The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) AFRICA WEST | Mali | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2015 | Seq No: 11 | ARCHIVED on 01-Feb-2021 | ISR44757 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Economy and Finances, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 07-May-2015 Effectiveness Date: 23-Sep-2015 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 30-May-2018 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 09-Apr-2018 Original Closing Date: 31-Dec-2020 Revised Closing Date: 30-Jun-2021 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The development objective of the proposed Mali Higher Education Support Project (HESP) is to improve the relevance of selected higher education programs and the stewardship of the higher education system in Mali. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Component 1: Support to Selected Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs):(Cost $22.00 M) Component 2: Higher Education System Support:(Cost $8.00 M) Component 3: Project Management and Technical Assistance:(Cost $3.00 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions Overview. The 5-year Mali Higher Education Support Project was approved by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors on May 7, 2015 and was declared effective on September 23, 2015. The Project’s closing date was extended from December 31, 2020 to June 30, 2021 as a result of implementation delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the country's recent regime change. The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve the relevance of selected higher education programs and the stewardship of the higher education system in Mali. Based on extensive consultations, all relevant stakeholders involved in project implementation, in central government and in the higher education institutions (HEIs) themselves, along with a close monitoring and review of the implementation status of the planned activities, the Project has already achieved considerable success. The six-month project extension should ideally enable the Government to complete the small number of activities that have 2/1/2021 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) already been planned but have been delayed due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and recent political events in Mali. The project’s overall performance remains Satisfactory. Below is a summary of the status of each component: Component 1: Support to Selected Public Higher Education Institutions. This component aims to improve the relevance of selected higher education programs, while also contributing to improving stewardship, by supporting governance improvements and quality related interventions in selected existing HEIs with strong commitment to reform and supporting a new institution offering programs in agriculture, livestock, mining and technology. The component supports four selected HEIs through annual performance-based contracts with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Apart from two HEIs that failed to meet all target in the 2016/17, all four HEIs achieved all seven targets in the other four academic years 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20. Activities remaining to be completed include: the purchase of equipment for the University of Segou’s newly created livestock department; and the preparation of technical specifications for the purchase of equipment and the confirmation of the curriculum for the proposed Bamako African School of Mines. Component 2: Higher Education System Support. This component aims to improve the stewardship of the higher education system in Mali by strengthening the Government’s capacity to articulate and implement reforms; play an overall oversight and regulatory role, including for the private sector; and manage information. Key activities include: support to the Planning and Prospective Unit; support to the Quality Assurance Unit, which was established by the Government on November 1, 2017; development of a management information system; development of virtual libraries; and technical assistance. Activities remaining to be completed include: the adoption of a regulatory framework granting institutional autonomy to HEIs (originally planned for June 2020); the drafting of a medium-term development plan and a two-year an action plan for the Planning and Prospective Unit; the preparation of its higher education statistical yearbook; and the purchase of IT equipment for the management information system. Component 3: Project Management and Technical Assistance. This component established the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), adequately staffed with experts to ensure smooth implementation of the project. The PIU team continues to be highly engaged and proactive, and satisfactorily manage the project, including through holding regular meetings to closely monitor the implementation of planned project activities. Activities to be completed here include: a final audit; and other operating expenses, such as payment of salaries. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Substantial Substantial Moderate Macroeconomic Moderate Moderate Moderate Sector Strategies and Policies Moderate Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Moderate Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Moderate Sustainability Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Moderate Environment and Social Substantial Substantial Substantial Stakeholders Substantial Substantial Moderate Other -- High High Overall Substantial Substantial Moderate Results 2/1/2021 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Improve the relevance of selected higher education programs IN00931106 ►Increase in Employer satisfaction as measured by employer satisfaction survey of priority sector of participating HEIs (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 87.30 87.30 40.00 Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target exceeded. The planned employer satisfaction study has been completed in December 31, 2019. Comments: IN00931108 ►Number of programs in participating HEIs that are proposed and developed with the private sector participation (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 45.00 182.00 197.00 135.00 Date 30-Mar-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 30-Mar-2020 Target exceeded. A total of 197 higher education programs in targeted HEIs have been developed with the participation of the private sector, exceeding the end of project target of 135. The team continues to Comments: monitor the effective private sector engagement in the project for continued relevance of higher education programs. IN00931110 ►Tracer Study (for gaduates from the selected HEIs conducted) (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No Yes Yes Yes Date 31-Mar-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 28-Aug-2020 Target achieved. The tracer survey targeting graduates from the selected higher education institutions has Comments: been conducted as planned. Improve the stewardship of the higher education system IN00931107 ►Number of institutional development plans approved at public HEIs (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 9.00 9.00 9.00 Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target achieved. Institutional development plans have been approved in all public HEIs targeted. The Comments: team will continue to follow up on the effective implementation of the approved plans. IN00931109 2/1/2021 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) ►Number of Public HEIs with a functional CA (Board of Trustees) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 9.00 9.00 9.00 Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target achieved. All public HEIs targeted have a function Board of Trustees. Comments: IN00931111 ►Direct project beneficiaries (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 37,795.00 37,795.00 35,000.00 Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target exceeded. The project has so far reached 37,795 students and teachers against the end target of Comments: 35,000 direct beneficiaries. IN00931112 Female beneficiaries (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 35.10 30.00 35.00 Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Component 1: Support to Selected Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) IN00931113 ►Number of national students enrolled in licensed programs at participating HEIs (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 10,000.00 36,392.00 36,392.00 18,900.00 Date 30-Mar-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target exceeded. A total of 36,392 students have enrolled in licensed programs in participating HEIs, Comments: exceeding the end of project target of 18,900. IN00931117 Number of female national students enrolled in licensed programs at participating HEIs (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 2,500.00 12,774.00 12,774.00 5,000.00 Date 30-Mar-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 IN00931118 ►Number of teachers trained in the licensed programs at participating HEIs (Number, Custom) 2/1/2021 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 120.00 1,403.00 1,403.00 780.00 Date 30-Mar-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target exceeded. A total of 1,403 teachers have been trained in the licensed programs against the end of Comments: project target of 780. IN00931120 ►Share of budget in participating HEIs allocated to pedagogical inputs (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 10.00 15.70 15.28 30.00 Date 30-Mar-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Progress from the baseline value has been observed. However, approximately only 15.28 percent of the Comments: budget in participating HEIs is allocated to pedagogical inputs. IN00931122 ►Increase in Amount of cash generated internally at participating HEIs (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 100.00 199.30 216.21 160.00 Date 30-Mar-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Targeted exceeded against the expected end target of 160 percent. Comments: IN00931123 ►Annual Report on DLIs produced on time (Before end of March) (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No Yes Yes Yes Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 The annual report on DLIs was produced but not before end of March 2019 as expected. Comments: Component 2: Higher Education System Support IN00931114 ►Number of public HEIs with a management information system with operational resource management (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 9.00 9.00 9.00 Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Fully achieved. All public HEIs targeted have a management information system with operational resource Comments: management. 2/1/2021 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) IN00931116 ►Quality-Assurance unit established and operational, with semi-autonomous status (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No Yes Yes Yes Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Fully achieved. The Malian Quality Assurance unit is well established with a semi autonomous status. Comments: IN00931119 ►Number of users accessing Digital library system (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 84,341.00 84,341.00 10,000.00 Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target exceeded. The virtual library is fully established and access was given to all students and teachers Comments: of HEIs registered in the EMIS. IN00931121 ►MIS statistical report published annually with relevant data from # HEIs (Public and Private) (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No Yes Yes Yes Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 The MIS statistical report has been published as planned. Comments: Component 3: Project Management and Technical Assistance IN00931115 ►Number of public HEIs with proposal(s) for acquiring support from Africa Centers of Excellence in West and Central Africa (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 6.00 6.00 6.00 Date 31-May-2015 15-Apr-2020 15-Jan-2021 31-Dec-2020 Target achieved. At the request of HEIs, the project will provide technical assistance (TA) for the development of collaborative projects with the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) in West and Central Comments: Africa supported by the World Bank. As of January 15, 2021, 6 HEIs have developed a proposal for acquiring support from ACE in West and Central Africa. Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance 2/1/2021 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P151318 IDA-56060 Effective USD 14.00 14.00 0.00 11.99 2.01 86% P151318 IDA-D0430 Effective USD 19.00 19.00 0.00 18.20 0.67 96% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P151318 IDA-56060 Effective 07-May-2015 30-May-2015 23-Sep-2015 31-Dec-2020 30-Jun-2021 P151318 IDA-D0430 Effective 07-May-2015 30-May-2015 23-Sep-2015 31-Dec-2020 30-Jun-2021 Cumulative Disbursements PBC Disbursement Achievement Disbursed amount in Disbursement % PBC ID PBC Type Description Coc PBC Amount Status Coc for PBC 2/1/2021 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Mali - Higher Education Support Project (P151318) Restructuring History Level 2 Approved on 02-Dec-2020 ,Level Approved on 08-Dec-2020 Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 2/1/2021 Page 8 of 8