ADB is helping Mongolia improve the quality of its higher education system and increase enrollment by youth from poor, remote communities. The project will enhance the quality and relevance of higher education programs and address issues such as governance and management, financing, and access. It will fund research facilities and staff training, and support public-private partnerships.
| Project Name | Higher Education Reform Project | ||||
| Project Number | 43007-023 | ||||
| Country | Mongolia |
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| Project Status | Active | ||||
| Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Loan |
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| Source of Funding / Amount |
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| Strategic Agendas | Inclusive economic growth |
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| Drivers of Change | Governance and capacity development |
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| Sector / Subsector | Education - Tertiary |
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| Gender Equity and Mainstreaming | Gender equity | ||||
| Description | The project will institute needed reforms in higher education (HE) to improve the quality and relevance of HE programs; governance, management, and financing of HE institutions (HEIs) and the entire subsector; and promote equitable access to HE. Project interventions include institutional capacity building, human resources development, provision of learning and research facilities, equipment and materials, consultant services, minor civil works, support for public-private partnerships (PPP), and improvement of the HE policy environment. | ||||
| Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | Rapid economic expansion has led to increased demand and supply for HE in Mongolia. The government has emphasized the value of HE as a principal investment option for the country's long-term economic competitiveness. Gross enrollment ratio for HE rose from 27% in 2000 to 47% in 2007, buttressed by the entry of private institutions offering HE in the 1990s. Over 100 HEIs are now in operation but only around 40% of graduates are employed. Persistent rural-urban inequalities also undermine Mongolia's competitiveness in HE. Poverty serves to destabilize children's school performance in rural areas and even if poor households manage to send their children to HEIs in urban areas, there is no guarantee of employability after the graduation. The government's vision is of an effective HE system that can help accelerate sustainable economic development, improve people's livelihood, ensure social equality, and reduce poverty. However, the system is currently constrained by (i) low quality and relevance, (ii) weak governance and management, (iii) inadequate financing, and (iv) limited opportunities in the HE subsector particularly for the poor and those in rural areas. | ||||
| Impact | The project impact will be an increased number of Mongolia's globally competitive higher education graduates responsive to labor market demands. | ||||
| Project Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Description of Outcome | The outcome will be an improved, well-managed, and equitable higher education system. The project primarily involves capacity building of the entire subsector to improve its performance. |
| Progress Toward Outcome | The project closing date has been extended by 18 months from June 2017 to December 2018. The project implementation schedule has been revised, and the MECSS has been actively working to implement the project in accordance with the revised implementation schedule. |
| Implementation Progress | |
| Description of Project Outputs | Quality and relevance of higher education programs improved Effectiveness of HEIs' management and financing improved Access to higher education improved. |
| Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) | The project has extended financial support to 27 programs to be nationally and internationally accreditation. National Center for Education Accreditation (NCEA) has signed a Twinning Program Agreement with ASIIN e.V., the German accreditation agency. The twinning program has commenced from June 2016. Application of CDIO standards in three programs in engineering and technology (telecommunications, textile and industrial automation) programs is going on successfully. Series of international and national training have been conducted on timely basis in accordance with the plan. The master trainers have been trained in Singapore. The CDIO faculty development center has been established. The procurement of equipment and items for the CDIO workshops, and renovation of CDIO workshops and faculty development center are ongoing. |
| Geographical Location | |
| Safeguard Categories | |
|---|---|
| Environment | C |
| Involuntary Resettlement | C |
| Indigenous Peoples | C |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | The simplified environmental management plan, prepared during the project design phase, to ensure full mitigation of any environmental impacts of limited civil works, have been followed for the minor civil works such as rehabilitation of existing facilities. |
| Involuntary Resettlement | No impact on environment and resettlement is anticipated. Neither acquisition of land nor relocation of people is planned. |
| Indigenous Peoples | No negative impacts on indigenous peoples are expected. Targeting approaches under the project will be applied nationwide and benefit indigenous peoples. |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
| During Project Design | All the relevant stakeholders have been consulted during the project processing, and their views and recommendations have been incorporated in the project design. |
| During Project Implementation | The MECSS and PIU conducts consultation meetings and workshops with various stakeholders including the higher education institutes, other higher education sector projects in order to coordinate activities and exchanges experience. In addition, it conducts thematic consultations workshops with specific audience. |
| Responsible ADB Officer | Lonjid, Itgel |
| Responsible ADB Department | East Asia Department |
| Responsible ADB Division | Mongolia Resident Mission |
| Executing Agencies |
Ministry of Education, Culture, Science & Sports [email protected] Government Building-III, Suite # 514, Baga toiruu-44, Sukhbaatar district Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |
| Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 10 Aug 2010 |
| Fact Finding | 30 Aug 2010 to 14 Sep 2010 |
| MRM | - |
| Approval | 28 Jul 2011 |
| Last Review Mission | - |
| Last PDS Update | 28 Mar 2017 |
Loan 2766-MON
| Milestones | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
| Original | Revised | Actual | |||
| 28 Jul 2011 | 09 Sep 2011 | 10 Jan 2012 | 30 Jun 2017 | 31 Dec 2018 | - |
| Financing Plan | Loan Utilization | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
| Project Cost | 22.22 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
| ADB | 20.00 | 28 Jul 2011 | 12.05 | 0.00 | 68% |
| Counterpart | 2.22 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
| Cofinancing | 0.00 | 28 Jul 2011 | 10.99 | 0.00 | 62% |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Public Communications Policy (PCP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
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| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Higher Education Reform Project: Procurement Plan | Procurement Plans | Aug 2016 |
| Loan Agreement for Higher Education Reform Project between Mongolia and Asian Development Bank dated 9 September 2011 | Loan Agreement (Special Operations) | Sep 2011 |
| Higher Education Reform Project | Reports and Recommendations of the President | Jul 2011 |
| Higher Education Reform Project | Summary Poverty Reduction and Social Strategies | Jul 2011 |
| Higher Education Reform Project: Gender Action Plans | Gender Action Plans | Jul 2011 |
| Higher Education Reform Project: Project Administration Memoranda | Project/Program Administration Manual | Jul 2011 |
Safeguard Documents See also: Safeguards
Safeguard documents provided at the time of project/facility approval may also be found in the list of linked documents provided with the Report and Recommendation of the President.
None currently available.
Evaluation Documents See also: Independent Evaluation
None currently available.
Related Publications
| Title | Document Type | Document Date |
|---|---|---|
| Improving Labor Market through Higher Education Reform Project in Mongolia | Papers and Briefs | Dec 2011 |
The Public Communications Policy (PCP) establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced in its operations to facilitate stakeholder participation in ADB's decision-making. For more information, refer to the Safeguard Policy Statement, Operations Manual F1, and Operations Manual L3.
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