Le Programme de Coopération Académique de la Fondation Rosa Luxemburg Bureau de Tunis, mènera une étude de base sur la recherche académique et les universités au Liban. Retour vers les opportunités

                        Terms of Reference for Researcher: “RLS baseline study Lebanon”

The terms of reference are a legally binding document to the agreement. By signing the agreement the researcher confirms acceptance of the terms of reference.

Context:

The Program of Academic Cooperation of the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (RLS) has been established in 2014 in Tunis, with the aim to foster critical research and academic exchange with regard to political, social and economic developments and transformation processes in Tunisia. In 2018 the program will start project activities in Lebanon. This study shall therefore identify entry points in the relevant fields. We want to engage with progressive actors, mainly from academia, working to strengthen academic freedom and critical research and teaching.
The focus of this study will be on humanities, social science, law and economics.

Reason for and aim of the study:

Through this study, the RLS obtains information about possible fields of cooperation and potential cooperation partners. It obtains a general overview of academic landscape in the country and the entry points for cooperation with critical and progressive actors in the field of independent and critical research and teaching as well as emancipatory forms of participation in the educational system from below.

Quality and methodology of the study:

The researcher utilizes existing information covering the various issues. The researcher acquires necessary additional information via telephone and email or personal meetings.
The study needs to comply with the usual and proper academic criteria and rules regarding methodology, use of information of third parties, quotation, references etc. The RLS expects an original study.

Timeline for the production of the study:

The researcher is expected to closely follow this timeline:
a. Applications should be submitted by email to Academiccooperation@rosalux.org no later than January 26, 2018 and should include :
 A Curriculum Vitae with full details of education and career history
 A cover letter outlining the experience as well as the suitability and particular interest in working on the field of this study
 A salary expectations
b. The first draft of the study should be send by email to the RLS office in Tunis no later than one month after signing the contract (February 28, 2018).
c. The RLS requires two weeks for reviewing this first draft and will provide the researcher with a request for further detail, if necessary.
d. The researcher re-works the study according to the RLS’ request. The researcher provides the RLS with the final version of the study at the latest two weeks after receiving its request.

Qualifications of researcher:
 In-depth knowledge of the academic field in Lebanon
 Academic background preferably in one of the disciplines relevant to the study

Honorarium:

The researcher proposes a budget, including means of calculation (for example: daily fees).

Payment of researcher’s honorarium:

RLS will make payments on the basis of an honorarium contract with the researcher.
50% of the honorarium will be paid after delivery of the first draft of the study.
50% of the honorarium will be paid after delivery of the final version of the study.

Outline of “RLS baseline study Lebanon”

1. Outline of the study / guiding questions
The study is to be divided into the following sections:

a. Introducing Lebanon (1.000 words):

This section should briefly outline the political, economic and social structure of the country, its political system, ruling party or coalition of parties, the opposition, and the major internal (and external) political, economic and social developments and challenges that the country currently is facing.

b. Introducing the Lebanese educational system:
This section gives an overview of the evolution and structure of the educational system in the country. It should furthermore outline both its  principal strengths and weaknesses as well as challenges. Important aspects would be access to and the quality of education.

c. Overview of the higher education system in Lebanon (700 words):

How is the higher education system structured? How has it evolved historically and what are the ongoing developments and challenges with regards to privatization and general accessibility?

d. Higher education policy and legal framework (500 words):

How does the state act in the field of higher education and what policy is implemented in the field? What are the legal texts and regulations relevant to the field of research and academia? Do they pose restrictions for the work
of the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung?

e. Focus: Public higher education (700 words):

What is the overall state of public higher education in Lebanon? What role do public universities play in the fields relevant to this study? What role does sectarianism play in the sector of public higher education?

f. Focus: Private universities (700 words):

Which role do private institutions play quantitatively and qualitatively in the field of higher education? Which are the main sponsors of these institutions and what role does sectarianism play in it?

g. Focus: Critical potentials at universities (700 words):

What are the critical actors or networks relevant? What role do they play?

h. Focus: Hierarchies and power structures within the university system (700 word):

How hierarchical is the university system in Lebanon? What power resources do the different actors within the university sphere have? Have there been experiences with innovative methods to even out hierarchical structures? Are women accessing higher (tenure) positions in the higher education system?
What about minorities, such as the LGBTQI community or ethnic minorities?
Are they (openly) represented in the higher education system?

What about the representation of confessional groups in the university system?

i. Focus: Student organization (700 words):

What space do the public and private higher education system leave for student organization and activism? What are the channels through which students formulate and propagate demands? How has student activism developed and evolved and what are the main political aims? How are these student organizations connected to activists outside of the university system?

j. Relevant research institutes outside universities (400 words):

Which institutions other than universities shape and/or influence critical research in the field of social science, humanities, law and economics?

k. Focus: international actors active in the field (500 words):

Are other international actors active in the field of higher education and what is their scope of action?

l. Focus: Research on memory and Transitional Justice (700 words):

What aspects of memory and/or Transitional Justice are debated in the Lebanese academic community? What role does the analysis of different and often competing narratives play in this field? What networks and/or institutes
are specialized in this field?

m. Focus: Research on Gender issues (700 words):

What role does the research of gender theory as well as the analysis of gender problems play in this field?

n. Focus: Research on minority groups (700 words):

What role does the research of minority groups play in its field? What networks and/or institutes are specialized in this field?

o. Focus: Research on citizenship (700 words):

What aspects of citizenship are a relevant research topic? What are the approaches to the topic?

a. Focus: Research on economic alternatives (700 words):

Are economic alternatives currently a topic of research for academia? If so, what are the approaches to the topic?

b. Other relevant topics and fields discussed in Lebanese academia:

What other topics are currently debated by the Lebanese academic community?

c. Topics relevant for cooperation with Tunisian universities:

Which topics could be relevant for the academic cooperation with Tunisian universities?

List of contacts of Lebanese academics/institutes/politicians/community groups that work with regards to the following topics (minimum three contacts per topic):

– Education and education policies
– Student organizations
– Memory, transitional justice
– Gender and feminism
– Citizenship
– Economic alternatives

2. Language of the study:
The language of the study is English.

3. Copyright:
RLS holds 100% of the copyrights for the study.