Consultant for Producing the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report

OVERVIEW

Parent Sector : Social and Human Sciences Sector (SHS)

Duty Station: Other cities

Job Family: Social and Human Sciences

Type of contract : Non Staff

Duration of contract : From 7 to 11 months

Recruitment open to : External candidates

Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time) : 31-03-2025

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

BACKGROUND

UNESCO has the mandate to promote the development of science and technology from an ethical and human rights approach. Under this framework in November 2021, UNESCO developed the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which the 193 Member States adopted by acclamation at the 41st session of its General Conference and spearheading its implementation by the Member States through innovative tools and methodologies, such as the Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and the Ethical Impact Assessment (EIA). Through the application of these tools, UNESCO is changing the business model that drives AI, going beyond principles to develop a range of concrete and practical solutions to ensure fair, inclusive, sustainable and equitable outcomes of AI. 

The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (PJMF) has played a pivotal role in supporting UNESCO’s efforts to position ethics as the cornerstone of building AI governance. Through the implementation of two projects (2023 and 2024), UNESCO has facilitated a multistakeholder process of evidence gathering through national consultation and the deployment of RAM in Brazil, Chile, Morocco and Senegal in the first phase and in the ongoing phase in Argentina, India, Indonesia, Tanzania and Türkiye. The partnership also advances key knowledge products that will further reinforce capacity-building efforts on the ground and empower stakeholders to navigate the complex AI landscape.

The goal of the new project—Scaling Inclusive, Human Rights-Based Ethical AI Governance (2025)—is to consolidate the results delivered to date, build on the achievements made, expand the reach and depth of diagnostic and policy development efforts, and deploy globally the tools, methodologies, knowledge and experiences from the recent efforts of building AI governance ecosystem. The actions will be organised around three main pillars/expected outcomes: a. empowering civil society, b. expanding and deepening engagement with countries for ethics of AI through RAMs and other tools; c. producing new knowledge on AI governance.

UNESCO Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) is currently being implemented in over 61 countries, including 22 African Countries and 14 SIDs. Through the RAM, UNESCO has gathered firsthand evidence, and specific RAM Recommendations have influenced the development of national AI policies, such as the Draft Kenya National AI Strategy, published in January 2025. The aim of this consultancy is to undertake a cross-cutting analysis of all completed RAM reports aided by AI-enabled tools such as Large Language Models (LLMs), as appropriate, to identify trends, common challenges or gaps in governance approaches on AI. Across the RAM reports published, certain emerging trends call for a targeted analysis for us to understand them. This report will inform decision-makers, researchers, and the AI governance audience about the main findings of UNESCO’s RAMs and showcase trends in national AI governance endeavours.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

The outputs and activities the Consultant will engage in are: 

Output 1. Producing a Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report: 
- Develop research design and methodology for producing the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report and the first consolidated report on Member States' application of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI for submission to
the 43rd session of the General Conference. Ideally, the methodology should allow the Ethics of AI Team to easily integrate the data from new RAM reports once they are published.
- Collaborate and coordinate the inputs on specific topics—such as Gender and Environment—provided by other members of the team.
- Follow two of the four new RAM processes of the project to understand how the data used for the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report is produced.
- Engage and collaborate in the production of this research with the leading institutions and networks partnering with UNESCO on the implementation of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI (AI Experts without Borders, 
Women for Ethics of AI platform, Global Network of Civil Society Organizations).
- Conduct interviews with competent authorities, experts and other relevant stakeholders for input into the research if needed.
- Draft the report in a modular format for easy dissemination and uptake among national stakeholders in every country. Ideally, the report should have a structure that could easily be implemented as an online tool.
- Integrate report findings into the Global AI Ethics and Governance Observatory in consultation with the Ethics of AI team.
- Integrate inputs of the Ethics of AI team as needed and contribute to dissemination, communication and briefing outputs as necessary.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POST

Output 2. Contributing to the ongoing work of the Ethics of AI Unit:
- Contribute to the revision of UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) based on the findings from the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report.
- Identifying synergies between this report and knowledge and experience from the relevant projects on ethics of AI being delivered around the world, including capacity building for AI governance for different countries. The goal is to enrich and cross-fertilise the overall work.
- Contribute to ongoing research and analysis conducted by the Ethics of AI team in AI policy and governance.
- Participate in meetings and present the work to different stakeholders.
- Support the team with preparing different materials such as speeches, presentations, blogs, white papers, etc.

The duration of the contract is 9 months (until December 31, 2025) with a monthly payment. The consultant may work remotely and shall attend missions in person related to the project implementation. The exact dates are to be confirmed by the Secretariat in due course.

