Background

The Collaborative Partnership Program

Through Collaborative Partnerships for economic and social development, USAID's Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade/Office of Education (EGAT/ED) is assisting USAID Missions to mobilize the expertise and resources of U.S. and local higher education institutions to address critical development challenges. The overall goal is to increase the capacity of higher education institutions in developing countries to contribute to development, providing the human and institutional training needed for economic growth, good governance, and social prosperity.

Higher Education for Development

 

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a Leader with Associate Cooperative Agreement in September 2005 to the American Council on Education (ACE), with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the Association of American Universities (AAU), the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). The agreement (AEG-A-00-05-00007-00) is sponsored by USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade, Office of Education, and administered by the Higher Education for Development (HED) office.

U.S. Agency for International Development 

USAID’s historic partnership and collaboration with the higher education community has repeatedly demonstrated that institutions of higher education are important engines of development, economic growth, good governance, and healthy societies. The community’s contributions in the areas of training, applied research, program evaluation, policy analysis, and program implementation have been critical to USAID’s portfolio. USAID has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years. For more information on USAID, click here.

Ethiopia: Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development

HED expects to make one award of up to $200,000 for a three-year higher education partnership, contingent on USAID funding.

Introduction

Ethiopia is plagued with recurrent and cyclical disasters that impact millions of people every year. Despite years of experience in disaster response, Ethiopia has yet to establish adequate systems to respond to and prepare for the series of natural disasters that continue to beset this country. In addition, development professionals have not yet mastered strategies that focus on risk reduction and risk management within the development context. Understanding and application of basic disaster preparedness and mitigation concepts needs to be strengthened throughout government institutions and training colleges by developing a cadre of professionals who can provide the appropriate training and education.

USAID/Ethiopia’s Emergency Preparedness and Strengthening Program (EPSP) seeks to increase the capacity of the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) to anticipate and manage shocks and improve emergency preparedness and disaster mitigation and response. This program is closely integrated with other Mission programs to: (1) increase human capacity and social resiliency by monitoring disease outbreaks; and (2) increase market-led economic growth and resiliency by providing early warning indicators of climatic shocks that affect food security and agricultural productivity.

The newly established Department of Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development at Bahir Dar University has great potential to inform and train current and future disaster managers as well as provide government ministries with the expertise to improve existing disaster management systems. However, it has few resources and the new faculty needs guidance in curriculum and staff development, information and reference materials on state-of-the-art disaster and risk management methodologies, technical support and equipment to improve research capacity, and broadened perspectives and exposure to innovative practices through exchange visits. Although a three-year degree program was recently created, the department lacks instructors with the expertise to teach third-year courses. The program is currently in its second year with an enrollment of 70 students, and two faculty members have been sent to South Africa to receive further training.

Partnership Description

USAID/Ethiopia’s goal is to reduce the vulnerability of millions of Ethiopians by increasing the capacity of Bahir Dar University to contribute toward sustainable development. This partnership will take an integrated approach to disaster risk management and coordinate implementation of activities with ongoing development programs.
 
USAID/Ethiopia envisions that the proposed higher education partnership with Bahir Dar University will leverage expertise, expand the knowledge base of the faculty at Bahir Dar, and develop plans for a sustainable and replicable disaster management institute in Ethiopia. The university’s Department of Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development is to become a core repository of information for research and analysis, enabling the faculty to undertake applied research and provide the basis for analysis that can inform disaster management and development policy debates. Partners will be expected to coordinate activities with ongoing and regional initiatives, such as UN risk reduction initiatives, USAID/Ethiopia’s Public Health Training Initiative (managed through the Carter Center), and USAID’s EPSP components, which support the government’s Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency (DPPA).  These components include the  Capacity Building and Policy Support Project and the Livelihood Integration Unit. Both initiatives have interests in training initiatives and strategies that support the institutionalization of assessment methodologies and risk reduction strategies. USAID/Ethiopia expects that the partners’ engagement with these initiatives will present student internship and crossover practicum opportunities.

