RFP – DS51EDU42024 - Evaluation of PAK UK Education Gateway Programme Phase 1

Tender description

The purpose and scope of this RFP and supporting documents is to explain in further detail the requirements of the British Council and the process for submitting a proposal in response to this RFP. the duration of the services will be 6 months with an option for an extension for up to an additional 2 month based on performance. <br /><br />The British Council in Pakistan and Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan are working jointly on PAK UK Education Gateway programme that aims to enhance the partnership between the higher education sectors of Pakistan and the UK. The activities have been funded on matching grant basis shared by both the agencies. Key areas of collaboration under this umbrella framework are innovative and collaborative research, higher education leadership, quality assurance and standard-setting, distance learning, international mobility, and transnational education.<br />Pak-UK Education Gateway builds on existing collaborations between the UK and Pakistan that the British Council and Higher Education Commission has facilitated over the last fifteen years: from knowledge exchange and leadership development programmes to student and teacher training, scholarships, and research collaborations.<br />The Pak UK Education Gateway Programme has the following objectives for the key areas.<br /><br />• Innovative and Collaborative Research<br /><br />Pak UK Education Gateway aims to focus on innovative and collaborative research in emerging disciplines of knowledge e.g., Medical, and allied health sciences, Energy generation, distribution and conservation, Climate Change and Water management, artificial intelligence, Robotics, Nanotechnology Big Data and Cloud computing, Social Sciences, and humanities to name a few. Under this element, both British Council and HEC will work to establish stronger links across the board between UK and Pak, among multiple areas, and between the industry, academia, and government for collaborative research programmes. There will be a focus on the connection and relevance of research to both parties, and on engaging the industry on board for the application of research and tap into new fields for more innovative research and industry/employer engagement. The programme area will build and encourage the research culture through various professional development programmes and capacity building programmes for the academics who choose research and scholarship as a career.<br /><br />• Higher Education Leadership<br /><br />Pak UK Education Gateway aims to improve quality of Governance and management through well trained Higher Education Leadership. The new model of the leadership programme will include local training programmes for strategic management and governance of world class universities through mentoring schemes and formal training. These will also include exposure to the UK institutions. Under this element, both British Council and HEC will work together to identify problems that are shared by both the UK and Pak sectors and can be addressed together through mutual learning and sharing best practices. This will promote mass participation in leadership development and re-engage Pakistani Vice Chancellors who have already undergone scholarly exchange visits to cascade leadership training as alumni/mentors for future programmes. The programme area will expand the areas of collaborations around leadership development between the UK and Pakistan, improve women participation in higher education leadership and establish strategic relationships between relevant institutions, apex & professional bodies in the UK and Pakistan for long term strategic partnership.<br />• Quality Assurance and Standard Setting<br /><br />British Council and HEC will work together for Quality Assurance and standard setting in Pakistani HEIs through identification of relevant links between Pakistani and UK accreditation and other professional bodies for long term quality assurance and benchmarking.<br /><br />• Distance Learning and exploring new ways of accessing higher education.<br /><br />To establish links between Pakistan and the UK for promoting Open and Distance Learning and improving the provision of technology embedded distance learning within Pakistan, both British Council and HEC will work together to develop innovative mechanisms to ensure quality Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and actively improve the perceptions of ODL in Pak and UK.<br /><br />• International mobility<br /><br />Pak UK Education Gateway will aim to improve two-way international mobility in Higher Education and increase number of scholarships on various models of collaboration between UK and Pakistani HEIs. Under this element, both British Council and HEC will partner with relevant institutions for two-way students and faculty exchange programmes, both face to face and online. This element will assess the impact of existing programmes and suggest future areas of mutual interest.<br /><br />• Transnational education<br /><br />The interest in transnational education between UK and Pakistani institutions is increasing and to address this both the parties are working for the development of international collaboration framework for Pakistan and UK. Under this element, both British Council and HEC will work together to promote a TNE policy and develop a framework to encourage structured international partnerships.