The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | North Macedonia | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2014 | Seq No: 15 | ARCHIVED on 29-Apr-2021 | ISR46436 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Finance, North Macedonia, Ministry of Education and Science Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 28-Jan-2014 Effectiveness Date: 11-Mar-2014 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 25-Sep-2017 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 25-Sep-2017 Original Closing Date: 31-May-2019 Revised Closing Date: 30-Apr-2021 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve transparency of resource allocation and promote accountability in higher education, enhance the relevance of secondary technical vocational education, and support innovation capacity in Macedonia. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Improving Transparency of Higher Education:(Cost $4.00 M) Modernization of Secondary Technical Vocational Education and Training:(Cost $4.50 M) Improving the innovative capacity of enterprises and collaboration with research organizations:(Cost $12.94 M) Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation:(Cost $2.50 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions Commendable results have been achieved under all three components of the project as the closing date of April 30, 2021 approaches. The key enabling conditions for achieving higher education objectives have been met with the constitution of the Agency for Quality Assurance and the recent constitution of the Higher Education Council (HEC). Under the new Higher Education Law, the HEC is responsible for the adoption of the new funding model and accreditation rulebook for higher education programs while the Agency is responsible for the accreditation of the higher education programs. The new accreditation rulebook will be aligned with the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance. It is expected that the new financing model and rulebook for accreditation will be adopted soon. The reform of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) designed with the engagement of the private sector and school representatives has been rolled out in all secondary TVET schools, with work-based learning mandatory in all qualifications. This school year, TVET secondary education students are having online classes 4/29/2021 Page 1 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) due to COVID-19, but work-based learning remains mandatory for all students, with sanitation prevention measures in place. The activities within the innovation component resulted in the operationalization of a key segment in the institutional infrastructure for innovation in the country, the Fund for Innovation and Technological Development, as well as the implementation of four financial instruments that helped firms to develop, improve and realize their capacity for innovation in new products, processes, and services. The implementation and financing of all project activities have been sustained by government institutions and with government funding. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance -- Substantial Substantial Macroeconomic -- Moderate Moderate Sector Strategies and Policies -- Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program -- Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and -- Moderate Moderate Sustainability Fiduciary -- Low Low Environment and Social -- Low Low Stakeholders -- Low Low Other -- Moderate Moderate Overall -- Moderate Moderate Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Improving Transparency of Higher Education IN00985060 ►% of public universities receiving financing based on new, transparent funding model. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 80.00 Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 The technical composition of the HE funding reform has been agreed upon after a comprehensive and thoughtful series of analytical works, the draft model was developed but adoption is pending due to the delayed constitution of the HEC. The HEC was constituted and it is expected to review the draft model Comments: and adopted it in the next several months. However, adoption of the draft funding model by the HEC would constitute partial achievement of the target, because the MOES would need one year until the starting disbursement of the funds to the HEIs in accordance with the new funding model. 4/29/2021 Page 2 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) IN00985143 ►% of study programs accredited /reaccredited utilizing new quality assurance measures developed in accordance with Bologna-defined norms by the new Quality Assurance Agency (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 80.00 Date 21-Jan-2019 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 The new Agency for Quality Assurance (AQA) was established in December 2019 as well as the Board for Accreditation and the Board for Evaluation, the key bodies that form the AQA. The draft secondary legislation to govern the new quality assurance measures was developed. Responsibility for the adoption of secondary legislation lies with the Higher Education Council (HEC) which was recently constituted. The Comments: HEC will adopt the quality assurance secondary legislation in the next months so the AQA will proceed with the accreditation process in accordance with the new legislation. Modernization of Secondary Education Vocational Education and Training IN00985141 ►% of secondary TVET students benefiting from practical training in SME and large-sized firms. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 36.30 37.80 40.20 40.00 Date 18-Apr-2018 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 Comments: Improving the Innovative Capacity of Enterprises and Collaboration with Research Organization IN00985142 ►Share of private funding mobilized as a percentage of FITD investments in innovation activities. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 49.16 49.53 25.00 Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Jun-2020 IN00985144 ►% of beneficiaries that sign collaborative agreements between firms and academia. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 39.00 39.00 20.00 Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Jun-2020 Intermediate Results Indicators by Components 4/29/2021 Page 3 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) Improving Transparency of Higher Education IN00985145 ►Implementation of new higher education funding model. (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target The possible funding models have been The possible funding presented to the models have been government and public presented to the universities. government and public In accordance with the universities. new law for Higher The new funding model In accordance with the Education, a National New funding model Value is not developed new law for the Higher Council on Higher implemented loped Education a National Education will adopt Council on Higher the bylaws on Education will adopt the financing. The Council bylaws on financing. The was constituted Council has not been recently and the model formed yet will be adopted in the course of the next months. Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 The technical composition of the HE funding reform has been agreed after a comprehensive and thoughtful series of analytical works, the draft model was developed but adoption is pending due to Comments: delayed constitution of the HEC. IN00985149 ►Number of public universities that have completed an external evaluation utilizing new quality assurance measures developed in accordance with Bologna-defined EU norms and practices. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 6.00 6.00 5.00 Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2019 EUA has completed evaluation of all six (6) HEIs, and has delivered 6 individual reports to the HEIs and Comments: one on system wide report to the MoES. IN00985153 ►National TTO established and operational (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value Not in existence No No TTO operational Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Jun-2020 The Fund for Innovation and Technological Development has developed a feasibility study for a Science Comments: and Technology Park which is envisioned to include the NTTO. However, the NTTO is not established yet. IN00985157 ►Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation achieves affiliate membership in ENQA (the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education) (Text, Custom) 4/29/2021 Page 4 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Board of Quality Agency for Quality Agency for Quality Agency for Quality Assurance and Assurance achieved Assurance achieved Assurance achieves Value Accreditation NOT a affiliate member status in affiliate member status affiliate member status member of ENQA ENQA in ENQA in ENQA Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 Modernization of Secondary Technical Vocational Education and Training IN00985146 ►TVET action plan that promotes general and broader technical education and competence- based learning adopted (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value Not in existence Model adopted. Model adopted. Model adopted Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 31-Jan-2016 IN00985150 ►% of developed TVET occupational standards by professional fields (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 31-Jan-2019 IN00985154 ►% of updated TVET curricula in line with occupational standards (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Sep-2019 All curricula are developed and adopted by the Minister of Education. Comments: IN00985158 ►% Increase in number of companies providing practical training to secondary TVET students. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 15.80 16.50 30.00 Date 15-Jan-2015 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 The government and the Chamber of Commerce have been negotiating with the companies to provide possibilities for practical training to the students very intensively as of the last school year. This is due to the compulsory status of practical training ( work-based learning) in the new curriculum framework. However, efforts have been put into attracting companies that have the capacity to provide quality mentorship. Therefore, the government has negotiated with medium and large size companies, and thus Comments: the number of new companies hasn't increased as expected. This approach did not affect the number of students who have benefited from practical training. Moreover, the last available number of companies providing practical training to secondary TVET students is from the school year 2019/20. It is expected this number significantly increased this school year. The update will be available in October 2021. 4/29/2021 Page 5 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) IN00985160 ►Manual and training materials for quality delivery of new curricula adopted (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No Yes Yes Yes Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 31-May-2018 This activity is on track.. Comments: IN00985162 ►Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 21,346.00 21,346.00 21,000.00 Date 28-Mar-2014 14-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 IN00985163 Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female (Number, Corporate Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 10,609.00 10,609.00 10,000.00 Improving the innovative capacity of enterprises and collaboration with research organizations IN00985148 ►Share of resources dedicated to Fund for Innovation and Technology Development (FITD) instruments disbursed (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 78.00 100.00 100.00 Date 10-Sep-2013 14-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 The total amount dedicated to implementation of the innovation instrument will be fully disbursed by the current closing date of the project. Comments: IN00985152 ►Number of companies established via the FITD Accelerator program (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 3.00 3.00 15.00 Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 The Accelerator program has two phases : I. Pre-investment Acceleration program II. Investment program Comments: Since the establishment of the accelerator program. 62 firms benefited from the pre-investment phase, and 3 from the second phase. Around 15 new firms are now benefiting from the investment program and are expected to fully benefit by the end of 2021. This indicator is on track to be achieved, though beyond the project lifecycle. 4/29/2021 Page 6 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) IN00985156 ►Number of beneficiary firms to introduce new/improved products (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 219.00 256.00 55.00 Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Jun-2020 This is on track. Comments: IN00985159 ►% of beneficiaries receiving training and mentoring (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 70.00 Date 28-Mar-2014 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Jun-2020 IN00985161 ►Number of beneficiary firms to introduce new processes (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 11.00 11.00 4.00 Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Jun-2020 Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation IN00985147 ►Evaluations for Innovation grants designed, conducted and reports reported (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target The follow-up survey is The baseline report is finished. Results will Evaluation reports Value Not in existence finished. The follow-up be disseminated by completed survey is ongoing. April 30, 2021 Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 09-Dec-2020 30-Apr-2021 IN00985151 ►Skills Observatory established, providing information about TVET and HE performance to the public (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target The activities for The activities for development of the development of the Skills The info on platform Skills Observatory are Value Not in existence Observatory are finished. being updated at least finished. The activities The activities for the first twice per year for the first tracer study tracer study are finished. are finished. Date 10-Sep-2013 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 4/29/2021 Page 7 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) The data for students were gathered from EMIS and from several universities, and based on these data reports were generated. However, at the request of the Personal Data Protection Agency, due to lack of legal basis for gathering these data, they were deleted from the Skills Observatory System. In order to Comments: provide a legal basis for gathering data for the purposes of the Skills Observatory, changes have been made in the Law on secondary education and additional changes will be made in the Law for higher education. IN00985155 ►Percentage of students that participated in the Grant Program satisfied with their engagement during grant preparation (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 84.10 84.10 60.00 Date 13-Feb-2019 09-Dec-2020 21-Apr-2021 30-Apr-2021 The feedback from the students was obtained through the survey, conducted in June 2019. The survey shows that 83% of the students that participated in the Grant Program are satisfied with their engagement Comments: during the grant program preparation. The new one will be available end of April 2021. Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P128378 IBRD-83320 Effective USD 24.00 24.00 0.00 20.40 0.00 100% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P128378 IBRD-83320 Effective 28-Jan-2014 07-Feb-2014 11-Mar-2014 31-May-2019 30-Apr-2021 Cumulative Disbursements 4/29/2021 Page 8 of 9 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills Development and Innovation Support Project (P128378) PBC Disbursement Achievement Disbursed amount in Disbursement % PBC ID PBC Type Description Coc PBC Amount Status Coc for PBC Restructuring History Level 2 Approved on 01-Mar-2019 ,Level 2 Approved on 27-May-2020 Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 4/29/2021 Page 9 of 9