The higher education partnership is expected to:

• Provide Bahir Dar’s Department of Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development with the materials and methodologies needed to teach and train disaster managers in innovative practices and technologies related to disaster risk management and sustainable development;
• Provide curriculum and staff development for Bahir Dar so that the Department of Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Development can provide guidance on how to mainstream disaster risk reduction and mitigation planning into the curricula of civil servant and sector-specific colleges and universities;
• Develop a replicable disaster management and risk reduction curriculum that can be implemented at civil servant colleges and other sector-specific and government institutions;
• Develop a core repository of information for research and analysis whereby country-specific expertise can be developed and historical trends captured;
• Support government organizations involved in emergency response planning and risk management with workshops or seminars on information management, database development, contingency planning and response tools;
• Provide opportunities for internships and practical experiences in the field with government ministries for upcoming disaster managers;
• Formalize a broader network of resources, building upon USAID-funded and other initiatives focused on improved disaster response and risk reduction, perhaps through a variety of sector specialists practicing at various institutions; and
  
• Develop a longer-term plan for a disaster risk management institute or center of excellence in Ethiopia.

The application must describe a monitoring and reporting plan for the partnership, including an initial baseline assessment, that shows how progress and results will be communicated and reported to USAID/Ethiopia through HED, and an end-of-partnership impact assessment plan.

The primary contact at Bahir Dar University is:

Dr. Yalew Endawoke
Academic and Research Vice President
Tel: 0582-202236
Mobile: 0918-340163
E-mail: Yalew_em@yahoo.com

The following USAID/Ethiopia staff member may be contacted for further information on this collaborative partnership:

Zemen Haddis
USAID/Ethiopia
Tel: 251-11-551-0088, ext. 398
Fax: 251-11-551-0043
E-mail: zhaddis@usaid.gov

Eligibility

HED welcomes applications from the member institutions of ACE, AACC, AASCU, AAU, NAICU, and NASULGC, and from other regionally accredited, degree granting, U.S. higher education institutions. U.S. colleges and universities may apply individually, or in partnership with other institutions. HED encourages applications from or with the participation of minority-serving institutions.

Uganda: Parliamentary Research and Internship Program (PRIP)

HED expects to make one award of up to $200,000 for a three-year higher education partnership, contingent on USAID funding.

Introduction

Uganda faces serious challenges in decreasing rampant corruption and strengthening fragile democratic processes. USAID/Uganda’s planned programming aims to improve legislative oversight, increase political pluralism, enhance decentralized governance, and promote greater participation by an informed civil society in governance processes at both the national and local levels.

In February 2006, Uganda’s first multi-party elections in two decades ushered in a pluralist system, under which new parliamentary rules of procedure were approved. The creation of the office of Leader of the Opposition and the role of opposition members of the parliament (MPs) in chairing oversight committees are new developments. Challenges for the parliament include: a radical shift in structure and operations; a large increase in the number of MPs, the majority of whom are new; and an overwhelming majority of MPs who have no experience in a multi-party system.

Partnership Description

USAID/Uganda’s goal is to work with committees and issue-based Parliamentary caucuses as a way to support the developing multi-party system as members from the ruling party and the opposition collaborate on issues of common concern such as corruption, the conflict in northern Uganda, HIV/AIDS, women’s issues, and children’s rights.

The objective of the Parliamentary Research and Internship Program (PRIP) is to increase the capacity of the Ugandan partner institution(s) to train and support interns (undergraduate and/or graduate students) from local universities to work with parliamentary committees and caucuses. The partner U.S. institution(s) will take the lead in providing the training and technical assistance to colleagues at the partner Ugandan institutions on topics related to in-depth research, analysis and summary of issues before the committees and caucuses, comparative research and analysis with other legislatures, both regionally and internationally, field research when necessary, and legislative research/analysis.

