OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station: remote

Job Family: Education

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 1 to 6 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time) : 22-OCT-2025

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

BEFORE APPLYING

Please note : This call for applications is open to Corporate Applicants.

Important: Do not apply via the online career portal. Instead, please submit your bidding proposal in currency euro and supporting documents by email to uil-learningecosystems@unesco.org with the subject line: ‘Teachers as Lifelong Learners: Monitoring Guidelines’, following the instructions outlined in the "Application Process" Section

OVERVIEW OF THE CALL FOR APPLICATION

1.  Introduction and background

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is implementing the Quality Learning Ecosystems (QLE) programme, which aims to foster lifelong learning opportunities through inclusive, context-responsive, and equitable policy ecosystems. Building upon Phase I of the project, UIL seeks to commission a consultant to develop Monitoring Guidelines that supports the implementation of forthcoming Policy Recommendations and Curriculum Guidelines on “Teachers as Lifelong Learners”. These monitoring guidelines will ensure the recommendations are actionable, participatory, equitable, and adaptable to diverse contexts.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development serves as a comprehensive guide for United Nations member states to advance in five crucial dimensions: people, prosperity, planet, partnership, and peace, with quality education (SDG 4) highlighted as a key goal to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all." Lifelong learning, central to sustainable education policies, integrates learning and living across all ages and contexts, requiring a trained, active, and committed teaching workforce. Teachers and educators play a crucial role in providing transformative learning experiences that help learners achieve their full potential and develop lifelong learning capabilities, while continuously reflecting on their practices and adapting to evolving societal changes.

Long Description

Against this background, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and Shanghai Normal University (SHNU) have launched a project titled "Teachers as Lifelong Learners: International Research, Policy, and Practice on Lifelong Learning for Teacher Education (2023-2026)." This initiative aims to generate evidence-based insights into policies and practices that promote the development of teachers as lifelong learners and facilitators of lifelong learning. Phase I of the project (2023-2024) focused on conducting a comprehensive literature review and drafting six national case studies (China, Chile, Germany, Qatar, Finland, and South Africa). In addition, two thematic papers on ECCE teachers and adult educators have been drafted. A synthesis report has been developed to provide a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the project and other key sources while identifying gaps and strategies to promote lifelong learning of teachers and their role as facilitators of lifelong learning worldwide. Moreover, a webinar series on four core aspects of lifelong learning for teachers will also be organised by December 2025 to continue discussing some emerging themes of this research.

Building on the key findings of Phase I and in alignment with the objectives of Phase II of the project, key resources- policy recommendations, curriculum guidelines, and monitoring guidelines, along with relevant training modules- will be developed. In many countries, existing educational policies, particularly regarding initial teacher education and continuous professional development for educators, have yet to explicitly include the promotion of lifelong learning. Guidance on the monitoring of these policies and programme implementation is needed to ensure that teachers and educators are provided with the conditions to become lifelong learners and to foster lifelong learning in their students.  

Long Description

In this context, UIL invites relevant research institutes and centres or/and education consultancy agencies to submit technical proposals for developing:

• A set of monitoring guidelines for implementation and accountability at the national, institutional, and individual levels.
• A sample training module for ministries of education, teacher training institutions, and learning centres that positions and empowers teachers as lifelong learners within education systems and promotes teachers’ role as facilitators of lifelong learning.

2.  Scope of work and objectives

Under the supervision of the Team Leader of the QLE programme at UIL, the consultant team will:

2.1 Review key documents of Phase I of the project (literature review, national case studies, thematic papers, and the synthesis report) and identify gaps;

• Locate, review, and synthesize additional information and resources from the Phase I research reports.
• Meet with the two consultancy teams contributing to this phase for potential alignments.

