The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | Belarus | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2020 | Seq No: 2 | ARCHIVED on 25-Feb-2021 | ISR45586 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Education, Republic of Belarus Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 20-May-2020 Effectiveness Date: 20-Oct-2020 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 01-Feb-2023 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: Original Closing Date: 31-Dec-2025 Revised Closing Date: 31-Dec-2025 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The DO is to improve the teaching and learning environment and information on the labor market relevance of higher education. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Modernization of the teaching and learning environment:(Cost $97.00 M) Innovations in teaching and learning:(Cost $8.50 M) Quality assurance:(Cost $3.00 M) Project management:(Cost $0.50 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions Development Objective (PDO), and activities contributing to achievement of the PDO indicators are on track with planning. The Progress towards achievement of PDO and Overall Implementation Progress (IP) maintains satisfactory ratings. The fiduciary and safeguard assessments show satisfactory performance of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). Overall project implementation planning by components is finalized and cleared from the Bank side; implementation plans for 2021 calendar year are set. The planned results of the project are presented in the table below. Component 1: Modernization of teaching and learning environment. 18 universities were selected to be financed under this component. Criteria used for the selection were: i) regional universities, ii) universities aspiring to become entrepreneurial, and iii) universities with existing academic and methodological associations. Investments will support reconstruction of academic buildings and upgrade of research and learning equipment that will lead to modernization of research in universities, making them more advanced, and also to allow research-based training for students. It will also support students in receiving skills and knowledge required on the modern labor market, making them more successful after graduation. 2/25/2021 Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Component 2; Innovations in teaching and learning. This component supports increase of quality, relevance and attractiveness of higher education through modernized programs with a focus on learning outcomes and curriculum reforms. Relevant higher education requires effective teaching and learning practices in line with modern labor market demands and provision of quality data and information, for example via a graduate tracing system, mobility and transparency tools like the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), etc. Component 3: Quality Assurance. Internal and external quality assurance are key aspects of well-functioning higher education systems. This component will support creation of a Belarus Quality Assurance Agency in line with European standards, as well as upgrade of internal quality mechanisms in universities. Broad citizen engagement, a well-organized grievance redress mechanism, and information activities within project implementation are key elements of successful project implementation. The Ministry of Education has started to hold focus group discussions with academics and students, including differently able students, to discuss project activities. Possible additional channels for external communications on project activities will be investigated and piloted by the PIU and the Ministry. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Moderate Substantial Substantial Macroeconomic Substantial Substantial Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies Moderate Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Moderate Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary Moderate Moderate Moderate Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders Substantial Substantial Substantial Other -- Moderate Moderate Overall Moderate Moderate Moderate Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Modernization of the teaching and learning environment IN00956324 ►Number of higher education institutions with improved research facilities (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 2/25/2021 Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Number of institutions selected under the project that have set up or modernized laboratory and research Comments: facilities; or (ii) outfitted classrooms with modern educational equipment; or (iii) set up or modernized centers for shared use of unique educational and scientific equipment. Innovations in teaching and learning IN00956325 ►Percentage of Bachelor’s programs with established learning outcomes (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 Percentage of Bachelor’s degree programs that have been improved with established learning outcomes Comments: under the project. IN00956327 ►Percentage of Master’s programs with established learning outcomes (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 Percentage of Master’s degree programs that have been improved with established learning outcomes Comments: under the project. IN00956328 ►A national system to regularly trace higher education graduates (graduate tracer system – GTS) is established (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No GTS No GTS No GTS GTS fully established Date 29-Aug-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 The GTS model that has been developed through an earlier grant. The GTS model will be piloted in Year 1 with graduates’ databases being developed in HEIs. In Year 2, the first cohort of graduates will be Comments: studied, using the new GTS, with data being published.In Year 3, the second cohort will be studied, using the new GTS, with data being published. In Year 4, two cohorts will be studied in parallel and with data being published. In Year 5, the GTS will be fully established. Quality assurance IN00956326 ►The newly established Belarus quality assurance agency is a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 30-May-2025 The quality assurance agency, which manages its resources and operations independently, is in place and operating with sufficient financial and human resources. The agency is a full member of ENQA Comments: (http://www.enqa.eu/) As indicated in the ENQA statutes approved by the General Assembly in 2015, it is a condition of membership that all members of ENQA undergo an external review at least once every five 2/25/2021 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) years. Before being accepted or being re-confirmed as a member, an applicant agency must satisfy to the Board that it meets the criteria for membership: the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).” https://enqa.eu/index.php/enqa- agencies/membership-criteria/ Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Modernization of the teaching and learning environment IN00956330 ►Number of targeted higher education institutions with improved teaching and learning facilities (Sub-component 1.2.) