The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | Belarus | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2020 | Seq No: 4 | ARCHIVED on 14-Feb-2022 | ISR50133 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Education, Republic of Belarus Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 20-May-2020 Effectiveness Date: 20-Oct-2020 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 24-Apr-2023 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: Original Closing Date: 31-Dec-2025 Revised Closing Date: 31-Dec-2025 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The DO is to improve the teaching and learning environment and information on the labor market relevance of higher education. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Modernization of the teaching and learning environment:(Cost $97.00 M) Innovations in teaching and learning:(Cost $8.50 M) Quality assurance:(Cost $3.00 M) Project management:(Cost $0.50 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions Overall, project implementation planning by components is finalized; activities contributing to achievement of the project development objective are on track with planning though with slight delays; and implementation plans for the 2022 calendar year are set. The planned results of the project are presented in Results section. Component 1: Modernization of teaching and learning environment. Activities for this component are progressing well. At the time of the mission, under sub-component 1.1 research equipment for 2 laboratories is being delivered and 37 more laboratories will be delivered soon. Preparation works started for the delivery of 54 laboratories and specifications for 42 laboratories are under discussion. Within sub-component 1.2., renovation has been completed at 6 facilities and repair works are underway at 6 more facilities, for 9 more facilities works will start soon. Construction design documentation is being developed for 17 facilities and design documentation for 20 more facilities are under discussion. Component 2; Innovations in teaching and learning. Activities under this component experience delays, though not significant. In the end of 2021, the Concept for the future national Graduate Tracer Study (GTS) was developed. While this document is comprehensive and describes in detail the 2/14/2022 Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) vision for the GTS system, it needs a strong collaboration and support from other ministries and public agencies of the country. For 2022 within internationalization activities, it is planned to conduct study tours and mobility programs for Belarusian Master students and academics. The preparation of the Concept for the digital higher education under subcomponent 2.3. will be moved earlier, to the second half of 2022 because of the clear need in developments in this area in the time of pandemic. Component 3: Quality Assurance. On December 4, 2021 the Council of Ministers of Belarus approved Resolution No. 693 “On the Creation of the National Education Quality Assurance Agency”. The new Code on Education became effective in January 2022 and now the Agency became fully operational. It is important to follow the timing in such a way as to have a solid evidence of two mandatory years of operation prior to submitting an application for membership to the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). The head of the Agency has been selected and approved via internal procedures; the staff selection is going to start soon. Broad citizen engagement, a well-organized grievance redress mechanism, and information activities within project implementation are key elements of successful project implementation. The Ministry of Education continues to hold focus group discussions with academics and students, including differently able students, to discuss project activities. Possible additional channels for external communications on project activities are piloted by the Project Implementation Unit and the Ministry under the Stakeholder Engagement Plan. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Moderate Substantial Substantial Macroeconomic Substantial Substantial Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies Moderate Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Moderate Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary Moderate Moderate Moderate Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders Substantial Substantial Substantial Other -- Moderate Moderate Overall Moderate Moderate Moderate Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Modernization of the teaching and learning environment IN01098438 ►Number of higher education institutions with improved research facilities (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.00 2/14/2022 Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Number of institutions selected under the project that have set up or modernized laboratory and research Comments: facilities; or (ii) outfitted classrooms with modern educational equipment; or (iii) set up or modernized centers for shared use of unique educational and scientific equipment. Innovations in teaching and learning IN01098439 ►Percentage of Bachelor’s programs with established learning outcomes (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Percentage of Bachelor’s degree programs that have been improved with established learning outcomes Comments: under the project. IN01098476 ►Percentage of Master’s programs with established learning outcomes (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 100.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Percentage of Master’s degree programs that have been improved with established learning outcomes Comments: under the project. IN01098477 ►A national system to regularly trace higher education graduates (graduate tracer system – GTS) is established (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target GTS concept is Value No GTS No GTS GTS fully established developed Date 29-Aug-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 The GTS model that has been developed through an earlier grant. The GTS model and concept will be developed in Year 1 using the results of the work under the grant implemented earlier. In Year 2, an automated information system of GTS will be created. In Year 3, the pilot testing and refinement of the Comments: GTS will be conducted. In Year 4, a survey of the second cohort of graduates will be done using the GTS, the data will be analyzed and published. In Year 5, two cohorts of graduates will be studied in parallel and data will be published, the GTS will be fully established. Quality assurance IN01098440 ►The newly established