Identify monitoring-related gaps, especially in relation to:

• Equity, access, quality and recognition to teachers’ lifelong learning (e.g., affordability, availability, and recognition of non-formal learning) and their roles in fostering lifelong learning.
• Inclusion of teacher voice and perspectives across different levels (policy, teacher training, and local) and different types of education (K-12, ECCE, ALE, TVET).
• Integration with existing teacher education systems, policy environments, and institutional practices.

• 2.2 Draft an outline of monitoring guidelines with clearly defined objectives, target audience, and sections before meeting with the two other consultancy teams to receive feedback and contribute to a multistakeholder consultative methodology development

  Levels of Monitoring:

  • National level: Monitoring tools at the national level will track how lifelong learning is embedded in education policies and whether policymakers are equipped and motivated to support such systems. Indicators should assess the presence of enabling policies, the awareness and education level of policymakers regarding lifelong learning for educators, and the conditions for teachers to become lifelong learners and foster lifelong learning in their students.
  • Institutional level: Teacher education and training institutions must incorporate and model lifelong learning in their curricula and faculty development. Monitoring should include indicators for institutional curricula, the preparedness of school leaders and teacher educators, and the effectiveness of training in cultivating growth mindsets among pre-service and in-service teachers.
  • Individual level: Traditional assessment tools are insufficient to capture lifelong learning outcomes. Instead, indicators should focus on teacher motivation, reflective practices, collaboration, and their contribution to both professional and community learning cultures. The monitoring approach should recognize the dynamic interplay between being a lifelong learner and fostering lifelong learning in others.

2.3. Prepare a practical, context-sensitive draft of the monitoring guidelines to support the implementation of education systems that foster lifelong learning systems for teachers themselves and for teachers as facilitators of lifelong learning. A full draft of the guidelines will be prepared and shared with Phase II consultancy teams for discussion and refinement ahead of global expert validation.

These monitoring guidelines will:

• Define an inclusive, participatory, and humanistic vision of lifelong learning.
• Propose a general framework, mechanisms and indicators to monitor progress at the national, institutional, and individual teacher levels.
• Advocate for teacher voice and participation in lifelong learning policy and programming, with a focus on inclusion, equity, affordability, and access.
• Align with relevant UNESCO frameworks and principles.

2.4 Organize expert consultations with selected relevant stakeholders, experts, and government representatives on the draft recommendations including the International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030 and other relevant experts in the field of lifelong learning, teacher education, and adult learning.

• Facilitate dialogue on participatory monitoring, innovation, experimentation, local adaptability, and cross-country application.

2.5 Based on the full draft of the monitoring guidelines, prepare a training module in English for education ministry officials and other relevant national and professional agencies on the UIL Learning Hub.

• Meet with all Phase II consultancy teams to discuss module development and agree upon set structure.
• Offer this training to at least four national teams.

2.6 Improve and finalize monitoring guidelines and associated training module on the UIL Learning Hub for feedback and validation.

• Final version incorporating expert feedback, aligned with UIL publication standards.
• Meet with all Phase II consultancy teams to review finalized documents and modules.

The methodology must ensure the guidelines:

• Center on the vision of education from a lifelong learning perspective.
• Embrace participatory accountability to ensure monitoring is done with teachers, not just of teachers.
• Prioritize localization and personalization of data, indicators, and targets.
• Promote flexible approaches, avoiding high-stakes exams or overburdening educators.
• Emphasize the link between data, context, and practice, highlighting how monitoring can support teacher agency, reflection, and systemic improvement.
• Adapt to diverse national education systems, policies, and institutional capacities.
• Navigate the tension between accountability of larger bodies vs individuals, ensuring monitoring mechanisms are supportive rather than punitive.

3. Deliverables

The deliverables for this consultancy will be divided into two timelines:

November-December 2025 and January-July 2026. From deliverables 3.1 through 3.3, the first part of the contract will be established. Upon successful completion of these three deliverables, the second part of the contract will be created to deliver from 3.4 through 3.8.  