PRIP, developed through this higher education partnership, will give students the opportunity to gain valuable experience and make important contributions to Uganda’s Parliament. The interns will provide critical support to understaffed key oversight committees and caucuses by conducting research and analysis vis-à-vis comparative domestic, regional and international legislation, practices, and norms. Overall, the partnership program is expected to have a direct positive impact on the interns, the collaborating institutions, the quality of executive oversight, decision-making, the legislative process, and parliamentary debate. The program will also forge and strengthen ties between higher education institutions in the United States and Uganda.

USAID/Uganda has identified the Islamic University in Uganda, Nkumba University, and Uganda Martyrs University as the preferred partner Ugandan institutions. U.S. applicants may choose to work with one, two, or all three institutions.

Important considerations in the design of partnership activities:

• The partnership will train, support and place approximately 20 student interns per academic quarter;
• Interns will be placed with the four oversight committees of Parliament: Public Accounts, Local Government Accounts, Government Assurances, and Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises;
• Partners should also be prepared to support the legislative agenda, outreach, and leadership of: the Social Services Committee, which has responsibility and oversight for health and education issues, including family planning; the Natural Resource Committee, which has responsibility and oversight over environmental and land issues; and the HIV/AIDS Committee;
• Interns might also be placed with Parliamentary issue based caucuses that currently include caucuses on women’s issues, children, corruption and peace building (click here for a description of parliamentary fora). The Ugandan partner institution(s) will establish a dialog with these committees at the outset of the program;
• Selection of which committees and caucuses will receive interns must be done in close collaboration with Parliament including the Planning, Development and Coordination Office (PDCO);
• Applicants for this partnership award must outline a plan for a merit-based, transparent process for the recruitment and selection of interns (undergraduate and/or graduate students) that ensures that only the best qualified candidates are chosen; and

The application must describe a monitoring and reporting plan for the partnership, including an initial baseline assessment, that shows how progress and results will be communicated and reported to USAID/Uganda through HED, and an end-of-partnership impact assessment plan.

The primary contact at Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) is:
Dr. Karim Ssesanga
Director of IUIU
Tel: +256-41-341561
Mobile: +256-772-641957
E-mail: karim_1234@hotmail.com
director@iuiukc.ac.ug
Website: www.iuiukc.ac.ug

The primary contact at Nkumba University is:
David Christopher Kasasa
Dean of Students
Tel: +256-41-320075
Mobile: +256-77-242-4409
E-mail: kasasa2@yahoo.com
nkumbanu@infocom.co.ug
Website: www.nkumbauniversity.ac.ug

The primary contact at Uganda Martyrs University is:
Dr. Simeon Wanyama
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Tel: +256-038-2410609/11
Mobile: +256-772-490075
E-mail: dvc@umu.ac.ug or swanyama@umu.ac.ug

The following USAID/Uganda staff member may be contacted for further information on this collaborative partnership:
Susan J. Cowley
Deputy Team Leader
Democracy and Governance Team
Tel: +256-41-306-700
Mobile: 0772-221658
Fax: +256-41-306-661
E-mail: scowley@usaid.gov

Eligibility

HED welcomes applications from the member institutions of ACE, AACC, AASCU, AAU, NAICU, and NASULGC, and from other regionally accredited, degree granting, U.S. higher education institutions. U.S. colleges and universities may apply individually, or in partnership with other institutions. HED encourages applications from or with the participation of minority-serving institutions.

 

 

 

 

CPP: Ethiopia/Uganda
Higher Education for Development
1331 H Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005

Once an application has been received, there is to be no contact with the HED program office until the completion of the peer review process in order to ensure fairness to all parties concerned.

 

 

I. Alignment with USAID Mission Goals and Objectives (20 points)

• Alignment of the partnership design, activities, and outputs with USAID Mission goals and Objectives.

