The ultimate result is a synthesis report on advancing entrepreneurial universities in Africa which should be submitted together with the raw data collected to enable verification and completeness.
ECA will retain exclusive ownership of the draft report. The consultant shall not reproduce the report in any form, shape or manner without the express written permission of the United Nations.
UNECA, Addis Ababa
The assignment will require three months commencing from the date of the signature of the contract and will be executed in accordance with agreed time lines.
Introduction
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) was established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN) in 1958 as one of the UN's five regional commissions. The mandate of ECA is to promote the economic and social development of its member States, foster intra-regional integration, and promote international cooperation for Africa's development. Made up of 54 member States and playing a dual role as a regional arm of the UN and as a key component of the African institutional landscape, ECA is well positioned to make unique contributions to address the Continent’s development challenges.
The mission of ECA is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission is guided by ECA’s five new strategic directions through six thematic areas that include: a) Macroeconomic policy and governance; b) Regional Integration and Trade; c) Private sector development and finance d) Data and statistics; e) Technology, climate change, and natural resource management; f) Gender, Poverty and Social Policy and; g) Economic development and planning
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is seeking to hire national consultants that will identify and work with Entrepreneurial Universities to advance their role as drivers of economic, social and environmental transformation of their businesses, communities and other external partners.
Background
The entrepreneurial university is at the heart of the technology driven economy by empowering its members and communities with the intellectual, network and financial resources needed to bring innovations and new business models to the market. Universities are key players in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in their own countries and beyond. While there is no one-size-fits-all model of an entrepreneurial university, such universities share many common attributes in terms of characteristics of leadership, incentives, support mechanisms, partnerships, international relations and monitoring and evaluation of entrepreneurial activities.
Entrepreneurial universities have evolved from a focus on promoting enterprise development and are increasingly using their immense intellectual, financial and network resources to find solutions to national and global challenges such as youth unemployment, universal access to education and health, extreme poverty, climate change, hunger and water shortage among other. The humane approach to entrepreneurship cuts across teaching, research, community engagement and international relations to be lead drivers of change. Entrepreneurship has become a key component of higher education that empowers future employees and employers as wells as future business, civil and government leaders with the necessary skills to meet future demands.
Africa faces many global challenges such as climate change and opportunities offered by emerging technologies that are transforming industry, economies and society at large. Entrepreneurial universities could play an important role. This was clearly spelled out in the outcome document of the Africa Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Forum 2020 held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in February 2020. One of the resolutions called for the transformation of African universities to become producers of goods and services.
Purpose and objective of the consultancies
The main purpose of this work is to support the ECA-led research to advance entrepreneurial universities in Africa. The work is NOT designed to assess the enterprising efforts of the university (i.e. investment in commercial activities to generate more revenues for the institution such as leasing of land, property or consultancy services) but rather on how the institution is positioned to promote, nurture and drive entrepreneurship and business development in the institution, area, region and beyond.
Specifically, the work focuses on seven key areas: 1) Leadership and Governance, 2) Organisational Capacity, People and Incentives, 3) Entrepreneurship development in teaching and learning, 4) Pathways for entrepreneurs, 5) University – business/external relationships for knowledge exchange, 6) The Entrepreneurial University as an internationalized institution, and 7) Measuring the impact of the Entrepreneurial University. It may pay greater attention to privately owned and/or run universities in some of the countries.
For this assignment, a greater focus will be placed on revealing existing opportunities ad providing support to university teams on dimension 4 and 5 (that is “Pathways for entrepreneurs” and “University – business/external relationships for knowledge exchange”. The data generated will aid national and regional efforts to strengthen institutional arrangements to drive technological and non-technological innovations and entrepreneurship to boost job and wealth creation, and competitiveness in trade and in attracting investments.
Scope of Work
The National Consultant will work closely with ECA and its partners in the design and refinement of the survey tools, especially the questionnaires, to ensure they meet the minimum required research quality. The consultant will develop methodologies for analysing the national datasets, both qualitative and quantitative.
Duties and responsibilities of the consultant
Under the guidance and supervision of the Director of the Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management Division (TCND), ECA and working closely with partner national departments and ministries, the consultant will assume the following responsibilities.
i. Develop a work plan of the consultancy indicating clear deliverables and timelines;
ii. Review and refine any survey teams for assessing entrepreneurial universities and for identifying and supporting teams at the national level
iii. Identify opportunities that various stakeholders can exploit to enhance entrepreneurial pathways and strengthen University-Industry-Government relations.
iv. Organize events and activities that will foster mutually entrepreneurial relations, support measures and mechanisms among the various stakeholders
v. Analyse the data collected using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
vi. Undertake a review of existing and emerging trends, policies, regulations, administrative processes and infrastructure designed to promote entrepreneurship through universities.
vii. Rigorously assess the impact of emerging technological, conceptual and institutional trends and changes on the mission of entrepreneurial universities in Africa.
viii. Identify and review institutional requirements including learning, research and innovation support infrastructure (hard and soft), technical competencies, networks, human resources, finance and other key resources for the successful development of entrepreneurial universities in the country, region or continent.
ix. Prepare reports for the various activities and they overall synthesis report
x. Draft the final report based on the above work and submit all raw data collected.
xi. Undertake any other emerging work as may be determined by TCND
Competency: The candidate must have the skills and knowledge in 1) management of innovation or entrepreneurship; familiar with university operations and culture; experience in both academia and industry or has worked in industry, academia and international institutions; 2) general office and desktop publishing as well as online platforms and packages for compiling, organizing and analysing data and information and; 3) delivering presentations to teams with strong differences of opinion and beliefs.
Academic Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business management, innovation, entrepreneurship and other social sciences or technology related fields is required. A first level university degree in combination with two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A PhD is an advantage.
Experience: A minimum of ten years of progressive experience in working with knowledge of teaching, research, innovation or technology, business and product development is required. A good understanding of statistical tools and analysis is desirable.
Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.
The consultant will work from home and shall be supported by ECA. TCND will conduct regular consultations with key stakeholders.
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.