International Consultant for Higher Education and Skills Framework for Industrial Transition - UNDP - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Location: Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA

Application Deadline: 24-Jan-13

Type of Contract: Individual Contract

Post Level: International Consultant

Languages Required: English 

Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)   01-Feb-2013

Duration of Initial Contract: 30 days working days

Expected Duration of Assignment: 30 days working days

Background

After a decade of strong GDP growth along with significant poverty reduction, the Cambodian economy suffered from the global financial crisis like many other economies in 2009. Despite the successful recovery, the crisis reemphasized the weaknesses in Cambodia’s economy structure and the vulnerability of its economy to exogenous shocks due to the high reliance on a few traditional sources of growth, such as garments, tourism and construction. The Royal Government of Cambodia is aware of the need to diversify the economic base and to seize opportunities emerging from the global and regional value chain, foreign direct investments, and strengthening local entrepreneurship.   The National Strategic Development Plan and the dialogue during the 4th Cambodia Economic Forum in 2011, laid out a development agenda that aims to add more value to existing core sectors; nurture emerging industries that have growth potential; and identify areas of latent comparative advantage. In broad terms industrial diversification implies restructuring of manufacturing to industrial production other than simple low value added garments manufacture for exports and developing high value added agricultural products and is seen as key to insulating Cambodia against future economic shocks. Furthermore, there is broad awareness that Cambodia’s future development and successful structural transformation towards a more diversified and inclusive economy critically depends on its pool of skilled and competent people and strengthened capacities and coordination of its institutions.   For developing nations at an early stage of industrialization, the comparative advantage of low labor costs is usually of temporary nature and erodes rapidly. In Cambodia, high labor migration and the up-coming ASEAN integration further question the durability of a low labor cost economy and thus, have considerable implications on the on-going labor transition between the agrarian and industrial sector and consequently, on the speed and nature of an appropriate industrialization strategy. Simple economic diversification based on low labor cost and without adequate long-term human capital and skills up-scaling measures might also carry the risk of tapping into the middle-income trap and marginalizing the chances of the Cambodian people in a more competitive integrated ASEAN labor market. Experiences from many successful countries such as Taiwan, Korea or Singapore suggest that the level of human capital is a head start compared to other countries and often show a close linkage between the industrialization strategy and education and skills development policies.   Whereas it is necessary to exert prudence in transferring successful systems from one country to another, nonetheless, reflections on certain elements that appeared to be applicable beyond boarders could be of great interest for contributions to Cambodia’s industrial policy formulation, for example, the coordinating mechanisms and central state role to direct the education and skill formation in the light of its economic objectives or the role of the private sector in skills training and the related technology transfer through foreign investments.   It is indisputable that human capital can be a serious binding constraint for industrial diversification and has to be taken into consideration for assessing the feasibility of any industrial development policy, in particular in Cambodia. The considerable skills shortage, as identified and highlighted in ADB’s Asian Development Outlook 2012 or the World Bank’s Investment Climate Survey 2007, appears to be the most visible peak of the underlying low human capital base. For example, the share of firms reporting skills as a major constraint to growth significantly increased from 6.5% in 2003 to 15.5% in 2007 (World Bank Investment Climate Survey 2007). The recently started Human Capital Roadmap initiative intends to better coordinate the large number of valuable human capital-related projects by development partners and the Government and addresses this human capital challenge through a comprehensive life-cycle approach from nutrition and early-childhood education to higher education and life-long learning. While many efforts have been undertaken to tackle current structural weaknesses and challenges in human capital elements that are more directly related to industrial policy, such as higher education and skills formation, there seems to be a need to build a solid bridge to Cambodia’s industrial policy objectives. , there seems to be a need to build a solid bridge to Cambodia’s industrial policy objectives.   The Supreme National Economic Council (SNEC) is currently in the final stage of drafting a new Cambodian Industrial Development Policy (IDP) to be released in 2013 and UNDP’s contribution on the linkage between higher education and skills development and industrial transition will be important. Through the conduction of a study on a ”Higher Education and Skills Development Framework for Industrial Transition” by an international expert, UNDP Cambodia intends to provide input to the IDP drafting process by outlining valuable elements or policy measures that (1) have proven to be decisive factors in successfully industrializing countries for the alignment of education and skills with the respective industrial policy objectives and that (2) are practically relevant and transferable to Cambodia’s current and anticipated future context. UNDP also intends to strengthen the high level policy dialogue on the linkage between human capital and industrial transition by exposing policy implementers to new ideas and to provide technical support to the ministries for the drafting of policy papers on the linkage between skills and industrial transition respectively higher education and industrial transition in response to the framework. Given the long-term nature of the education and skill formation process and the dynamics of the fast-growing Cambodian economy, policy-makers might be well-advised to reflect early on human capital and skills needs and constraints for economic diversification and to consider elements in the preparation of its new Cambodian Industrial Development Policy (IDP) that ensure a long-term perspective on skills and education.

