Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for Aral Sea Basin (CAMP4ASB)

Terms of Reference for International Consultant (firm) for 

Facilitation of the student research competition in Central Asia

Background

The Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program for Aral Sea Basin (CAMP4ASB) aims to enhance regionally coordinated access to improved climate change knowledge services for key stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, communities, and civil society) in participating Central Asian countries as well as to increased investments and capacity building that, combined, will address climate challenges common to these countries. 

This assignment is to be carried under the Component 1 of the CAMP4ASB project, “Regional Climate Knowledge Services”, and refers to the following sub-activity of the project: 1.5. “Capacity building”^[1]

The student research competition aims to build the capacities of young specialists in climate change issues and sustainable management of natural resources in the Central Asian countries. The competition is open for students (Master and PhD programs) from universities within the Central Asian region, who plan to focus their research on climate-related issues in water, land, energy resources or environmental management[2]

1.     Objective

The main objective of these Consultant Services (firm) is to facilitate the student research competition in Central Asia for 2020-2021. 

The facilitation will include the following tasks: 

      i.         To ensure information dissemination/outreach for collection of research applications from students across key thematic topics listed in Annex A;

     ii.         To facilitate selection process, including the organization of selecting committee;

    iii.         To identify external supervisors for selected applications and facilitate supervising process through face-to-face meetings and online tools;

    iv.         To organize online regional workshop on climate change issues for selected students;

     v.         To arrange for and ensure presentation and discussion of the research findings during project’s regional event, and their publication in the peer reviewed journal;

2.     Specific Activities:

      I.         To ensure information dissemination/outreach for collection of research applications from students 

Consultant will organize (substantively, logistically and technically) the whole process of student research competition, starting from dissemination of information on the competition among state agencies of high education (Ministries of education) and universities through academic and student’s networks (incl., CALP alumni), mass-media (incl. social media), etc. Further, Consultant will collect applications according to the competition requirements indicated in Annex A.  

              II.To facilitate selection process, including the organization of selecting committee

Consultant will organize selection process, including determination of selection committee and criteria, and selection committee meeting. The selection committee members, selection criteria, selection procedures and the dates of committee meeting should be previously agreed with RCU. At least one RCU member should be included into the selection committee. The selection procedures will have at least two stages of selection. 15 students should be selected from the applicants. The number of students can shorten in case the lack of appropriate applicants collected. The number of selected students should be also agreed with RCU. 

            III. To identify external supervisors for selected applications and facilitate supervising process through face-to-face meetings and online tools

Consultant will identify international and national supervisors for selected applicants and facilitate supervising process. Supervisors should be selected in accordance with the research field of the students. Consultant coordinates the regular meetings of students with the supervisors, and also the progress of students’ research works. Consultant in cooperation with supervisors develop a schedule of the supervising process, including the methodologies of assessment the research progress and description of tools for communication with students. 

            IV.To organize online regional workshop on climate change issues for selected students

Consultant will organize one technical workshop on climate change issues for the selected applicants. The training agenda, duration of training, selected trainer should be agreed with RCU. The training should be organized until the end of August 2020 (through online platform) agreed with RCU. During the training Consultant will conduct the evaluation of the participants’ knowledge on climate change issues (online questionnaires). Evaluation should take place before (diagnostic evaluation), and at the post-conclusion (summative evaluation). Consultant will provide students payments of grants (1500 USD dollars) for the research. 

             V.To arrange for and ensure presentation and discussion of the research findings, and their publication

Consultant will organize a side event during the Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC 2021), or another event in Central Asia agreed with RCU. Consultant will arrange for and ensure presentation and discussion of the research findings of students during the side-event to conference. The ways of presentation the research results will be agreed with RCU. Consultant will facilitate the publication of articles based on the research findings of all selected students in peer reviewed journals. Consultant will report on each task to RCU and also provide articles for news (at least 2 articles for the contracting period). 

3.     Scope of Work - Tasks, Deliverables and Schedule

Proposed timetable for the process and deliverables: 

#	Deliverables:	Due date
1	Arrange for information dissemination/outreach for collection of research applications on competition across key thematic topics	June 10, 2020
2	Develop and agree on the selection criteria with members of selection committee and RCU	June 20, 2020
3	Facilitate the selection of substantive number of applications ensuring a diverse representation across Central Asian countries and proposed research themes	June 25, 2020
4	Identify and assign international and national supervisors[3] for selected students	July 10, 2020
5	Develop schedule for regular supervising process	July 20, 2020
6	Conduct a technical workshop on climate change issues for the selected students	August 30, 2020
7	Provide grants (1500 USD per student) for research work	September 30, 2020
8	Facilitate the presentation and discussion of research findings during CACCC 2021 or another agreed regional event	February 20, 2021
9	Arrange for the submission of research outcomes (articles) of all selected students in the peer reviewed journal	February 20, 2021
10	Bi-monthly report on activities done on the student competition, including the meeting outcomes; regional events; the selected thesis topic; publication of articles in social media.	Over the contracting period

   

4.     Qualification Requirements 

·      At least three experts, with master degree in environmental science and related subject; 

·      Proven experience (at least 5 years) in working with international, regional and national academic networks on climate related issues; 

·      At least 5 years’ experience in the facilitation of the research competition, including organization of selection committee and supervising process;

·      Language skills Russian, and at least one expert with language skills in English

5.     Reporting Requirements 

·      Consultant should report to the RCU Coordinator

·      Estimated duration of the consultancy will be May 2020 – February 2021 

Annex A

Main topics of the competition:

All thematic areas should be directly or indirectly related to climate change processes in the Central Asian region.

• Climate projections and climate risks assessment;
• Assessment of effects of climate change on natural resources
• Contribution of ecosystem services in climate resilience;
• Economics of land degradation;
• Climate change and health;
• Forestry and other carbon sinks;
• Assessment of climate vulnerability of households and sectors;
• Adaptation to climate change in agriculture and water sector;
• Circular economy
• Low-carbon development, promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency;
• Gender and gender policy in the management of natural resources.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

The competition is open for students from universities within the Central Asian region, who plan to focus their research on:

• Ph.D. and master’s students with a research focus on climate-related issues in water, land, energy resources or environmental management.

Proposed research will be a part of the applicant`s dissertation and must be completed until January 2021 and findings and recommendations to be presented on the Climate Conference in February 2021.

Key Dates

• May 31, 2020: deadline for submission of applications
• June 25, 2020: an announcement of winners 

More details are on http://student.carececo.org/

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[1] For more details about the project and description of all components and subcomponents please, refer to the CAMP4ASB Project Appraisal Document 

[2] For more details on the Competition refer to the link: http://student.carececo.org/

[3] The supervisor will:

-       Provide an advice/idea for identification of research questions;

-       Provide an advice while choosing tools and approaches for conducting research work;

-       Provide list of sources for information on the research topic.

-       Provide a regular support while student asks some advice during the research

-       Review pre-final and final versions of the final outcome (article)