II. Partnership Design, Collaboration, and Potential Results (30 points)

• Appropriateness of the activities to the overall design of the partnership and applicability of the experience and expertise of the partnership personnel;
• Creation of fair and transparent mechanisms for the selection of participants for training, faculty development, and/or internships;
• Fit with the existing strengths and mutual interests of the partnering institutions;
• Degree of collaboration in implementing activities;
• Feasibility of the implementation plan and timetable; and
  
• Likelihood of achieving demonstrable results.

III. Institutional Commitment, Capacity Building, and Sustainability (20 points)

• Strength of plans for building host country institutional capacity;
• Extent of institutional commitment (engagement of faculty, students, and/or administrators) among all partners, in the United States and overseas;
• Strength of plans to link with ongoing initiatives in the host country; and
• Quality of plans for partnership sustainability beyond the period of the award.

IV. Cost Sharing and Cost Effectiveness of Overall Budget (10 points)

• Cost sharing and leveraging of cash or in-kind contribution from all the partners, and other contributions from overseas partners; and
• Demonstrated cost-effectiveness and balanced budget with equitable distribution of funds to both partners.

V. Monitoring and Reporting Plan (20 points)

• Strength of the monitoring and reporting plan, including the effectiveness of the methodology for collecting baseline data and tracking partnership activities;
• Clearly articulated plan for an external evaluation to track the partnership's impact and achievement of objectives;
• Clear description of how progress and results will be communicated and reported to the USAID Mission through HED; and
• End-of-partnership plan for assessing impact of activities.

Total Points: 100 points

 

 Peer reviewers will use the following criteria to evaluate the applications:

 

Applications will be reviewed by panels comprised of higher education and international development experts and a representative of USAID. Awards will be made on the basis of reviewers’ recommendations of merit, and USAID concurrence. Peer review of applications is slated for May 2007.

Letters of communication from members of the U.S. Congress in support of an application are discouraged as these may be thought to prejudice the peer-review process. Such letters will not be forwarded to peer reviewers.

Notification about awards is expected following the completion of peer review. Upon final announcement of awards, the person named in the application as partnership director may submit a written request for copies of the peer reviewers’ scores for the application. No personal reviews will be granted, and no comparative score tabulations will be shared.

 

Applications must be received at HED by 5:00PM, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), April 30, 2007. Faxed or electronically transmitted applications will not be accepted. All elements of the application must be received by the deadline. Faxed copies of the application title page and letters that include all necessary signatures may be used as a placeholder in the application, provided signed originals are received at HED within seven (7) calendar days of the deadline.

Applicants should submit the original application plus seven (7) hard copies of the complete application package containing title page, table of contents, abstract, narrative, and appendices (all on loose-leaf paper, clipped together — no three-ring binders, staples, or plastic bindings), and a diskette or CD (with files saved as Microsoft Word/Excel for PC) containing the entire application, including all budget forms, budget narrative, and other appendices.

Applications should be sent to:

 

Please provide the contents of the application in the following order:
1. Title Page (Please complete HED form in full and obtain signatures of authorized officials.)

2. Table of Contents

3. Abstract (not to exceed 3 typed, double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1-inch margins). The abstract should contain a summary of the narrative, workplan and budget.

4. Narrative (not to exceed 20 typed, double-spaced pages, 12-point font, 1-inch margins) Address the criteria listed in Application Review Guidelines I-V (see below).

5. Appendices (Attachments beyond the stated appendices will not be read nor taken into consideration):

• Annual workplan for the funding period (use HED form).
• Budget forms (use HED form, complete all tabs).
• Résumés of the proposed U.S. institution director(s) and host institution personnel, not to exceed 2 one-sided pages per person.
• Signed letters of support from the presidents, chancellors, or other chief executive officers of the cooperating institutions in the United States, in addition to signed letters from the proposed U.S. and overseas partnership directors, and letters of support from the overseas partner institution.
• Signed letter from appropriate official at applicant institution verifying that all costs cited conform to established institutional policies and practices.

 

Application Format, Submission and Review 

Application Format 
How to Submit an Application 
Peer Review 
Application Review Guidelines 

Terms of the Solicitation