APPENDIX 6 - Iraq Program Standard Indicators.pdf

UNCLASSIFIED

Iraq Higher Education Program Standard Indicators

The following is a list of standard program indicators for NEA/AC’s Iraq Support to Institutions of

Higher Education Program. As you complete your Results Monitoring Plan (RMP), please review this list and include any indicators that are relevant for monitoring your project. When filling in the definition in your RMP, please include both the standard definition as well as information on how the indicator relates to the project design. Please note that “Standard F Indicators” refer to the Foreign Assistance Standard Indicators; more details and the Indicator Reference Sheets can be found at the following link: https://www.state.gov/foreign-assistance-resource-library/

Category 1: Institutional Capacity

Indicator Indicator Definition

1.1 (Standard F Indicator) ES.2- 52: Number of individuals affiliated with higher education institutions receiving capacity development support with USG assistance

Indicator Type:

Output

"Individuals affiliated with" refers to administrators, faculty, staff, researchers, or postdoctoral scholars who have a formal connection with one or more higher education institutions. All individuals from a higher education institution receiving capacity development support, as defined below, should be counted. This does not include undergraduate or graduate students who receive this capacity development as a component of their academic training.

‘Capacity development support’ for individuals in a higher education context is NOT a single event such as a training or a workshop. It is sustained and may be comprised of a range of activities, interventions, processes, and approaches that may include, but are not limited to:

professional development, training, coaching, technical assistance, etc.

These may be focused on a range of specific topics, including but not limited to: human resources, management and administration, instruction, research, technology transfer, translation of knowledge, infrastructure, fund raising, etc.

1.2 (Standard F Indicator) ES.1- 12: Number of education administrators and officials who complete professional development activities with USG assistance

Education administrators and officials are individuals involved in the organization, management, operations, and support systems within the education system. They may be employed by public organizations (e.g.

school, district, county, province/state, central Ministries/Departments of Education) or private organizations (e.g. school, NGO). Their roles do NOT involve teaching or direct instruction of learners. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: principals; superintendents;

coaches; trainers; inspectors; technical specialists; managers; etc.

Completing professional development activities means that an individual has met the completion requirements of a structured training, coaching, or mentoring program as defined by the program offered. A certificate https://www.state.gov/foreign-assistance-resource-library/

Indicator Type:

Output may or may not be issued at the end of a professional development activity.

When calculating the total numbers of education administrators and officials, activities should count each administrator and official only once (regardless of how many professional development activities they successfully completed).

1.3 Percentage of faculty with increased knowledge following completion of institutional and professional development activities

Indicator Type:

Outcome

This indicator measures the knowledge gained by staff and faculty that participated in trainings and workshop related to institutional improvements and accreditation. This indicator should be measured with pre- and post-tests.

1.4 (Standard F Indicator) ES.2- 53: Number of physical spaces built, repaired, or refurbished for higher education with USG assistance

Indicator Type:

Output

“Physical spaces” refer to safe and secure physical spaces in which higher education students advance their learning or career preparation or in which faculty/staff improve instruction, curriculum, or pedagogy.

Physical spaces could range from environmentally-appropriate, roofed structures without walls, to traditional four-walled structures with a roof and windows. They may also include temporary classrooms (such as tents set aside for instruction, and temporary learning centers) frequently found in settings serving refugees and/or internally displaced people, etc. Physical spaces include, but are not limited to, libraries, laboratories and other research facilities, lecture halls, career centers, alumni centers, and maker spaces that serve higher education students.

‘Research facilities’ are any physical spaces used for the purpose of research. This may include spaces used to conduct research, store property related to research, etc.

[Does not apply] To build, or construct, a physical space means to complete all required design, assembly, finishing, and inspection stages required to create a physical space that did not previously exist. The standards for a ‘complete’ physical space should comply with local standards, but should include all furnishings (such as furniture, equipment, etc., if locally appropriate) needed for the activities that will take place in that physical space and comply with USAID’s accessibility standards.

To repair a physical space means to complete all required design, assembly, finishing, and inspection stages required to bring an existing physical space into compliance with expectations for a ‘complete’ physical space and with USAID’s accessibility standards. ‘Repair’ should include substantial physical and structural improvements to the space.

