Application Deadline: 11 January 2021 (midnight, Paris time)
The GEM Report Fellowship Programme supports researchers who aim to bring a fresh perspective to comparative and international education. It offers an opportunity to be part of a select group of researchers and scholars who are advancing knowledge in this field, while working with the GEM Report team. The 2021 Fellowship Programme is the third round and new fellows will join a growing community.
Selection criteria
Research proposals will be selected according to their originality, potential to influence the international education agenda, and scientific rigour. Proposals should aim to produce one background paper for the GEM Report team, which would be either linked to the forthcoming report and its theme or to other projects that support the Report’s objectives. The outputs may also include
other deliverables, ranging from databases and programmes to materials to communicate the findings and help reach out to policy makers at the national, regional or global level. Preference will be given to proposals with a clear comparative element.
In particular, GEM Report Fellowship Programme research proposals may be:
• utilizing the GEM Report’s data resources, notably those household and school surveys linked to the World Inequality Database on Education, to strengthen analyses of global, regional and national education trends on issues of access, equity, inclusion, quality and learning;
• strengthening the content of the GEM Report with respect to its coverage of important issues at the global, regional and national level, through evidence-based analyses of education policy and practice;
• advancing the SDG 4 monitoring agenda, especially on issues related to the global and thematic indicator framework that have been highlighted in previous reports;
• supporting the themes of forthcoming GEM reports, i.e. the 2023 report on technology.
Main responsibilities
• Complete a relevant background paper for the upcoming GEM Report or other Report projects. The background paper should be based on original and previously unpublished analysis. Data can be drawn from multiple sources including national or cross-national learning or literacy assessments and household, school or labour force surveys. The background paper should include policy recommendations.
• Participate in GEM Report team activities to ensure a close fit between the research and the objectives of the team and to further explore and develop the research in line with the needs of the international education agenda and policy makers at the national, regional and global level
Experience and qualifications
Academic background:
• An advanced university degree in education, sociology, economics, political science, psychology, demography, statistics, psychometrics or other related fields.
Professional background:
• Proven experience in policy analysis in an academic/research or national/international agency setting.
• Proven experience in organising projects in research and/or policy contexts.
• Contacts within the education policy community would be an advantage
• Experience with education systems in low, middle or high income countries
– Sound knowledge of and proven experience in the application of statistical techniques involving large-scale survey data. Experience using statistical analysis software such as Mplus, R, STATA, SPSS or SAS would be an asset.
Languages:
• Fluency in one of the two UNESCO working languages (English and French) and the capacity to draft to a high standard in English.
Proposal
The research proposal should be placed within the current policy debate on SDG 4, the international education goal, and briefly describe the potential contribution this research will make to the field of education and to policy making.
Relevance to GEM Report
A successful proposal will provide a strong rationale for how the work would contribute to the GEM Report work:
• Explain the policy areas of interest, spell out the policy questions to be addressed, and indicate how the research will promote access, equity, inclusion, quality and learning in education systems.
• Show why GEM Report resources and research areas (thematic or geographic) are particularly well suited to address those questions.
• Show how the research relates to monitoring issues highlighted in past GEM reports or thematic issues of future GEM reports.
Data and methods
The proposal should describe:
• the data that will be used to develop the research project, including the main variables
• the methods and statistical procedures that will be used to develop the research project
Resources
The proposal should provide a feasible timeline.
Selection procedure
Applications must be submitted in English. They will be reviewed and assessed by the GEM Report team, based on the criteria outlined above and considerations related to quality, potential, and originality as well as the qualifications and track record of the applicant. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to discuss small adjustments to their proposal in a review meeting. The GEM Report team will not be able to provide feedback on proposals that were not selected.
Timeline
• Deadline for proposals: closing date extended: 11 January 2021 (midnight, Paris time)
• Announcement of decision with successful applicants: 1 February 2021
• Review meeting: 15 February 2021 (tbc)
• Expected start to the fellowship: 1 March 2021
Application
Applicants will need to provide the following information:
CV in UNESCO format
• One page with brief project title, abstract (150 words), duration, budget
• Project proposal (maximum 5 pages / 2500 words) with the following information:
o research question / aim of the project
o relevance to the GEM Report
o proposed data and methodology
o timeline and resources
GEM Report team support to Fellows
The work will be carried out remotely. Each fellowship will last between 6 and 11 months, depending on the work to be carried out. The GEM Report team will provide:
• A stipend (up to US$19,500) for the duration of the fellowship (up to 11 months).
• A mentor from the team of GEM Report researchers.
The GEM Report staff will allocate 2-3 hours per week to remotely mentor and guide the fellows.
To apply email gemreport.fellowship@unesco.org.
Only submissions with a complete project proposal will be considered
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the GEM Report Fellowship programme 2021