swisscontact

Call for Expression of Interest (Eol) Training and Certification Programme to Enhance Pedagogical

Skills of Instructors

First published date: 09 August 2025

Republished date: 26 August 2025

Swisscontact is an independent non-profit development organisation established in 1959 by representatives of the Swiss private sector and civil society. Our development work focuses on private sector-led, sustainable economic development with improved quality of life for all in developing and emerging countries. A key focus is to strengthen the skills of individuals and foster the competitiveness of businesses.

Swisscontact, registered as an International Non-Governmental Organisation in Nepal, has been operating in Nepal since 1991. Currently, Swisscontact Nepal has six development programmes across all seven provinces, with a well-functioning country office that employs over 145 staff members.

Quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Youth (QualiTY), Phase 1 project is a bilateral initiative between the Government of Nepal and the Government of Switzerland. It is implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training at the Federal level and Ministry of Social Development /Education at the Provincial level. Swisscontact Nepal provides technical assistance to the project through the Project Support Unit (PSU) at Federal and Provincial level on behalf of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Qualified instructors play a vital role in ensuring the quality of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nepal. There are three main categories of TVET instructors: technical instructors who deliver core technical subjects, instructors who teach basic and general subjects, and industry-based supervisors, or in-company trainers who supervise students during workplace training. Although many instructors possess higher education qualifications, ranging from bachelor's to master's degrees, they are often hired immediately after graduation without sufficient industry experience or instructional skills. While some have received basic instructional training, they frequently lack access to ongoing, high-quality professional development opportunities, which limits their effectiveness and ultimately affects the overall quality of TVET instruction.

Furthermore, due to limited perceived career benefits and other challenges, many prospective TVET instructors show low interest in participating in training offered by training institutions.

Additionally, there is reluctance to send instructors for training, often due to concerns about potential disruptions to their services. High attrition rates and low participation in training programmes further diminish instructor quality, leading to poor student outcomes, lower graduation and employment rates, and declining enrollment. Recognising the urgent need for strategies to enhance instructor capacity, recognition, and career pathways, the QualiTY project plans to introduce training modules for instructors that will be recognised by universities for credit accumulation and academic recognition. Therefore, universities or institutions are requested to submit their expression of interest to fulfill the following requirements:

1. Revise and update the current training modules of instructors training developed in line with the minimum competency standards established by the Training Institute for Technical Instruction/Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (TITI/CTEVT), and ensure they are aligned with university requirements to facilitate long-term degree awarding.

2. Recognise the existing competencies of instructors, provide bridge courses, and facilitate their

enrollment in degree programmes.

3. Offer certification and award university degrees at the master's level or a postgraduate diploma in education.

Interested universities or institutions meeting the above-mentioned requirements are requested to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) along with the expected budget through email at [email protected] by 04 September 2025.

For more details, please refer to the Terms of Reference (ToR) which can be downloaded from https://www.swisscontact.org/en/countries/nepal/requests-for-proposal

Source: Kantipur