Repair can include ‘finishing work’ such as plaster, paint, and furniture repair; however, ‘finishing work’ on its own (without substantial physical and structural improvements) should not be counted as repair.

To refurbish a physical space means to update it to better meet its intended purpose. ‘Refurbishing’ should include substantial updates that provide students with access to current educational inputs, resources, supports, or technologies. Refurbish does not include ‘finishing work’ on its own that does not include updates to educational inputs, resources, or technologies. ‘Refurbishing’ includes improving accessibility to a physical space for individuals with disabilities.

All physical spaces built, repaired, or refurbished must comply with USAID’s accessibility standards. USAID requires compliance with standards of accessibility for people with disabilities in all structures, buildings or facilities resulting from new or renovation construction or alterations of an existing structure. Compliance with the host country or regional standards for accessibility in construction is required when such standards result in at least substantially equivalent accessibility and usability as the standard provided in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Guidelines of July 2004. Where there are no host country or regional standards for universal access or where the host country or regional standards do not meet the ADA/ABA threshold, the standard prescribed in the ADA and the ABA will be used. More information about USAID standards for accessibility can be found here:

https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1868/303maa.pdf.

Individual physical spaces should be counted if they have a discrete purpose. For example, each classroom in a block of classrooms would be counted under this indicator (e.g., if a block contains three distinct rooms/physical spaces, all three should be counted), but a library with several rooms would be counted as one physical space.

Each physical space should be counted only one time even if it is used by multiple classes or shifts or it has been first built and then subsequently “upgraded” within the same reporting year.

1.5 (Standard F Indicator) ES.2- 54: Number of USG-Supported partnerships that address regional, national, and/or local development objectives through or with higher education institutions

Indicator Type:

Output

“USG-supported partnerships” are formal, documented agreements between two or more organizations. They are characterized by:

• A formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) or the like.

These formal documents may follow the norms and requirements necessitated by the partnering organizations.

• A set of documented, expected outcomes that will result from the partnership.

• The explicit, stated purpose of addressing regional, national, and/or local development objectives.

Partnerships may or may not be financial in nature, though at least one of the partnering organizations must be receiving USG funding.

To be counted toward this indicator, the partnership must include at least one higher education institution, regardless of the country in which it is based, as a partner. Other partners could include the private sector, NGOs, research institutions, governments, or a USAID Mission.

“Number of partnerships” refers to the number of formal partnerships that meet the definition above, not the number of organizations involved in a partnership. For example, if a partnership with one documented agreement involves five organizations, three of which are higher education organizations, and two of which are receiving USG funding, that partnership should be counted as one partnership. All partnerships that are supported with USG-funding in a given reporting year should be reported, regardless of whether they are new or existing.

An example of a partnership is an Economic Growth activity in the Latin American and Caribbean region that built four industry/higher education “clusters.” Each of these clusters developed formal alliances between the private sector and universities that spur collaboration. Each cluster is composed of an industry association, a group of universities, government representatives, and an advisory board of prominent businesspeople, academics, and administrators. Under this indicator, these four clusters would be counted as four partnerships.

1.6 Number of mentorships

This indicator is a simple count of the number of faculty and staff members that visit or have an exchange with counterpart offices of and/or exchanges created with US IHEs focused on academic programs development and improvement.

Indicator Type:

Output partnering institutions to observe American-style best practices and get further trainings.

1.7 Number of policies, procedures, or standards instituted to enhance institutional governance.

Indicator Type:

Outcome

This indicator is a simple count of the number of policies, procedures, or standards that have been created and instituted as a result of program interventions to improve institutional governance. These can include, but do not need to be limited to, mission and purpose statements, strategic planning and evaluation initiatives, organizational design and governance structure, transparency and public disclosure. This indicator should be accompanied with a narrative explaining the policy, procedure, or standard, how it is being instituted, and any noted effects on the institution.