Duties and Responsibilities

As part of UNDP’s work on human capital development and its policy support to the government partner on Industrial Development Policy, UNDP aims at supporting SNEC in strengthening the linkage between human capital and industrial transition. In line with this overarching goal, UNDP is looking for technical support from an international consultant to achieve the following objectives of this assignment: To provide technical input to the Cambodian IDP drafted by SNEC from a human capital perspective through the preparation of a ”Higher Education and Skills Development Framework for Industrial Transition” that allows identifying valuable elements or policy measures that have proven to be decisive factors in successfully industrializing countries for the alignment of education and skills with the respective industrial policy objectives and that are transferable to Cambodia’s current and anticipated future context; To provide technical assistance to two policy papers prepared by local consultants that assess - in close collaboration with the relevant ministries - the practicability of the proposed elements in the framework for the Cambodian context and formulate concrete policy measures related to higher education and skills development for industrial transition; To strengthen the high level policy dialogue and to raise awareness on the critical linkage between human capital and industrial transition. The key final output will be a policy paper (max 40 pages) outlining a Higher Education and Skills Development Framework for Industrial Transition. This high quality policy paper aims to enrich Cambodia’s industrial development policy draft with practical and implementable human capital elements/policy measures for the alignment of higher education and skill development with industrial policy objectives. This framework should also provide the government with a guiding tool for a human capital perspective on industrial policy and be applicable to future challenges. The international expert will present a first draft to the relevant ministries and important stakeholders in a first consultation workshop in Mid-March 2013. The follow-up revision of the draft should be finalized in April 2013 and presented at a second workshop. Additionally, the international consultant will provide technical assistance to the two policy response papers prepared by national consultants on Higher Education and Industrial Transition and Skills Development and Industrial Transition, respectively. S/he is expected to support the national consultants in terms of methodology, by providing guidance and assuring the quality of their policy response papers through technical inputs and a peer review of the drafts.

Competencies

Functional Competencies: Advanced knowledge and understanding of recent literature on industrialization and human capital development in Less Developed Countries; Demonstrated capacity and expertise in doing policy research on industrial policy in Less Developed Countries; Substantial experience in policy advise on industrial policy to high level policy makers; Substantial knowledge in the field of human capital development, in particular employment, skill development, education and related subjects; Experience working in south-east Asia and knowledge on Cambodia Experience working with Governments Strong international publications record; Experience facilitating meetings with multiple stakeholders and presenting policy research at high-level forums; Ability to work under pressure, effectively coordinate and advise a research team, and meet tight deadlines without compromising on the quality of work, and being flexible; Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communications skills;' Excellent presentation skills. Corporate Competencies: Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards; Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP; Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability Treats all people fairly without favoritism; Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:   At least a Master (preferably PhD) in economics or political science Experience: At least 10 years of experience in conducting applied research in developing countries, preferably in developing countries in Asia, including writing academic/non-academic policy papers on complex issues related to industrial policy and human capital development. Language Requirements: Proficiency in written and spoken English. Proven ability to write clear, jargon-free English IMPORTANT NOTE: The application shall comprise the following documents: Cover letter: Explaining why the candidate the most suitable for the work; Completed and signed UNDP Personal History Form and Personal CV. Please refer to INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT (IC) PROCUREMENT NOTICE on UNDP Cambodia Procurement Page at http://www.un.org.kh/undp/procurement-notices/undpjobid34935 for detailed term of references, instructions to applicant, and documents to be included when submitting application. If interested candidate requests additional information, may notify the Procurement Unit in writing to e-mail address: procurement.kh@undp.org. The Procurement Unit would endeavor to provide information expeditiously, but any delay in providing such information will not be considered a reason for extending the submission date of your application.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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