Research Consultancy: Enhanced ELT Development in Kazakhstan

About the project

The British Council in Kazakhstan is seeking to engage a UK university partner to explore options and give recommendations – with supporting design – for a three to five year project aimed at developing sustainable, high quality teaching capability and teacher training systems in the oil-rich Atyrau region of Western Kazakhstan to improve learning outcomes for students. This project is managed by the British Council and funded by the Tengizcvhevroil (TCO) Company.

It is expected that this consultancy assignment would suit a UK university with strong Education and English Language teaching and research departments, interested in education reform and development in high growth emerging economies, as well as developing a potential long-term UK-Kazakhstan university partnership.

Background

Education in Kazakhstan is undergoing transformative change to support Kazakhstan 2050, a state vision to make Kazakhstan one of the 30 most developed nations in the world by 2050. This requires the continued development of a high-quality education system that helps young people to develop the knowledge, skills and values they need to live and work in a globalised economy. 

In the past year, the Ministry of Education and Science has put in place ambitious development plans as part of its tri-lingual reforms. One of these reforms, the teaching of STEM subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Information Technology through the medium of English during the last three years of secondary school, is due for nationwide implementation in 2019-2020. 

about the role

These terms of reference envisage us hiring a university consultancy partner with expertise in pre-service and in-service teacher training and education, and preferably with knowledge and experience of working in/with countries of the former Soviet Union. 

The consultancy partner will need to review the current state of the English language teaching system in Atyrau, including pre-service and in-service teacher training, with a particular focus on the secondary and higher education sectors, but with due regard to primary and vocational sectors. This review will need to be related to the main ongoing and planned reforms. Consideration will also need to be given to current levels of institutional support, appropriateness of roles between pre-service and in-service bodies, sector and system linkages, teacher professional development and measures for improving the quality of training delivery. 

It is expected that the consultancy will include one or more field visits in addition to relevant desk research. The consultancy may include more than one consultant if work/visits are to run concurrently and if this is the case, a team leader should be specified who will be responsible for ensuring that deliverables are met, whilst providing technical support and guidance.

Outputs of consultancy

• Evaluative review of teacher training and education system in Atyrau, conducted with particular focus on English language and subject teachers required to teach through the medium of English; the review will include the role and effectiveness of Atyrau State University’s contribution to teacher education within the Atyrau region.
• Recommended strategies to improve the teacher education system in Atyrau region clearly set out in alignment with national policies and reform plans.
• Options appraised and recommendations with supporting design – including likely technical and financial requirements – made for a 3-5 year project aimed at developing sustainable, high quality teaching capability and teacher training systems in the Atyrau region to improve learning outcomes for students. 

Qualifications and experience required 

Essential 

• Relevant post-graduate qualifications in education and able to demonstrate consultant(s') institutional capability in relation to the terms of this assignment
• Experience in evaluation/review of teacher training systems and educational programme design (related to the development of English language education systems) in secondary and higher education 
• Proven ability to write clearly and analytically in English.

Desirable

• Experience of management of institutional development and research in secondary and higher education teaching systems. 

The British Council welcomes submissions from the UK university sector to find an institutional partner. Submissions should contain:

• details of who the consultancy partner is
• details of the approach being proposed
• details of the cost of services
• details of the institution’s previous experience in similar consultancy activities in relevant countries.

If you are interested, please send your proposal tailored to the above requirements to Ardak.Bekturova@kz.britishcouncil.org with the title ‘English for Success’.  

Please note, we can only respond to successful applicants and only within 15 working days of the application deadline.