Part I

3.1 Brief report summarizing key monitoring gaps and initial recommendations based on the existing research reports of this project and additional resources for review and synthesis - 14 Nov 2025

3.2 Initial outline of the monitoring guidelines with key objectives and different sections - 21 Nov 2025

3.3 First extended outline and begin preparation for presenting to expert consultations - 10 Dec 2025

Part II

3.4 Full draft monitoring guidelines for further feedback and validation (Version 1) - 20 Feb 2026

3.5a Expert consultations with selected relevant stakeholders, experts, and government representatives on the full draft recommendations - 13 March 2026

3.5b Improved full draft of the monitoring guidelines Version 2 (max 40 pages, excluding annexes) - 13 Mar 2026

3.6 Draft training module with agreed-upon numbers of sessions and proposed instructional design in English on the UIL Learning Hub - 30 April 2026

3.7 Organize the training for at least four national teams - 15 May 2026

3.8 Improve and finalize the monitoring guidelines and training module based on the feedback from the participants - 30 July 2026

4. Requirements:

• The monitoring guidelines should be written in English with extensive data and literature to support the proposed recommendations.
• The guidelines should be around 40 pages (Times New Roman font, single-spaced, excluding references).
• The content of each section should be well-connected, with a clear structure and coherent arguments throughout to support the proposed objectives of the monitoring guidelines.
• The guidelines should follow the requirements of the manual as outlined in the UIL Style and Referencing Guide.
• The content of the training module and its sessions is clear, with relevant instructional strategies and assessment tools.
• All sources should be properly cited, using the Harvard referencing style and by following academic standards, and no copyrights should be violated.

Long Description

5.  Supervision

The consultancy team will be overseen by the Team Leader of the Quality Learning Ecosystems (QLE) programme. The consultant team will work in close coordination with:

• Relevant programme specialists
• A group of other consultants
• Other UIL units, including Publications and Communications (as needed)

If the application involves multiple team members, a lead consultant must be designated to act as the main liaison between the consulting/research team and the QLE Team Leader.

Collaboration with other consultant teams—particularly those working on policy recommendations, curriculum guidelines, and training modules—will take place at five key intervals, coordinated by the QLE Team Leader:

1. Initial Onboarding and Project Discussion – November 2025
2. Review of Document Outlines – December 2025
    (to gather feedback before developing Version 1)
3. Post-Version 1 Review – February 2026
    (to prepare for expert consultations)
4. Post-Version 2 Review – April 2026
    (before development of training modules)

6.  Location and travel

The consultancy assignment will primarily be home-based in any location and can be done by working remotely. The consultancy team should be available to meet with the UIL team (online) during the office hours of Hamburg, Germany.

7. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience in developing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks in the education sector, specifically designing participatory and inclusive monitoring tools.
• Expertise in lifelong learning, adult learning and teacher education, with the ability to design effective training modules for policymakers with a humanistic vision.
• Understanding of global and local education systems and policy environments.
• Experience working across different countries and education systems, with the ability to adapt content to various cultural and regional contexts.
• Previous work with UN agencies, international organizations, or governments in education is a strong advantage.

APPLICATION PROCESS

For the application, please do not use the application tool. 

For the application, interested teams of experts will need to submit one consolidated pdf document, which includes the following information:

• An executive summary not more than 3 pages with a proposed detailed methodology for completing this project, including the stakeholders for consultations.
• A financial proposal or detailed budget in Euros for delivering these two components i.e. monitoring guidelines and training module;
• A list of team members with specific technical expertise and the lead consultant as clearly specified, with their short CVs with the focus on their previous relevant consultancy assignments and deliverables and relevant expertise to this project;
• A sample of previous relevant consultancy project deliverables.

The proposal should not exceed 10 pages. Proposals missing any of the above will not be considered.

Submission method: Submit your proposals by 22 October to uil-learningecosystems@unesco.org with the subject line: Teachers as Lifelong Learners: Monitoring Guidelines

All inquiries must be sent to learning ecosystems email account by 22 October 2025.

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