NPI is pleased to announce the establishment of five thematic technical committees (TTCs) that will take the lead in identifying, and carrying out, rigorous research work in some of the core areas of focus the Institute has identified as part of the strategic visioning exercise towards the end of 2021.
The five TTCs are on:
Migration and Nepali Diaspora
Improved Educational Outcomes
Good Governance and Development
Inclusiveness in Development
Environment, Sustainability, and Climate Change
Areas of Coverage
Areas of coverage for each Committee will be ascertained by the relevant experts that will constitute the group, but key areas are likely to include:
Migration and Nepali Diaspora –
migrants’ rights (including voting rights)
remittances
welfare of migrants pre-departure, and post-arrival
gender considerations
COVID impacts, etc.
Improved Educational Outcomes –
technical and vocational education and training (TVET)
public-private partnerships in education
skills mismatches
use of technology in education
Education for All
COVID impacts, etc.
Good Governance and Development –
governance reforms
federalism
sub-national governance reforms
capacity building
public sector management
public financial management
procurement reforms
anticorruption efforts
institutional development
civil society, etc.
Inclusiveness in Development –
social protection
social welfare
engagement with marginalized populations
gender and intersectionality
‘leave no one behind’ policy, etc.
Environment, Sustainability, and Climate Change –
disaster risk management
focus on biodiversity
water and air pollution
resource depletion
weather-related crises
‘Build Back Better’
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
gender considerations, etc.
Terms of Reference
The generic Terms of Reference of the TTCs are as follows (see Box 1)
Box 1. Terms of Reference for the Thematic Technical Committees
Each TTC will have these mandates in its own area:
Carry out policy research
Prepare and launch knowledge products and services
Seek funded research opportunities
Enhance expertise pool, and
Enhance research networks
Provision for each TTC will be as follows:
Each TTC will have a champion from among the NPI Board Members; the champions will be responsible for: (i) providing guidance on the research agenda; (ii) mentoring staff and interns, as needed; (iii) facilitating network connections in Government and elsewhere; (iv) supporting fund-raising initiatives; (v) supporting membership drives; and (vi) supporting other activities such as contributing at webinars, participating in interviews, etc.
Each TTC will have a Lead who will ensure that the work of the Committee is current; the TTC Lead will be appointed by the NPI Board, and whose term of appointment will not exceed three years.
Each TTC will prepare a brief operational plan for the forthcoming year, which will be endorsed by the Board
The NPI Board may make resources available for seed funds to initiate specific policy research work for each TTC
Each TTC will submit a half-yearly progress report to the Board through the NPI Executive Director
Search for Leads for Each TTC
NPI is also looking for expressions of interest from NPI Experts who would like to lead the individual Committees. The basic Terms of Reference for this role are:
Scan the policy analytic sphere in Nepal in order to ascertain the domains of relevant policy issues to study
Identify research opportunities
Seek funding opportunities to carry out the research
Lead the knowledge work related to all research carried out in the particular thematic committee
Engage with relevant individuals and entities in Nepal and elsewhere that are working on policy research and advocacy for development in the country
Seek to enhance the experts pool in the thematic committee
Prepare brief operational plans for the Committee to be submitted to the Board for approval
Report on Committee work to the Board of Directors twice a year
The Leads of the TTCs will report to the NPI Board of Directors through a reporting line to the NPI Executive Director. Each Lead will carry the title of a NPI Fellow.
Note: These are not paid positions; NPI will endeavor to support the groups with seed funds to help initiate research work.
Interested to join any TTC?
If you would like to join one or more of these groups, please visit nepalpolicyinstitute.org and register your interest (select ‘Expert Roster’ under ‘Get Involved’)
For further information, please contact:
Executive Director NPI Email: director@nepalpolicyinstitute.org
