Returned Qualified Nationals (RQN)

TO SERVE AT JIGJIGA UNIVERSITY

Terms of Reference

Apply now as a Diaspora Expert!

Are you currently living and working abroad? Would you like to engage in a skills transfer program in your country of origin for a limited period?

 Then apply as a diaspora expert!

1. Introduction

IOM is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora services/departments under the Better Regional Migration Management Program to implement a Return of Qualified Nationals (RQN), Diaspora Engagement activity in Ethiopia. The activity's aim is to identify and engage skilled and qualified diaspora who have left and who are ready to give back to their country of origin by volunteering to improve institutions capacity in key socio-economic sectors agreed with the governments, such as education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, civil engineering, financial systems, and information technology.

The programme offers support for three-month assignments with state institutions or public-benefit organisations such as government agencies, academic institutions, and health facilities. The programme welcomes individuals from different careers and sectors, such as educators, organisational developers, mechanical engineers, doctors, and other healthcare professionals.

If you are an Ethiopian diaspora expert or professional residing abroad, we cordially invite you to join our Short-Term Placement Program and embark on a transformative journey that leverages your expertise for national progress.

As a local higher education institution, Jigjiga University is one of the public higher institutions that were founded in March 2007, along with the Second-Generation universities in Ethiopia. It is located in the emerging town of Jigjiga the capital city of Ethiopian Somali regional state, 635 kilometres away from Addis Ababa. The University officially started its service with 712 students, 66 academic and 99 administrative staff in three faculties in 2007. In recent years, the intake capacity has increased from year to year. So currently, it has a total of 21,554 students studying in 57 various academic programs and 627 post-graduate students pursuing six academic programs.

2. Objective of the Assignment

·       Facilitating the engagement of the professional diaspora in short-term placements in the selected fields at the university.

·       Enhancing the skills, expertise, and knowledge of local professionals through interaction with diaspora experts.

·       Promoting the transfer of innovative practices, technologies, and methodologies.

·       Strengthening partnerships and collaborations between the diaspora and local agricultural institutions.

3. Areas of Intervention

The following are the major areas of interest identified by IOM in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Services:

·       Health, Infrastructure

·       Agriculture and food security

·       Education and vocational training

·       Information Communication Technology

·       Capacity building to improve local governance

·       Climate Change

Whereas, the following are areas of interest of Jigjiga University:

·       Teaching block courses in our post-graduate programs

·       Providing research advisor-ship service to our postgraduate students

·       Advice, mentor, and contribute in internationally accrediting our postgraduate programs

·       Provide short-term training to our medical and health science staff in medical spatiality areas like ENT, Neuron surgery, Heart surgery, and many sub-specialties like children sub-specialty, women sub-specialty

·       Collaborate with Jigjiga University’s Referral Hospital in mobilizing medical service equipment and machinery for the Referral Hospital  

·       Contribute to the adoption, adaptation and transferring of locally relevant knowledge, skill and technology to the local community in areas of pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods

·       Propose, collaborate and conduct research projects with the university staff in areas of pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods, food security and poverty alleviation, human health and well-being, society governance and human development, engineering and technology, business and economic development and basic science research and crosscutting research issues.

4. What We Offer

IOM in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora services offers:

·       Financial assistance towards expenses during the assignment in country

·       Paid round-trip travel expenses

·       A basic insurance package

·       Local support during your assignment from our team of coordinators

Whereas, Jigjiga University will offer:

·       Overall conducive working environment at our institution

·       Work office access with working internet network

·       Transpiration service during your engagement with the university

·       Institutional recognition certificate for your contribution at the end of your engagement

5. Required Qualifications, Experience and Competences

·       Currently living abroad and have a migration history/yellow card holder of Ethiopia

·       Completed a university degree in fields of natural and computation science, technology, medicine and health science, dry-land agriculture, social science and humanities, educational and behavioural studies, veterinary medicine, business and economics and law.

·       At least five years of relevant professional experience abroad in the field in which you would like to work during your assignment.

·       Willing to undertake a short-term assignment of three months in a development-related area

·       Proficiency in English is required

6. Supervision

The expert will be attached to a local institution and his/her daily work will be supervised by the contact person/supervisor allocated to him/her within the respective institution. The work of the expert will also be closely monitored by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) during the duration of his/her assignment. 

7. Duration and Location

 

The Contract will have duration of three (3) months and the diaspora can choose to work either on-site or remotely and the deployment can be any time between 1 June – 31 January 2025. If they work on-site, the location will be based on the institution where they will be placed. But this will also depend on the security situation and the availability of facilities.

8. Reporting Obligation and Deliverables

 

·       Skill development: The main duty of the eligible Diaspora expert that will be used to evaluate his/her performance will be to ensure regular and consistent sharing of knowledge and skills as related to the assignment.

·       Work plan: The immediate supervisor will create a work plan with the assignee in the first week of the assignment to outline clear and time-bound activities to achieve the outputs of the assignment. The supervisor of the hosting institution and IOM will receive this work plan. This work plan can be updated during the assignment to accommodate new developments or changes.

·       Monthly Updates: The Diaspora expert will send monthly reports on their progress to the supervisor at the host institution and IOM.

·       Departure interview: A departure interview will be done to collect feedback and suggestions for future projects by other specialists.

9. How to Apply

To apply for this Short-Term placement opportunity, interested and eligible applicants can send a motivation letter, CV and contact information (email and phone number) of two professional references to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at ehoarorqn_eth@iom.int

 

The closing date of this application is 31 January 2025.