SSA_2024_Action Research- Unlocking African youth potential through international Higher Education Partnerships

Tender description

Specification<br />7.1 The British Council is inviting tenders for a rapid outcome action research focusing on unlocking African youth potential through International Education Partnerships.<br />The British Council, in partnership with the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) has previously commissioned a complementary landscape research on International Education partnerships, focusing on building equitable partnerships. This research will therefore extend and complement the previous one. This action research aims to explore and leverage the potential of International Education partnerships in unlocking Africa's youth potential for sustainable development, placing young people in SSA at the core of international partnerships.<br />The action research aims to spotlight the evolving aspirations of young Africans and initiate discussions, advance agendas and foster the development of plans to include African youth in co-creating the future of education. It should emphasize their perspectives and ideas for bridging knowledge gaps and supporting non-traditional career paths. This youth led/focussed action research will highlight lived experiences and real-world gaps in the knowledge production function of universities/HEI’s and how these gaps affect their employability and other future prospects. Their perspectives will guide discussions on reimagining educational systems, with a panel discussion providing a platform for both young voices and experts to exchange ideas and recommendations.<br />Additionally, this research will generate insights on the flowing areas:<br />• How African youth can actively participate in co-creating their educational futures. • Youth perspectives and priorities, with a particular emphasis on how these perspectives can inform changes in knowledge production and transmission. • The importance of giving agency to African youth in the knowledge production process to reimagine educational systems that support their aspirations. • Engaging young people in conversations about their futures and ensuring that universities adapt to address their ambitions, particularly in the context of non-traditional career pathways. It is expected that the action research will contribute to the following outputs and outcomes: • Enhanced understanding of the role and impact of International Education Partnerships in unlocking Africa's youth potential. • Identification of actionable recommendations to overcome barriers and leverage opportunities in implementing effective IHEPs. • Foster discussions on reshaping education (where relevant) to align with the aspirations of African youth. • Highlight the importance of including young people in decision-making processes related to their educational and career futures.<br />British Council ITT 9<br />• Encourage universities to adapt and remain relevant in a changing world of work by listening to and integrating youth perspectives. • Improved alignment between university education and the aspirations of African youth. • Increased collaboration between universities and young people in shaping the future of education and employment.<br />The broad objectives of this action research are to :<br />1. Identifying institutions or institutional partnerships which have actively collaborated with young people. How sustainable were these arrangements? what’s were their objectives and outcomes and to what extent where they met.<br />2. Identify key challenges and opportunities in implementing effective International Education Partnerships for youth development in Sub Saharan Africa.<br />3. Design a pilot initiative in collaboration with key research participants to address identified gaps and maximize the impact of International Higher Education Partnerships.<br />4. Develop policy recommendations and best practice recommendations for promoting and sustaining youth focussed International higher Education Partnerships in Africa.<br />Scope of this research: This action research is targeted at Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa<br />Deliverables<br />• Final research report incorporating field work/ data collection and analysis.<br />• Compilation of Case Studies of good practice of youth led International Education Partnerships. (Number of case studies to be determined at inception)<br />• PowerPoint presentation summary of the research findings<br />• Share/disseminate Findings in two selected fora, including the Going Global conference to be held in Nigeria in November 26-28 2024.This will be done virtually.<br />• Policy/practice recommendations in the form of short policy briefs and/or guidelines for policymakers, educational institutions, and other stakeholders to promote sustainable IHEPs in Africa.<br />• Work with British Council SSA insights Hub Lead to set up action learning labs from the outputs of the research<br />• Data visuals/ infographic summary of the findings<br />• Concept note on a pilot project for a youth focused IEP project.<br />• The report may be published externally so researchers should build in permissions to publish from data collection to reporting.<br />Methodology: it is expected that the methodology to be used should be a pragmatic complexity aware approach that incorporates mixed multidisciplinary methods making use of available evidence from both primary and secondary (qualitative and quantitative) sources to arrive at a robust and transparent assessment of the youth led IHE partnership landscape and its attendant outcomes. The supplier should choose a methodology and an analytical approach that is youth focused action led and creative.