<br /><br />• Programme activity areas <br /><br />PAK UK Education Gateway has conducted the following activities so far and are expecting to go through an extensive evaluation. Each of the broader activity area comprises of sub activity areas mentioned explicitly:<br /><br />• Innovative and Collaborative Research<br /><br />o Research Travel Grants: These were one time offer so that the universities can make linkages between UK and Pakistan. 21 grants were given to university academics.<br /><br />o Innovative and Collaborative Research Partnership Grants: 8 large scale research grants projects are funded and actively working. These research projects will continue to work till June 2024. Six projects are jointly funded by HEC and British Council and two are fully funded by the British Council.<br /><br /><br />o Research Capacity Building of Pakistani Universities: These workshops are delivered by Coventry University. They were selected through a tender process. 1029 researchers and reviewers and the institutional research management of Offices of Research, Innovation, & Commercialization (ORICs) from Universities across Pakistan. We also did certification for 51 Universities, Offices of Research, Innovation, & Commercialization (ORIC) across Pakistan. There is very valuable feedback for general researchers received from these trainings.<br /><br />• Higher Education Leadership<br /><br />o Capacity Building for Doctoral Provision in Pakistan: PhD supervisors from Pakistani universities were trained by Coventry University in two phases in Pakistan. 147 participants attended phase 1. 128 participants attended phase 2. Phase 3 is scheduled to be held in the UK in 2024.<br /><br />o Coordination /collaboration of NAHE with Advance HE: 4-5 batches of 15-20 academics as well as NAHE staff from Pakistan were to be trained in the UK. Virtual workshops were organized through Advance HE for NAHE Staff. The first visit took place in February 2023. The visit was attended by 19 Vice Chancellors, Chairman HEC and 5 staff members from HEC. The Country Director British Council and 2 members of British Council staff were part of the delegation. The delegation of Pakistani Vice Chancellors travelled to the UK to enable the group to look at successes which universities had achieved and understand how they had achieved them, learn how universities had been successful internationally, and understand the role of governance and academic governance, financial strategies, enhancing the student experience and developing research that would have impact.<br /><br /><br />o Fellowships under NAHE on HEA UK Fellowship: Advance HE model to enhance commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education. This project is led by NAHE team. 189 academics from Pakistan have been granted UK Advance HE Associate Fellowship. Trainings sessions were organised for around 700 academics while 236 applications were submitted and 189 were successful. <br /><br />• Quality Assurance and Standard Setting<br /><br />o QAA mechanism redesign and restructure, and policy/program for capacity building of QAA staff delivered. Launch event was held in August 2023 in Islamabad. The QAA UK team has worked very closely with QAA HEC and QAD. They have submitted the following documents.<br />a) Pakistan Precepts & Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education PPG-2022<br />b) Reviewing Effectiveness of Quality Accreditation Bodies (REQAB)<br />c) Reviewing Effectiveness of QAA's External Quality Assurance Methods (REEQA)<br />d) Self-assessment Manual<br />e) Internal QA manual<br /><br />• Distance Learning and exploring new ways of accessing higher education.<br /><br />o Development of ODL policy of Pakistan: A policy framework document has been developed by British Council and HEC on ODL.<br /><br />• International mobility<br /><br />o Mobility Grants for Pakistani and UK faculty: 8 grants were given to universities in Pakistan and the UK. The PAK-UK Education Gateway Mobility Partnership for Faculty provides flexible grants to UK higher education providers (HEPs) and Pakistani universities to design and deliver academically rigorous short-term mobility opportunities in Pakistan and the UK for faculty members from their respective institutions. 59 Pakistani and 49 UK faculty members have undertaken mobility so far.<br /><br />o Students Exchange Inward Visit to Pakistan and outward visit to the UK: 4 grants were given to universities in Pakistan and the UK. The PAK-UK Education Gateway Mobility Partnership for Students provides flexible grants to UK higher education providers (HEPs) and Pakistani universities to design and deliver academically rigorous short-term mobility opportunities in Pakistan and the UK for students from their respective institutions. 27 Pakistani and 21 UK students have undertaken mobility.<br /><br />• Transnational education<br /><br />o Development of TNE Handbook: A handbook has been developed on the Foreign Collaboration Policy of HEC. This will enable Pakistani and UK University to formulate structured partnerships. A launch event was held in Pakistan.<br /><br />• Audit for Higher Education Sector in Pakistan<br /><br />o Three level Audits were done by Advance HE: Audit of Teaching and Learning, Audit of University Governance Systems, Audit of University Leadership.<br />