1.8 Level of student and faculty satisfaction with the institution.

Indicator Type:

Outcome

Percentage of students and faculty who self-report that they are satisfied with the institutions mission, purpose, infrastructure, and services. This indicator should be measured using a survey.

1.9 Retention rate of students and faculty

Indicator Type:

Output

This indicator measures the percentage of students and faculty that return for the next semester.

1.10 Percentage of staff with proficient English language skills

Percentage of staff that pass or obtain certification on an English language proficiency test, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System

(IELTS).

Output

Category 2: Quality of Education and Student Outcomes

Indicator Indicator Definition

2.1 (Standard F Indicator)

ES.2-2: Number of individuals attending higher education institutions with USG scholarship or financial assistance.

“Attending” a higher education institution can be for the purpose of long-term training or short-term training. Long-term training is defined as degree-earning coursework that requires six or more months of commitment. Short-term training is a training that is fewer than six months in duration, but typically a one-to-two-week classroom-style course that is led by a professional instructor or technical expert with the goal of helping participants acquire new knowledge and skills in their area of employment.

"USG scholarships and financial assistance" are defined as USG-funded, full or partial financial aid provided for a student to further his or her education. This includes financial assistance, waivers, or other support for experiential opportunities such as research assistantships, internships, apprenticeships, etc. This also includes assistance for expenses accrued while furthering one’s education such as housing, health insurance, materials, etc. Such financial aid may be awarded based on a range of criteria (e.g. merit-based; needs-based; career-specific).

"Individuals" are those who have received a scholarship or other form of financial assistance to attend a higher education institution in their own country or another country. This includes financial assistance to US citizens to study in another country and to citizens of other countries to study in the US, their own country, or a third country.

This indicator should report all individuals who received scholarships and financial assistance and attended courses or participated in an academic or training program at a higher education institution during the year being reported, even if some of these individuals may also have been counted in previous years. In other words, if a student is attending a higher education institution with current funding and was counted towards this indicator in a previous fiscal year, the student can be counted towards the indicator again in the current fiscal year.

2.2 (Standard F Indicator)

For the purposes of this indicator, learners with improved access to education either: 1) have never attended an accredited formal or non-formal education program leading to certification (or transitioning into

ES.1-56: Number of learners with improved access to education through USG-assisted programs a certified program), or 2) are new enrollees of degree-granting higher education institutions from underserved/underprivileged populations specifically targeted by USAID [or DOS] programming, or 3) stopped attending an accredited formal or non-formal education program leading to certification (or transitioning into a certified program) or a degree at least a year before they started participating in USG-assisted programming, or 4) are a crisis-affected learner who no longer has access to their pre-crisis accredited formal or non-formal learning environment leading to certification (or transitioning into a certified program) or a degree; this may be due to displacement, destruction of the learning environment, or other crisis-related impact.

Learners should be counted toward this indicator if they meet one of the criteria described above and they directly benefit from USG education assistance designed to support acquisition of foundational skills as defined in USAID's education policy, technical or vocational skills, social and emotional or soft skills, academic skills, or other knowledge or skills.

Learners who enroll in the first grade of a basic education program or those who are new enrollees of a higher education institution should only be counted toward this indicator if they would not have enrolled without USG assistance. As an example, if a program is designed to increase intake in a primary school where there have typically been 100 new entrants to grade one, and following the beginning of the program, intake increases to 120 per year, the annual increase in access associated with the program should be reported as 20 because this is the number of children/youth accessing the school in addition to what probably would have happened otherwise. It is important to include information on repetition as part of the data collection on this indicator; learners who are repeating the grade should not be counted toward this indicator.

The measurement for this indicator should be implemented cross-sectionally. For newly established education programs (with USG assistance), 100% of learners enrolled and attending can be counted toward this indicator if they satisfy the definition of the improved access specified above. However, for existing education programs, enrollment numbers for the baseline year/time period can be compared with enrollment for the subsequent activity years/time period to establish the number of learners with improved access to education, after adjusting for the number of grade repeaters in basic education programs. Activities are strongly encouraged to consider the average of enrollment data at the baseline year and at least 2 preceding years to establish the baseline enrollment.

