Review of NZAID Engagements in Human Resource Development in the Greater Mekong Subregion

Terms of Reference
(Summary Version)

Background

A review of NZAID’s engagements in Human Resource Development in the Greater Mekong Subregion (HRD in GMS) is scheduled to take place during 2007. This review will provide a profile of current HRD activities; identify priorities; and recommend where NZAID should be positioned over the next five years to be responsive to and deliver on the identified priorities. It will inform the agency on how to best manage resources devoted to HRD in the GMS to ensure an integrated approach, maximum efficiency and consistency with the geographic and sectoral focus of the Asia and Country Strategies. The review findings will be linked to the Asia Strategy mid-term review (scheduled for 2010) and provide a basis for future evaluation of NZAID’s engagements in the region.

Purpose

The overall purpose of the review is to inform the development of an integrated approach and guide the focus of NZAID’s HRD programme in the GMS.

Objectives

The review will assess the programme in terms relevance, effectiveness and efficiency.

Relevance

1. Provide a profile of NZAID’s current engagements in HRD in GMS including an analysis of stakeholder views of the programme.

2. Assess the extent to which HRD programme activities are aligned to the poverty reduction and HRD strategies of partner Governments; harmonised with the strategies and activities of other donors and other agencies; integrated with one another and with bilateral programmes; and aligned to the sectoral and targeted geographic focus of NZAID’s Asia and Country Strategies.

3. Identify the HRD priorities of the GMS (on the basis of existing strategies, research findings and consultations with key stakeholders) and highlight where NZAID’s programme could be responsive to these priorities.

Effectiveness

4. Assess the extent to which HRD programmes are contributing to NZAID’s mission of eliminating poverty in the GMS.

Efficiency

5. Assess whether the programme has been implemented through the best use of available resources.

Scope, timing and management

The review of HRD engagements is limited to NZAID’s activities in the GMS. It will specifically include the following key NZAID-funded activities in the Subregion:

Mekong Institute Foundation (MI)
English Language Training for Officials Programme (ELTO)
New Zealand Development Scholarships Scheme (NZDS).

Additional activities to be considered include: The Phnom Penh Plan for Development Management (PPP-DM); ASEAN’s “Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), Vientiane Action Programme “Narrowing the Development Gap” and the “GMS Economic Cooperation Programme”; Asia: New Zealand Foundation’s Higher Education Exchange Programme (HEEP) (discontinued as at end 2006); Diplomacy Training Programme (DTP); and relevant Volunteer Services Abroad (VSA) assignments (Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam).

The Review Team (ACS consultant, SAEG, DPM GMS) will be guided by an internal Steering Committee who will meet bi-monthly. Committee membership will include representation from SAEG; the Tools Steering Group (to monitor the learning process associated with this review); Scholarships (Leitch), ELTO (Mey) and Asia Programmes (Williams and Stewart). NZAID Managers at Bangkok and Vietnam Posts will be kept fully informed of progress and provide feedback to partner Governments.

It is intended that the DPM and/or SAEG Adviser on the Review Team will accompany the ACS consultant on field visits.

Composition of the Review Team:

DPM Greater Mekong Subregion (Andrea Stewart)
SAEG Team Leader Evaluation Adviser (Penny Hawkins)
ACS consultants (Douglas Day, Farib Sos, Peter Morrow).

Composition of the Steering Committee:

Barbara Williams, Chair (Asia Team Leader)
Penny Hawkins (Team Leader Evaluation Adviser, SAEG)
Jane Leitch (Scholarships Unit Team Leader)
Julie Affleck (Education Adviser EDG)
Sokha Mey (DPO ELTO, Cambodia, Lao, Vietnam)
Andrea Stewart DPM GMS.

Outputs

The ACS consultant will develop a “draft issues paper” that will include an initial description of the HRD in GMS programme profile. The paper will form the basis of a June 2007 workshop with New Zealand-based experts providing an opportunity to check the programme profile against others understanding of the programme intervention logic.

The consultant will also provide draft and final reports and be required to present the findings of the HRD in GMS review to NZAID in October 2007.

Page Last Reviewed: 21 June, 2007

Document URL: http://www.nzaid.govt.nz/case-studies/human-resource-development.html