The KAIP project aims to reform and stabilise the public higher education system in Kosovo/UN Resolution along the principles of the Bologna Process, thus, contributing to the overall objective of establishing a good governance system in Kosovo along European values and standards.

Its content descends from several meetings, field and desk research and exchanges of communication between Austrian and Kosovar stakeholders. The observable outcome of this participatory co-ordination process is a Memorandum of Understanding between Austria and Kosovo signed by the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture on one side and UNMIK/MEST on the other (Annex). All signatory parties agreed to support this multidimensional project by contributing financial input and by allocating adequate knowledge and institutional resources. The signatory parties plus ADA constitute a Steering Committee which oversees, discusses and steers the implementation of the KAIP-project and its several components.

Eight major project components of the KAIP-project reflect the thematic orientation laid down in the MoU. They target on
1. institutional development, capacity building, policy advice and community-centred operations of the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA)
2. institutional development, capacity building, awareness raising and subsequent community-centred operations of the Centre for Innovation Support and Technology Transfer (CITT)
3. institutional development, capacity building, awareness raising and subsequent community-centred operations of the Kosovo Centre for International Higher Education, Research and Technology Co-operation (K-CIRT)
4. capacity building for the Kosovar ENIC/NARIC
5. institutional development, capacity building, policy advice and community-centred operations of the Kosovo Council of Research and Technology
6. promotion of collaborative research and technological development
7. capacity building for academic employees from Kosovar public higher education institutions and
8. capacity building and subsequent community-centred operations of selected University of Prishtina faculties in terms of upgrading managerial, teaching and research qualifications of its staff.

As a ninth component, however horizontal in its nature, generic capacity building support for the MEST in terms of sector programming is taking place.

Further information on the project:

http://www.aei-austria-kosovo.com

The evaluation is an interim evaluation conducted in compliance with the Austrian Development Agency’s evaluation policy. As for any other independent evaluation, its purpose is to determine as systematically and objectively as possible the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and achievements (outputs, outcomes and likely sustainability and impact of the project). The evaluation will assess the achievements of the project against its key objectives, as set in the project document, including re-examining the relevance of the objectives and the design as well as additional activities conducted under the KAIP-project. It also identifies factors that have facilitated or impeded the achievement of the objectives.

The evaluation will assess the entire project’s development from its inception until mid 2009. Besides the desk analysis of the documents of the project, the evaluation contains at least two onsite-visits in Kosovo and one in Austria and interviews with the main Kosovar and Austrian stakeholders. The AEI will support the evaluator logistically in terms of travelling and interview arrangements.

More details on the main questions (relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and impact, consistence with programming principles), the methodological approach, timing, application processes, budget etc. are available in the attached document.

The evaluation should start on 15 May 2009 and be finalized until 15 November 2009. Reporting language will be English.

The evaluation requires in-depth and inter-disciplinary knowledge and experience in evaluation of development projects with a focus on higher education and research.

The evaluation shall be carried out by two independent international or – not necessarily – a team of more than two independent evaluators with the required qualifications and experience. Preference is given to a tandem of two experienced evaluators. Members of the evaluation team must not have been directly involved in the design and/or implementation of the programme/projects.

The applications (including CVs, statement of availability, reference projects, description of the proposed methodology and price-effort grid) have to be made available in the office of the AEI until 30 April 2009 (no post stamp date!).

Contact:

Mag. Stefan Meingast

Address: AEI Project Office
FAA Holding G. m. b. H.
Heiligenstädter Lände 29
1190 Wien
Österreich

E-Mail: stefan.meingast@faa.at

Please find the Terms of References attached.