4 Quality Education For All

ICTP Evaluation Published by UNESCO

January 4, 2025October 1, 2024

In october of 2024, UNESCO published The evaluation of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) which was conducted by ECOPER.

The report reveals taht ICTP’s mission and foundational principles of excellence, inclusion, and international cooperation remain highly relevant to the needs of developing countries, addressing the persistent North-South capacity gap and new technological challenges and opportunities. The evaluation found ICTP’s model and construct to have proven successful overtime. Key findings of the report include a comprehensive measurement and mapping of ICTP outreach and impact across developing countries.

Evaluating ICTP, the UNESCO category 1 center on natural sciences

January 7, 2025April 23, 2024

ECOPER was commissioned by the UNESCO Internal Oversight Services to conduct the evaluation of the International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). Under the umbrella of the UNESCO Natural Sciences Sector, ICTP is a UNESCO Category 1 Center governed by a tripartite agreement between the government of Italy, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and UNESCO. …

Evaluation of a new literacy institution in Morocco

January 4, 2025March 30, 2024

UNESCO has commissioned the evaluation of the EU funded project to set up the Institute for Training in Literacy Professions (IFMA) to ECOPER. IFMA provides training programs aimed at equipping educators and facilitators with the necessary skills to teach literacy effectively. IFMA plays a crucial role in developing educational materials and methodologies tailored to local …

Tracer study for TVET system reform

November 13, 2024September 30, 2021

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 …

Tourism and hospitality TVET tracer study

December 22, 2021September 30, 2021

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 …

Bilbao’s 3rd International Cooperation Master Plan

December 22, 2021July 26, 2021

ECOPER has evaluated Bilbao municipal government’s 3rd International Cooperation for Development Plan covering the years 2016 to 2020. In addition to assessing the extent to which the plan had achieved its aims, the evaluation considered other factors including how well the plan was adapted to the policies, resources and capacities of the municipality; the instruments and processes applied in pursuing its goals; and the impact on and involvement of the city Bilbao and its stakeholders. A key aim was to inform the elaboration of the fourth master plan. Along with the analysis of data and documents, the evaluation included an online survey and focus groups involving cooperation partners; an online survey of citizens of Bilbao; and interviews with Bilbao’s international cooperation team and other actors with knowledge of the plan’s design and execution.

Agriculture TVET in Jordan

December 21, 2021December 31, 2020

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.

TVET scholarships for refugees and vulnerable youth

December 22, 2021September 30, 2020

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.

Better Education for Africa’s Rise II

December 28, 2021March 31, 2020

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’, …

Vocational education in tourism and hospitality

December 22, 2021November 30, 2019

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 …

QUALITY EDUCATION