2.3 (Standard F Indicator)

ES.1-6: Number of educators who complete professional development activities with USG assistance.

Indicator Type:

Output

Note: This indicator could also apply to category 1

Educators are individuals whose professional activity involves the transmitting of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that are stipulated in curriculum directly to learners participating in a formal or non-formal educational opportunity. Educators may work in formal or non-formal settings and institutions. They may be employed by public organizations (e.g. schools) or private organizations (e.g. schools, NGOs, for-profit organizations). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: teachers, teaching assistants, instructors, etc.

'Educators' can include librarians who are involved in transmitting knowledge, attitudes, and skills that are stipulated in the curriculum directly to students.

Professionals who work in the education sector but whose primary function is not to transmit knowledge directly to students should not be counted as educators.

Completing professional development activities means that an individual has met the completion requirements of a structured training, coaching, or mentoring program as defined by the program offered. A certificate may or may not be issued at the end of a professional development activity.

When calculating the total numbers of educators, each educator should be counted only once per year (regardless of how many professional development activities successfully completed).

Disability Inclusive Education is one system of education for all learners, at all levels (early childhood, primary, secondary, and post-secondary), with the provision of supports to meet the individual needs of learners with disabilities. Disability inclusive education content equips educators with knowledge, skills and resources to effectively teach learners with disabilities in inclusive learning environments at all levels of education. Examples of content may include: developing individualized learning plans, assessing strengths and learning opportunities of children and youth with disabilities, adapting teaching and learning materials and pedagogy to be inclusive, working with paraprofessionals and job coaches, braille competency, sign language fluency and aspects of universal design for learning focused on learners with disabilities.

2.4 Number of students completing mentorships, career guidance, and development courses

This indicator is a simple count of the number of students that complete a mentorship, career guidance, or development course provided by USG assistance. A mentorship should be a sustained relationship between a student and a mentor that assists with education and career development. Career guidance and development courses can include CV/resume writing, interview skills, cover letter writing, job searching, etc.

2.5 Number of

networking, job fair, and career development events

This indicator is a simple count of the number of events organized to support students in finding and preparing for employment.

2.6 Percentage of students receiving internships, employment, or furthering education after graduation

Outcome

This indicator measures the percentage of students that secure post-graduation employment or enroll to further their education.

2.7 Level of student satisfaction

Percentage of students who self-report satisfaction with education and student support services, including training in entrepreneurship, career and academic planning, learning and tutoring centers, and student advising. This indicator should be measured using a student survey.

2.8 Number of new

curriculum

New curriculum initiatives should reflect major changes to curriculum, including changes to content, updated textbook, or establishment of a new major or research initiative. This indicator can apply to both initiatives implemented.

existing and new lines of study. Data should be disaggregated or include an accompanying narrative to explain the new initiative.

2.9 Degree

completion rate

Indicator Type:

Output

This indicator measures the percentage of students that graduate. The numerator is the number of graduates, and the denominator is the number of students originally enrolled in the class.

Category 3: Accreditation

Indicator Indicator Definition

3.1: Number of accreditation eligibility requirement gaps identified

Accreditation, as described by the Council of Higher Education Accreditation in the United States, “is collegial of self-review and peer review for improvement of academic quality and public accountability of institutions and programs”. This indicator measures the number of gaps identified for the institution to attain accreditation. The identification should be accompanied by actionable steps to become eligible for accreditation.

3.2 Percentage of

accreditation eligibility requirements fulfilled.

This indicator measures the percentage of the gaps that were identified in indicator 3.1 that have been fulfilled, meaning that the institution now meets the identified criteria for accreditation for the previously identified gap.

3.3 Number of

stand-alone specialized or programmatic accreditations

Indicator Type:

Outcome

There are two basic types of educational accreditation, one identified as "institutional" and one referred to as "specialized" or "programmatic."

Institutional accreditation normally applies to an entire institution, indicating that each of an institution’s parts is contributing to the achievement of the institution's objectives, although not necessarily all at the same level of quality.