Before submitting the Employment History form -Word file- to the My Employment History Form - My Documents section of the online application, the candidate must add the following elements at the end of the file: 
- A one-page statement laying out how their qualifications and experience make them suitable for the assignment and explaining how they would approach the work.
- The salary expectations for the assignment, which should be quoted in US dollars on a monthly basis for a nine-month period (full-time working).

Only applications with the above-requested information can be considered.

Please note that the consultant salary expectations must be expressed in gross amounts. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties in accordance with local laws. UNESCO will not reimburse any taxes, duties or other contributions for which the Individual Specialist may be liable in respect of any payments made to him/her under the terms of this contract.

DELIVERABLES AND TIME FRAME

Month 1, by April 30, 2025 
- Preliminary materials for the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report and the first consolidated report on Member States application of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, including the research methodology/approach and the outline of the reports. 
- Draft timeline for the coordination between other members of the team providing inputs on specific topics. 
- Concept Note about the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report. 
- Social network post to announce the coming Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report. 
 

Month 2, by May 30, 2025
- First draft of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report, to be circulated among the Ethics of AI Team for feedback on the results and the reproducibility of the methodology.

Month 3, by June 20, 2025
- Second draft of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report, incorporating the feedback from the Ethics of AI Team.
- Material for the soft launch (publication of a draft for comments) of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report (speeches,TPs, social network posts, etc.).
- Mission to participate in the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Bangkok, Thailand, from the 24 to the 27 of June.
- First draft of the first consolidated report on Member States’ application of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI.

Month 4, by July 31, 2025
- Third draft of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report, incorporating the information gathered during the Global Forum.
- Second draft of the first consolidated report on Member States’ application of the Recommendation on the Ethicsof AI.

OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS

Month 5, by August 29, 2025
- Fourth draft of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report, to be circulated among expert networks for peer review and feedback.

Month 6, by September 30, 2025
- Fifth draft of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report, to be circulated among the Ethics of AI Team.
- Final version of the first consolidated report on Member States’ application of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI for examination at the 222 session of the Executive Board.

Month 7, by October 31, 2025
- Final version of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs incorporating final feedback.
- Final version of the first consolidated report on Member States’ application of the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI integrating the comments of the Committee on Conventions and Recommendations for submission to the 43 session of the General Conference.
- Material for the official launch of the Meta-Analysis of RAMs (speeches, TPs, social network posts, etc.).

Month 8, by November 28, 2025
- Mission to participate in the General Conference 43 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- Blog post – accompanying article to introduce the final report and discuss the key findings.

Month 9, by December 31, 2025
- Blog post – an article setting out the report's relevance and including potential future work.
- Contributions to UNESCO’s Readiness Assessment Methodology revision based on the Meta-Analysis of RAMs Report findings.

COMPETENCIES (Core / Managerial)

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education
- University degree in the governance of artificial intelligence, ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence or digital technologies, law and technology, computer science, data science, computational social science, or other related fields.

Work Experience
- A minimum of five years of professional experience in AI ethics, governance, and policymaking, particularly in conducting research and producing policy-oriented reports. A PhD can count as work experience.
- Proven experience in conducting cross-cutting analyses and meta-research on AI policy frameworks, governance strategies, and regulatory approaches at the national or international level.
- Experience utilizing AI-enabled tools, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), for policy research and data analysis.
- Experience leading multi-stakeholder projects, including engagement with policymakers, international organizations, academic institutions, and civil society.

Skills and competencies
- Very good understanding of artificial intelligence's ethical, legal, social and governance issues and related digital technologies.
- Ability to synthesize and analyze large volumes of data and generate actionable insights for policymakers.
- Proficiency in research methodologies, particularly in meta-analysis and comparative policy evaluation.
- Excellent knowledge about the dynamics of governance of AI, including policies, legislative and regulatory frameworks, institutional mechanisms, organisational structures and processes, and initiatives by different stakeholders in this field. This includes broad familiarity with UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and UNESCO’s AI Readiness Assessment Methodology, as well as the ability to translate lessons learned and good practices into practical guidance for policymakers.
- Proven ability to conduct high-quality policy research, synthesize complex information, and produce clear,concise, and impactful reports or toolkits.
- Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple interrelated deliverables within tight deadlines.

Languages
- Excellent knowledge of English (spoken and written).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education
- Advanced university degree (PhD) in the governance of artificial intelligence, ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence or digital technologies, law and technology, computer science, data science, computational social science, or other related fields.

Work Experience
- Experience conducting research and analysis and/or implementing programmes/projects on the ethical, legal,social and governance issues of artificial intelligence and related digital technologies is strongly desirable.
- Prior experience producing policy-oriented publications for international organizations or government agencies.
- Experience working with AI-assisted research methodologies, including Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools.

Languages
- Knowledge of French (spoken and written).

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

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