The British Council is looking for experts who are interested in supporting the delivery of  the Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE) programme.

SHEFE is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), we are currently preparing our bid, and we are looking for support during either the inception or implementation phase.

We expect the procurement for SHEFE to be launched over the coming months and we are seeking initial expressions of interest from experts with relevant thematic and geographical experience who might be interested in working with us on the programme should our proposal be successful. 

Requirements

Expressions of interest are sought from individuals with professional expertise and experience in the area of gender and tertiary education across research and analysis, policy advice and dialogue, capacity strengthening, and intervention design, including in the following thematic areas:

•        gender and higher education

•        gender and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) or skills

•        women's access to tertiary education (including expertise on transition from secondary to post-secondary education and on strategies for overcoming barriers to access)

•        women in leadership in tertiary education

•        women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

•        educational technology in tertiary education 

•        Open and distance education and learning in tertiary education

•        women's economic empowerment, particularly in relation to transition from tertiary education to employment or self-employment

•        women's entrepreneurship – particularly the role of tertiary education in supporting and reducing gendered barriers

•        prevention of and response to gender-based violence, particularly in the context of tertiary education or in the workplace

•        safeguarding, including against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH), particularly within tertiary education systems and institutions

•        inclusive tertiary education, including disability

•        equitable partnerships in tertiary education and research

•        tertiary education governance

•        tertiary education financing – including impacts of financing models on access for women

•        innovation in tertiary education.

Education to a minimum level of bachelor’s degree and working proficiency in English at level C1 or above are required for all experts.  Experience of working on international programmes or projects is desirable.

What is the SHEFE programme? 

The FCDO has indicated that it is looking for an experienced and dynamic partner to design and implement the Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE) programme to drive system-level change in higher education to deliver a better future for women and girls, with the following key aims:

•        to build on SPHEIR’s  achievements, maintaining a focus on high-impact, system-level change through strategic partnerships

•        to pivot by adopting a comprehensive focus on women and girls

•        to extend geographic reach where there is strong need and demand

•        to introduce a new higher education offer through the Centre of Expertise for Education,

•        to introduce regional higher education advisers in key regions.

The SHEFE contract is expected to have a value of around £45 million.  The majority of this funding is expected to be grant funding for competitively selected projects. 

Based on a concept note published in 2022, when expressions of interest were initially invited for the fund management of SHEFE, the programme aims to: increase access to higher education for girls and women; prevent violence against women and girls in higher education and improve safeguarding practice; and, empower young women to secure productive livelihoods. 

SHEFE is expected to focus on breaking down the barriers preventing women from accessing and thriving in the higher education sector, including through promoting STEM degrees, inclusive digital education, and greater safeguarding practices for women and girls. 

The programme's outcomes are:

•        to increase access to women and girls currently excluded from the higher education system;

•        to provide high-quality and industry-relevant higher education needed to gain employment; and,

•        to enable a safe and secure environment within higher education institutions.

Where will SHEFE be delivered?

The early market engagement event held in March 2023 indicated that the FCDO is considering the following target regions: Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), South Asia, Southeast Asia, and possibly also Ukraine.  It is expected that UK organisations, including tertiary education institutions, will be eligible to bid for funding under SHEFE.

Proposed SHEFE programme structure

The FCDO’s early market engagement materials from March 2023 described the programme components to be designed and managed as follows:

1.       Competitive Transition Grant Fund

Four successful pilots from the SPHEIR programme that have demonstrated ‘proof of concept’ and strong results will be invited to scale and replicate interventions in new states and geographies.

2.       Competitive Accelerator Grant Fund

A number of new, high-potential and innovative proposals will be invited – with a focus on improving access, safeguarding and employment outcomes for women and girls.

3.       HE centre of expertise pilot

A new demand-led, drawdown facility to ensure the FCDO’s global network has access to high-quality technical expertise, best practice and tailored policy advice.  Direct support may also be offered to host governments to deliver reform, including short-term deployments of embedded experts within government.

Equality, diversity and inclusion statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do.  We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment.  We want to address under-representation and encourage expressions of interest from under-represented groups – in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability.  We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments that are needed to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.