Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE)

Inception Period: The below work will be preceded by an inception period to fully resource the team as well as finalise design of the programme. Grant Management: In Phase 1 of the grant management activity the Supplier will design a closed call competitive grant process to invite and select 4 successful pilots from the SPHEIR programme up to a total of £12.7 million with each grant receiving between (£1-4 million). These have demonstrated ‘proof of concept’ and strong results in improving access, quality, and relevance to scale and replicate interventions in new states and geographies. SPHEIR pilots will be required to pivot their concepts to adopt a comprehensive gender transformative approach. In Phase 2 The Supplier will run an open call competitive process to invite 8 new, high potential and innovative proposals up to a total of £25.6 million, in priority geographies with a focus on improving access, safeguarding and employment outcomes for women and girls. Interventions may include improving take up of STEM subjects and increasing female representation in academia and underrepresented fields such as the tech industry. The Supplier will also invite proposals that drive an evidence-based approach to reducing all forms of gender-based violence and harm, including tackling sexual violence, exploitation, abuse and harassment in the HE sector. Centre of Expertise – Higher Education: The Supplier will launch a new pilot offer under the Centre of Expertise for Education which will be delivered through SHEFE. The demand-led, draw down facility will ensure the FCDO’s global network has access to high-quality technical expertise, best practice and tailored policy advice. This will not only expand our global reach to support HE reform, but it will also help to strengthen diplomatic engagement with policy makers. The new enhanced offer will also respond to new windows of opportunity when they arise, including short term requests for direct support from host governments to deliver HE reform, including short-term deployments of embedded experts. It will enhance the 'Best of British' brand by promoting UK expertise and showcase our ability to convene prominent international experts in a community of practice.