UNESCO’s board discusses ECOPER’s report on Creative Cities

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was established in 2004 to foster international cooperation and knowledge exchange among cities that use culture and creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development. Since then, the Network has progressively increased its membership and currently covers 350 cities in more than 100 countries across the five UNESCO regions. …

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Evaluating UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) with big data techniques

UNESCO has commissioned the evaluation of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) to ECOPER. UCCN is a city network established by UNESCO with the purpose of promoting the use of culture and creativity in member cities as a driver for sustainable urban development. In many areas of international cooperation, networks are considered a powerful engine …

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ECOPER conducts evaluation research at UNESCO in Paris

The 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression was a milestone in international cultural policy. It is a standard-setting instrument which affirms the right of states to formulate and implement policies and measures in support of cultural activities, goods and services. Within this framework, it encourages governments to …

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Policies for cultural diversity

The cultural and creative industries are some of the fastest growing sectors in the world and are essential for inclusive economic growth, the reduction of inequalities and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was a cultural policy milestone and reflected the …

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Tracer study for TVET system reform

UNESCO has published an ECOPER tracer study report on agriculture TVET in Jordan Reducing mismatches between the skills demanded by employers and those actually acquired by students is an important contributor to improving employability and supporting economic growth. Multiple studies conducted by international agencies in the last decade have found that skills mismatches are particularly …

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Tourism and hospitality TVET tracer study

UNESCO has published an ECOPER report on a tourism and hospitality TVET tracer study in Jordan Tracer studies are invaluable tools for informing education system reforms, potentially providing rich data for future decision making and planning. This month UNESCO published a ‘Tracer Study of Tourism and Hospitality Vocational Secondary Education in Jordan’, which was conducted …

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Agriculture TVET in Jordan

ECOPER has reported on its tracer study of former agriculture TVET students in Jordan. The study aimed to collect information from the students on areas such as their education, current occupation and school-to-work transition. The conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic meant that the researchers used an online approach to data collection. A survey was distributed by text message and focus groups were conducted via videoconference to gather further insights. These methods proved to be both efficient and well-suited to the conditions.

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TVET scholarships for refugees and vulnerable youth

ECOPER has completed the external evaluation of the UNESCO project ‘Provision of TVET, On‐ the‐Job Training, and Entrepreneurship Education to Youth Affected by the Syria Crisis in Jordan (Phase III).’ The project sought to support Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanian youths who need financial support to access technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education programmes at national institutions in Jordan. The evaluation differed from others in that it was conducted entirely online, owing to the travel restrictions and health measures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, interviews and focus groups with project stakeholders and beneficiaries were conducted via videoconference. Meanwhile, a student satisfaction survey was conducted using an online survey platform, following distribution of the questionnaire by text message. The use of these approaches allowed data to be successfully collected despite the challenges provided by the backdrop.

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Better Education for Africa’s Rise II

The adequate provision of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is considered a key element in improving the prospects of young people in the areas of decent work and entrepreneurship. ECOPER consultants have collaborated with Ockham IPS in the evaluation of the joint UNESCO-Republic of Korea project ‘Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR) II’, …

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Vocational education in tourism and hospitality

Tourism is one of the most important sectors in the Jordanian economy but faces several challenges, including a lack of suitably qualified workers. This tracer study by ECOPER researchers aimed to collect feedback from former students of the tourism and hospitality stream of vocational programmes run by the Ministry of Education. In doing so, it …

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