Closing Date: Sunday, 31 March 2013
African Institute for Mathematical Sciences
6-8 Mel rose Road
Muizenberg 7945
South Africa
Tel: +27 (21) 787 9320
Fax: +27 (21) 787 9321
Advertisement
The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) was founded in Cape Town, South Africa in 2003 as a pan-African center for post-graduate training, outreach and research providing advanced, broadly applicable mathematical skills to talented students recruited from all over Africa. Since 2003, AIMS-Senegal opened its doors in August 2011, and AIMS-Ghana in August 2012. The Next Einstein Initiative (AIMS-NEI) is a core program of AIMS and specifically involves the establishment and operation of a network of fifteen centres of excellence across Africa that is focused on the teaching of mathematical sciences to African university graduates. The centres are coordinated through the AIMS-NEI Secretariat, based in Cape Town, South Africa.
There is evidence that the AIMS model, and the context in which it exists, could better assist in the acquisition and subsequent development of the career management skills and qualities that define a professional employee. A cohesive strategy is needed to provide students with skills, knowledge, resources and experiences that open a wide range of career pathways. To reach this goal, an integrated approach to the career development strategy is proposed, leveraging the learning moments out of current activities, and new real and simulated experiences. The guiding idea is that the more the classroom reflects the outside world, the more students will be prepared to succeed there. The key results will be:
1. Transformation of students' professional skills in a gradual process that occurs throughout all phases of the program, and beyond, and results in the development of a new professional identity.
2. An altered learning environment that is more outwardly focused and perceived as linked with varied sectors dedicated to the development of Africa.
THE POSITION
An experienced consultant is sought to help design a curriculum and assessment tools for an integrated career learning program. The deliverables should be developed as part of the whole course of study with academic staff and other relevant staff such as alumni services, rather than as a stand-alone component, to ensure non-technical competencies are supported and reinforced throughout the program.course of study with academic staff and other relevant staff such as alumni services, rather than as a stand-alone component, to ensure non-technical competencies are supported and reinforced throughout the program.
PURPOSE AND RESULTS:
The purpose of the consultancy is three-fold, namely:
1. To review and revise the current curriculum to include course-based workshops on employability, professional skills and entrepreneurship;
2. To produce an integrated learning curriculum for regular classwork, and;
3. To provide a curriculum review framework that will gauge quality and relevance of the current academic curriculum
KEY OUTPUTS OF CONSULTANT'S WORK
1. Increase in capacity of the AIMS network in integrated learning
2. Revised curricula and guidelines for its delivery
3. Network-wide standards and tools for quality assurance
KEY OUTCOMES OF CONSULTANT'S WORK
1. Students will be well equipped with the tools, skills and knowledge to pursue the careers of their choice
2. Faculty will be equipped with the tools, skills and knowledge to deliver and assess career learning in the classroom
3. The Network will be provided with support, based on the annual review, to improve curriculum delivery to set quality standards
DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLE
Working closely with Centre staff (Academic Directors, Career Development Staff, and tutors), Secretariat staff, and strategic partners from the business community, the Career Development Consultant will perform the following tasks:
1. Curriculum mapping of courses with faculty - determine where the course currently has links to career education and scoping for potential further links to build career education into the curriculum.
2. Integrated Curriculum development - present and facilitate discussions about integrated approaches to curricula and lead the design team (with academic staff) in the development of integrated career learning into regular coursework. This could include writing guidebook and/or tutorial content, linked to assessment. Note the challenge of working with international volunteer lecturers.
3. Employability and Entrepreneurship curriculum - provide detailed experiential lesson plans with clear learning outcomes on a variety of career development topics to assist with job applications, preparation for fieldwork placements, introduction to self-employment/entrepreneurship, applications for postgraduate courses, and career development. Ensure content is relevant to current industry needs.
4. Faculty teaching and learning - provide input towards faculty teaching and learning in integrated strategies and activities
5. Assessment - work with faculty to build career education assessment pieces into the curriculum. Work with faculty to develop the assessment requirements and marking criteria, which could include assignment marking. Perform annual review.
6. Technical advice - provided remotely (via skype/ phone) to Centre teams focusing on ensuring that processes followed, innovative components piloted and final products developed aim at improving alignment to industry and student needs.
WORK LOCATION:
The Consultant will be based in Cape Town with travel to Ghana and Senegal for an initial period of 6 months. Thereafter, the Consultant could provide home-based remote assistance as needed, and will return to each centre to perform an annual review and quality assurance evaluation in June 2014 (end of academic year).
COMPETENCIES
- Proven ability to demonstrate innovative thinking and stimulate an environment that fosters vation and openness to change;
- Proven experience of providing technical advice to teams based in different countries from a distance;
- Ability to contribute to and comfortably work in a multidisciplinary setting;
- Ability to work independently to strict timelines;
- Excellent planning and facilitation skills;
- Cultural awareness and sensitivity;
- Ability to research, analyze and present complex information;
- Strong interpersonal, teamwork and communication skills; and,
- Excellent written and spoken English skills and sound report writing skills; French language skills are an advantage.
QUALIFICATION
- Advanced educational background in one of the areas of: Business, Human Resources, Curriculum Development, Education, or related field;
- Proven track record of training curricula (and manual) development;
- Six to ten years of experience in development, assessment and evaluation of curriculum, teaching and learning resources required;
- Experience with experiential learning, action learning, work integrated curricula;
- Professional experience working in Africa, and:
- Thorough understanding of the issues surrounding employment challenges in developing and transitional countries.
How to apply:
Interested applicants should forward salary expectations, a curriculum vitae, letter of interest and names of 3 referees to jstaples@nexteinstein.org
