Phase 1

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Support to Vocational Education and Training (VET) Reforms in Uzbekistan

The main goal of the Support to Vocational Education and Training Reforms Project (SVRP) is to contribute to more gainful employment of VET graduates through improved access to the labour market. This will be achieved through a systemic approach supporting capacity development and better coordination among key government institutions and VET providers, by contributing to the development of better quality inputs, teacher training and by facilitating stronger participation of economic actors in the VET system.

Country/region	Topic	Period	Budget
Uzbekistan	Vocational training Governance Education Vocational training Public sector policy Education policy	01.08.2020 - 31.12.2025	CHF 5’500’000

The project in brief

Background	The Uzbek Government initiated ambitious reforms to modernize and diversify its economy with the aim to make Uzbekistan a competitive upper-middle-income country by 2030. This has broad implications for the labour market and poses significant challenges for the education system, particulaly for VET. Reforms initiated in the VET system shall ensure availability of an adequate workforce with the right competences needed by the changing landscape of employers. The demand for jobs is high, with youth unemployment at 15%, and a large youth population. The Government is thus strongly motivated to reform the VETsector. Switzerland supported the Uzbek VET system since 2004 enhancing potentials of VET providers at regional level by successfully linking them with economic actors and developed cooperation models introduced in the water sectoron national level.
Objectives	VET students and graduates in Uzbekistan profit from a functional labour market-oriented education and training system allowing them to find and retain an attractive and decent job in sectors with growth potential.
Target groups	The project’s main beneficiaries are under- and unemployed young women and men, being mostly secondary school students attending formal VET schools. Special efforts will be made to ensure gender balance and to include disadvantaged youth. Target groups are public and private actors of the VET sector whose capacities and engagement will be strengthened to ensure effective implementation and sustainability of VET reforms.
Medium-term outcomes	Outcome 1: Strengthened institutional actors implement a functional regulatory framework in a coordinated manner. Outcome 2: VET actors on central level and VET providers have developed adequate structures, processes and instruments quality assurance. Outcome 3: Teachers perform in a competence-based and labour-market oriented way. Outcome 4: Economic actors play an enhanced role in the VET system and contribute effectively to the governance, definition and implementation of VET.
Results	Expected results: Strengthened governance and institutional capacity at national and decentralised level for coordination and evidence-based decision making. Improved institutional capacity with regard to Quality Assurance. Strengthened institutional capacity for initial and inservice teacher training. Improved cooperation mechanisms between employers and VET stakeholders, also with the aim to improve teaching-learning resources. Results from previous phases: Institutional analysis identified the key actors of the VET systems, their roles, strengths and weaknesses; partner’s capacity analysis helps shaping professional development activities. The capacity assessment revealed that good communication (towards employers, training providers, youth, public) by stakeholders implementing the reform is essential but missing. Coordination of VET reforms also requires aligning development aid, no mechanism is in place to harmonize the various types of assistance within and between state partners. A new National Qualification Framework has been developed but further operationalisation is awaiting.
Directorate/federal office responsible	SDC
Credit area	Development cooperation
Project partners	Contract partner International or foreign NGO Private sector Foreign state institution Swiss Non-profit Organisation Central State of South East HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Other international or foreign NGO North Foreign private sector South/East Other partners HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation
Coordination with other projects and actors	The project will coordinate and seek collaboration with at least EU-UNESCO and ADB These projects work on specific sectors, but also influence the national framework (Quality assurance, NQF). Synergies with SDC’s NWRM project will be sought to capitalize on results for improved VET in the water sector.
Budget	Current phase Swiss budget CHF 5’500’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 3’664’269 Total project since first phase Budget inclusive project partner CHF 5’500’000
Project phases	Phase 1 01.08.2020 - 31.12.2025 (Current phase)

Further technical details

Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	EDUCATION GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY EDUCATION
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	Vocational training Public sector policy and administrative management Education policy and administrative management
Aid Type	Mandate with fiduciary funds Mandate without fiduciary fund
Project number	7F10441