s objectives 2022-2026 are to: • Increase student numbers from priority international markets (objective 1) • Increase the awareness and reputation of Welsh universities and further education colleges in priority markets (objective 2) • Maintain and grow partnerships in priority international markets (objective 3) • Generate additional export earnings for Wales from priority markets (objective 4) Global Wales has four priority markets: • Europe • North America • India • Vietnam 3 Scope We envisage the project will consider the below priorities – the exact scope and areas of focus will be decided with the supplier. Please note that the overall scholarships budget for the next 3 years is fixed. 3.1 Analyse what impact Global Wales’s scholarships portfolio has on helping to achieve its aims. (Expected to be 75% of project) Suppliers will need to: • Gain an understanding of the Global Wales funded scholarships portfolio • Assess the impact of each type of scholarship within the portfolio on the international student decision making process (objective 1) • Assess the impact of each type of scholarship within the portfolio on top of funnel awareness of Wales/Welsh universities. (objective 2) • Asses the wider impact of each type of scholarship within the portfolio on graduate perceptions of both their university and Wales as a study destination. 3.2 Identify opportunities within key markets to potentially redeploy funding to increase impact (Expected to be 25% of project) Suppliers may wish to: • Suggest redeploying budgets within the existing scholarships portfolio e.g increasing the level of support for one partner over another. • Suggest changing the value of individual awards. • Identify new partners for Global Wales within key markets. 4 Methodology 4.1 The supplier will be expected to work with the Global Wales team to define the exact parameters and methodology to be used. However, it is anticipated that the analysis will include: • Surveys of past and existing scholars • Interviews/case studies with past and existing scholars • Interviews with scholarships staff at GW’s eight Welsh partner universities. • Interviews with staff at GW’s three scholarship partner organisations • 1-2-1 Sessions with GW staff, especially the four managers responsible for GW key markets • Review of currently held information – such as application numbers and marketing analytics 5 Deliverables It is anticipated that this project will produce the following outputs: 5.1 An executive summary that can be used by a range of partners as a briefing and information document. It is expected that this will not exceed three A4 single side pages. 5.2 A full analysis that supports the executive summary that can be shared with relevant partners and stakeholders and includes a range of case studies. It is expected that this should not exceed 20 single sides of A4. 6 Application, Budget & Timeline 6.1 It is anticipated t