Belarus quality assurance agency is a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 30-May-2025 2/14/2022 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) The quality assurance agency, which manages its resources and operations independently, is in place and operating with sufficient financial and human resources. The agency is a full member of ENQA (http://www.enqa.eu/) As indicated in the ENQA statutes approved by the General Assembly in 2015, it is a condition of membership that all members of ENQA undergo an external review at least once every five Comments: years. Before being accepted or being re-confirmed as a member, an applicant agency must satisfy to the Board that it meets the criteria for membership: the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).” https://enqa.eu/index.php/enqa- agencies/membership-criteria/ Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Modernization of the teaching and learning environment IN01098479 ►Number of targeted higher education institutions with improved teaching and learning facilities (Sub-component 1.2.) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 18.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Number of higher education institutions selected under the project (eighteen [18]) that have been Comments: rehabilitated, renovated, set up or modernized with centers for shared use of unique educational and scientific equipment. IN01098481 ►Number of entrepreneurial university (“University 3.0”) projects completed out of the targeted entrepreneurial (“3.0”) projects (Sub- component 1.2.) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Number of projects developed by entrepreneurial higher education institutions (“University 3.0”) selected under the project (seven [7]) that have been completed to: (i) improve the overall conditions for teaching Comments: and learning; (ii) create a barrier-free environment for learning and improving access and working and learning conditions of staff and students with disabilities by creating an inclusive learning and working environment; and (ii) to improve energy efficiency of buildings and premises. Innovations in teaching and learning IN01098478 ►Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 300,000.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Aug-2025 Number of students benefitting from enhanced Bachelor’s and Master’s programs with established Comments: learning outcomes (of which number of female) under the project (Corporate Result Indicator, CRI) IN01098483 Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female (Number, Corporate Supplement) 2/14/2022 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 150,000.00 IN01098484 ►Beneficiaries that assess that project investments reflected their needs (Sub-component 2.1. and 2.2.) (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 90.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Aug-2025 Annual online student surveys through “University 3.0” program: The “University 3.0” program is piloted in 7 universities and aims to develop entrepreneurial skills of students through courses and events promoting and supporting entrepreneurship. The program includes annual online students’ surveys assessing students’ opinions on the learning environment for entrepreneurship. In addition, the project will Comments: use the surveys to gather female and male students’ views on changes in the general learning environment and enable them to make recommendations. Satisfaction surveys would be designed to collect feedback from: (i) students benefiting from improved degrees, and (ii) staff and employers benefiting from all project interventions. IN01098485 ►Number of students who participate in national and international competitions related to entrepreneurial activities (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target (Increase from Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 baseline). Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Students who have benefitted from upgraded entrepreneurial programs under the project who participate Comments: in national and international competitions. This indicator will also inform on the number of female entrepreneurs who participate. IN01098486 Of which number of female students (Text, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target (Increase from Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 baseline) Date 28-Aug-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 IN01098487 ►Number of new twinning projects involving Belarus and foreign universities (Sub-component 2.2.) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 The project will support twinning projects i.e. close cooperation in teaching and/or research but potentially Comments: also governance, quality assurance, etc. involving Belarus and foreign universities. IN01098488 ►Number of Master’s students participating in mobility programs supported under the project (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 250.00 2/14/2022 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Comments: Number of Master’s students who participate in mobility programs supported under the project. Quality assurance IN01098480 ►External quality assurance agency in place and operational (Sub-component 3.1.) (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target External Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in place and, operational and in No standalone QA No standalone QA QA agency is accordance with Value agency. agency. established European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 A quality assurance agency, in accordance with ESG and which manages its resources and operations Comments: independently, is in place and operating with sufficient financial and human resources. IN01098482 ►Number of training events on internal quality assurance (Sub-component 3.2.) (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00 Date 14-Jun-2019 16-Aug-2021 08-Feb-2022 31-Dec-2025 Comments: Training events that support universities in developing their internal quality assurance arrangements. Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P167992 IBRD-90560 Effective USD 109.90 109.90 0.00 3.09 106.99 2.8% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P167992 IBRD-90560 Effective 20-May-2020 23-Jun-2020 20-Oct-2020 31-Dec-2025 31-Dec-2025 2/14/2022 Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Belarus Higher Education Modernization Project (P167992) Cumulative Disbursements PBC Disbursement Achievement Disbursed amount in Disbursement % PBC ID PBC Type Description Coc PBC Amount Status Coc for PBC Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 2/14/2022 Page 7 of 7