Background

The Roma high school and university scholarship program is funded by the Croatian government and managed and implemented by the MESS through its Directorate for national minorities. Since 2003 through this program 536 scholarships were granted  to Roma students enrolled into mainstream secondary schools (vocational and grammar schools). In regard of the Roma university scholarship program the available data are covering the period of 2007/09, where 41 scholarships were granted for Roma students in tertiary education. The program (both secondary and tertiary scholarships) has one main intervening component which is to provide Roma university and secondary school students with financial support.

The scholarship program aims to contribute to Roma education inclusion targeting secondary and tertiary education.

The program defines the following outcomes: 
1. Increased enrolment rate of Roma students to secondary education due to the incentive value of prospective scholarship
2. Increased enrolment rate of Roma students to tertiary education due to the incentive value of prospective scholarship
3. Increased number of Roma students with completed secondary and university education
4. Improved possibility of transition to higher education based on increased students’ motivation and self-confidence.

REF and MESS now wish to carry out a research of the existing high school and university scholarship program and other similar programs and their effects and efficiency on Roma education inclusion in Croatia.

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of the assignment is to perform a research to assess the implemented scholarship program goals and activities as well the program achievements and efficiency in the course of the program indicators and outcomes and to look for complementary activities that might be incorporated within this program contributing to increased Roma students’ education and academic achievements. The Researcher shall provide professional and operational support as necessary during the preparation and carry out other professional tasks as requested by REF and MESS in line with the objective. 

Specific duties include

Methodology

The researcher shall propose work plan and appropriate methodology to answer the assigned requirements and commitment to the best of his/her ability. 

The REF expects researcher to apply participative planning methodology involving all stakeholders and decision makers as fully appropriate.

Researcher will be provided with reading materials, documents and all necessary background information from the MESS and the Directorate for national minorities.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The researcher shall review the operations of the Scholarship Program from the following perspectives:

- Was the transfer in 2008 from the Directorate for joint programs of the MESS of Roma scholarship program and its integration into Directorate for national minorities smooth (i.e. management, supervision, daily operations, etc.)?
- Is the current functioning of the Program efficient? (i.e., level and use of human resources, coordination among different players inside and outside of the Directorate for national minorities and MESS, selection criteria and decision-making procedures regarding individual applications for scholarships with special emphasis on transparency, Roma participation in the decision making procedures and accountability of the procedures, financial management as well students education and academics achievements).
- Program indicators, impact and outcomes – procedures and learning of the outcomes. The current status of each scholarship program indicator. Number of indicators for measuring efficiency might be proposed if the evaluation shows the necessity of it.
- Monitoring and evaluation of the allocation.
- Database, baseline data and record keeping, access to information on the Program and the decisions, publicity of the Program. What are the advantages or consequences of having no specific selection scholarship criterions for the two programs, except the Roma nationality/ethnicity statement of the individual applicants?
- What should be the linkages between the Croatian Scholarship Program and the other scholarship programs that REF runs (exchange of international experience, policies and strategies for different programs, scholarship complementary programs – mentorship programs and/or academic programs, tutoring etc.)?
- Are there any specific strategic issues that should be addressed at the current stage of the Program’s development looking at the future?

Reporting

The Researcher will report to the appointed representatives of the clients, Shemsi Shainov, Senior Program Officer of REF and Mirko Markovic, Director of Directorate for national minorities of the MESS or other client’s representatives from time to time appointed.

These representatives will provide comments on the draft project evaluation prepared by the Researcher, which the Researcher will use to prepare the final deliverables. The final deliverable is expected to be approximately 25-30 pages in Times New Roman format, including an executive summary of 2-3 pages, but excluding any annexes and tables.

Duration

The starting date of the assignment is November 16, 2009. The foreseen finishing date of the assignment is December 18, 2009. The assignment is expected to take 20 working days to complete. The draft research paper should be presented after approximately 15 working days.

Working language
The working languages are English and Croatian. All deliverables should be provided in English and in Croatian language.

Deliverables

- activity plan/methodology program
- draft research document
- final research document

Working conditions

The Directorate for national minorities will provide researcher with office space while in Zagreb and all logistics supports, introduce the researcher to the key contacts for this work, arrange all necessary meetings with relevant institutions, stake holders and selected recipients of the scholarship program.
REF will cover the costs of the research assignment and provide reading materials, documents and all necessary background information of its scholarship programs within the Roma decade countries.  
 

Required skills/experience/competencies
 
• Previous experience in conducting education researches
• Substantial knowledge and experience in Education system in the Balkans   
• Knowledge of  scholarship programming standards and principles in the Balkans   
• Understanding of Roma education issues and practical work experience in the Balkans is preferable
• Excellent oral and written English and Croatian communication skills 
• Participatory and interactive approach research work
• Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills

How to apply
Please send propose work plan and appropriate methodology to answer the assigned requirements, a motivation letter (maximum 1 page), your CV and/or company profile as well as your financial offer to Shemsi Shainov, Senior Program Officer sainov@romaeducationfund.org no later than November 10, 2009. Please mention the name of the position (Researcher Roma scholarship program – Croatia) in the subject line.