Specialized or programmatic accreditation normally applies to programs, departments, or schools that are parts of an institution. The accredited unit may be as large as a college or school within a university or as small as a curriculum within a discipline. Most of the specialized or programmatic accrediting agencies review units within an institution of higher education that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting commissions. However, certain accrediting agencies also accredit professional schools and other specialized or vocational institutions of higher education that are free-standing in their operations. Thus, a "specialized " or "programmatic " accrediting agency may also function in the capacity of an "institutional" accrediting agency. In addition, a number of specialized accrediting agencies accredit educational programs within non-educational settings, such as hospitals.

This indicator counts the number of specialized or programmatic accreditation attained.

Category 4: Support and Uplift Women (note: all relevant indicators above should be disaggregated by sex)

Indicator Indicator Definition

4.1 Percent of

women enrolled in the institution

Indicator Type:

Output

The numerator is the number of women and the denominator is the total number of students.

4.2 Number of

women’s leadership and empowerment events

Indicator Type:

Output

Simple count of the number of women’s leadership and empowerment events hosted. These events can be targeted to both males and females, but the focus must be on supporting women.

4.3 (Standard F Indicator) GN-4 Percentage of participants reporting increased agreement with the concept that men and women should

This indicator will be used to gauge the effectiveness of USG efforts to promote equality between women and men by measuring changes in opinions about whether they should have equal access to resources and opportunities in social, political, and economic spheres. Changes in opinions are measured via the Equal Opportunity survey (see Data Source below for survey instructions) administered in conjunction with training or programs in any sector which include goals or objectives related to women’s equality and empowerment. Projects that aim to have equal access to social, economic, and political resources and opportunities

Indicator Type:

Outcome increase participants’ awareness and acceptance about equality between women and men are relevant.

GN-4 is applicable to programs in multiple sectors that are designed to raise awareness of women's human rights and/or to increase acceptance of equality among women and/or men (or girls/boys), including, for example, programs that train journalists to report more responsibly on equality issues or programs designed to increase the political or economic participation of women, among others. Note that it is not necessary that programs be focused on the sectors reflected in the questions that comprise the indicator (i.e., political, economic) in order to report against GN-4. Any program that may feasibly improve agreement that women and men should have equal access to social, economic, and political resources and opportunities should report against this indicator.

The unit of measure will be a percentage expressed as a whole number.

Numerator = the number of participants whose survey scores have improved over time Denominator = the total number of participants who participated in the relevant training/programming For example, if the number of participants whose scores improved over time (the numerator) divided by the total number of participants in the training/program (the denominator) yields a value of .40, the number 40 should be the reported result for this indicator. Values for this indictor can range from 0 to 100.

The numerator and denominator must also be reported as disaggregates. This indicator must also be disaggregated by sex.

4.4 (Standard F Indicator) GN-8 Number of persons trained with USG assistance to advance outcomes consistent with women’s empowerment through their roles in public or private sector institutions or organizations

To be counted under this indicator, a person must have been trained in their role as an actor within a public or private sector institution or organization. Persons receiving training in their individual capacity, such as livelihoods training designed to increase individual or household income, should not be counted under this indicator. Public or private sector institutions or organizations include but are not limited to: government agencies forming part of the executive, judicial, or legislative branches; public and private health, financial, and education institutions; and civil society organizations such as rights advocacy groups, business associations, faith-based groups, and labor unions.

To be counted under this indicator, persons must have participated in a training of at least 3 hours, with content designed to develop or

Outcome strengthen the institution’s/organization’s capacity to advance women empowerment objectives. Stand-alone trainings may be counted under this indicator, as well as trainings where women empowerment is integrated within a broader sector training. In the latter case, the training must include a substantial focus on women’s issues (e.g., women’s issues are addressed throughout the training, there is a module that explores the relevant women’s issues in depth, etc.).

Examples of this type of training include:

-training teachers or school officials on effective strategies for creating a safe learning environment for women and advancing women’s leadership.

-training political party leadership on effective ways to support and advance women’s leadership in party structures and political processes.

-training legal aid society volunteers or paralegals in dispute resolution related to women's land and property rights.

-training for business association or financial institution representatives on strategies for creating products and services that address barriers to women’s entrepreneurship.