<br />At a minimum, these should include:<br />1. Literature review: A thorough review of relevant literature to ensure relevance and use of findings should also be undertaken.<br />2. Interviews with key stakeholders and users: Interviews with key stakeholders and with key staff members from British Council. These interviews may be done virtually and would require that the supplier (working with country HE reps) maps key stakeholders and conducts Interviews.<br />British Council ITT 10<br />3. Surveys or other data collection methods: to solicit input from additional stakeholders and recipients. If surveys are used, these should be rigorously designed with appropriate sampling methods and expectation of acceptably high response rates. Alternative or complementary approaches such as focus group discussions could be considered.<br />Research questions<br />The following research questions are not exhaustive and would be further refined at the inception stage however these are indicative of the research outcomes.<br />• What are the current gaps between university education and the expectations of young Africans regarding future employment?<br />• How can young people actively participate in shaping educational policies and decisions? How would it be included and what sort of value young people could contribute to the process?<br />• What role should creativity and innovation play in redefining education for the future for young Africa ns?<br />• How do non-traditional career paths impact the educational requirements of HEIs and the impact on young people?<br />• What strategies can bridge the gap between traditional education and the changing job market?<br />• What are the existing International Higher Education Partnerships (IHEPs) involving African institutions, and what is their current impact on youth empowerment and development?<br />• What are the main challenges and opportunities faced in implementing effective IHEPs for youth development in Africa, from the perspectives of stakeholders including academia, government, and international organizations?<br />• How can IHEPs be tailored to address the specific needs and challenges of African youth in areas such as STEM education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development?<br />• What are the key success factors and best practices in designing and implementing pilot initiatives within IHEPs to maximize their impact on youth empowerment?<br />• What are the short-term and long-term outcomes of pilot initiatives implemented through IHEPs, and how do these contribute to the sustainable development of African youth?<br />• How can policy frameworks be developed or adapted to support the scalability and sustainability of IHEPs in Africa, and what are the key recommendations for policymakers, educational institutions, and other stakeholders?<br />• What are the perceptions and experiences of youth participants in IHEPs, including their access to quality education, skills training, and international networks, and how do these contribute to their empowerment and future opportunities?<br />• How do successful IHEPs foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between African and international partners, and what lessons can be learned from these partnerships for future initiatives?<br />• What are the ethical considerations and potential challenges associated with international collaborations within IHEPs, and how can these be addressed to ensure equitable and mutually beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders?<br />• How can the findings and insights from this research contribute to broader discussions and actions aimed at unlocking Africa's youth potential for sustainable development through international higher education partnerships? The tenderer will need to demonstrate evidence of the following: • Organisation profile with track record of delivery of research and insights services indicating present and past clientele as well as evidence of the relevant level professional expertise and personnel to deliver the assignment. Delivering youth focused research/evaluation is an added advantage. • Evidence of experience working in and delivering services in the educational sector, particularly projects involving HEI’s.<br />British Council ITT 11<br />• Ability to deliver research and consultancy services within specified timelines (see 11.1) • Team with the requisite experiences and skills.<br />7.3 Risks<br />7.3.1 Travel: All Travel will be governed and managed in line with British Council Travel Risk Management policy and all travellers will need to adhere to Travel Risk Management requirements issued at the time of travel.<br />7.3.2 Health and Safety: All venues provided for activity will need to comply with British Council Venue Assessment Checklist Requirements as outlined in Annex 2.<br />7.3.3 All consultants will be required to procure their own insurance for travel and other activity in relation to the programme.<br />7.4 Cross-cutting Issues<br />In the delivery of the assignment, the supplier will be required to consider the following:<br />7.4.1 Diversity: All case studies and materials used for the programme will be in line with British Council equality and diversity approach as outlined at: https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/how-we-work/equality-diversity-inclusion<br />7.4.2 Further requirements will be outlined in the contract to be signed with selected supplier