Individual Consultant - Develop Guidelines for National Information Centres in the Asia-Pacific

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Consultant Contract (Author)

Level : Level 3- Senior

Hiring Unit : Education Sector (ED)

Duty Station : Bangkok

Work location : Remote

Duration of contract : 5 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC+7 Time) : 15-MAR-2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

1. Background

National Information Centres (NICs) are a key mechanism for enhancing transparency, information sharing and mutual recognition of higher education qualifications across the Asia-Pacific, as stipulated in the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (Tokyo Convention). As secretariat to the Tokyo Convention and the Asia-Pacific Network of National Information Centres (APNNIC), the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and Office for UN Coordination for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCO Bangkok) has been supporting countries to ratify and implement the Tokyo Convention, including through technical guidance and capacity building for NICs. The 2014 Asia-Pacific Guidelines for National Information Centres, developed under the coordination of UNESCO Bangkok, provided foundational guidance for the establishment and operationalisation of NICs in the region.

Since 2014, increased student and staff mobility, online delivery modes, digital credentialing, and transnational education have reshaped the higher education landscape. To date, 12 states have ratified the Tokyo Convention, with several countries in the process of ratifying. A common interest among member states is the need for updated guidance that is practical, context-responsive, and aligned with contemporary needs. Meanwhile, the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education (Global Convention) entered into force in 2023, with the Operational Guidelines of the Gl