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 Number of higher education institutions selected under the project (eighteen [18]) that have been Comments: rehabilitated, renovated, set up or modernized with centers for shared use of unique educational and scientific equipment. IN00956332 ►Number of entrepreneurial university (“University 3.0”) projects completed out of the targeted entrepreneurial (“3.0”) projects (Sub- component 1.2.) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 Number of projects developed by entrepreneurial higher education institutions (“University 3.0”) selected under the project (seven [7]) that have been completed to: (i) improve the overall conditions for teaching Comments: and learning; (ii) create a barrier-free environment for learning and improving access and working and learning conditions of staff and students with disabilities by creating an inclusive learning and working environment; and (ii) to improve energy efficiency of buildings and premises. Innovations in teaching and learning IN00956329 ►Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 300,000.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Aug-2025 Number of students benefitting from enhanced Bachelor’s and Master’s programs with established Comments: learning outcomes (of which number of female) under the project (Corporate Result Indicator, CRI) IN00956334 Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female (Number, Corporate Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 150,000.00 IN00956335 2/25/2021 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) ►Beneficiaries that assess that project investments reflected their needs (Sub-component 2.1. and 2.2.) (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 90.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Aug-2025 Annual online student surveys through “University 3.0” program: The “University 3.0” program is piloted in 7 universities and aims to develop entrepreneurial skills of students through courses and events promoting and supporting entrepreneurship. The program includes annual online students’ surveys assessing students’ opinions on the learning environment for entrepreneurship. In addition, the project will Comments: use the surveys to gather female and male students’ views on changes in the general learning environment and enable them to make recommendations. Satisfaction surveys would be designed to collect feedback from: (i) students benefiting from improved degrees, and (ii) staff and employers benefiting from all project interventions. IN00956336 ►Number of students who participate in national and international competitions related to entrepreneurial activities (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target (Increase from Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 baseline). Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 Students who have benefitted from upgraded entrepreneurial programs under the project who participate Comments: in national and international competitions. This indicator will also inform on the number of female entrepreneurs who participate. IN00956337 Of which number of female students (Text, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target (Increase from Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 baseline) Date 28-Aug-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 IN00956338 ►Number of new twinning projects involving Belarus and foreign universities (Sub-component 2.2.) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 The project will support twinning projects i.e. close cooperation in teaching and/or research but potentially Comments: also governance, quality assurance, etc. involving Belarus and foreign universities. IN00956339 ►Number of Master’s students participating in mobility programs supported under the project (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 250.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 Comments: Number of Master’s students who participate in mobility programs supported under the project. 2/25/2021 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Quality assurance IN00956331 ►External quality assurance agency in place and operational (Sub-component 3.1.) (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target External Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in place and, operational and in No standalone QA No standalone QA No standalone QA accordance with Value agency. agency. agency. European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 A quality assurance agency, in accordance with ESG and which manages its resources and operations Comments: independently, is in place and operating with sufficient financial and human resources. IN00956333 ►Number of training events on internal quality assurance (Sub-component 3.2.) (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 11-Aug-2020 10-Feb-2021 31-Dec-2025 Comments: Training events that support universities in developing their internal quality assurance arrangements. Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P167992 IBRD-90560 Effective USD 109.90 109.90 0.00 0.42 109.52 0.4% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P167992 IBRD-90560 Effective 20-May-2020 23-Jun-2020 20-Oct-2020 31-Dec-2025 31-Dec-2025 Cumulative Disbursements 2/25/2021 Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) PBC Disbursement Achievement Disbursed amount in Disbursement % PBC ID PBC Type Description Coc PBC Amount Status Coc for PBC Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 2/25/2021 Page 7 of 7