Thomas J.

Alexander fellow(

Job Number:
08382)

Description
Please note that the closing date for this vacancy is Friday 21 December, midnight, Paris time 1 year FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME The OECDs mission Better Policies for Better Lives promotes policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. It provides a unique forum in which governments work together to share experiences on what drives economic, social and environmental change, seeking solutions to common problems. The Thomas J. Alexander Fellowship Programme will support individuals in conducting quantitative, evidence-based research on education, particularly in emerging economies, and in linking that research to education policy and practice. Fellows will be selected among individuals working at research institutions, government agencies or professional organisations. Candidates with a doctoral degree, who are familiar with quantitative research methods and the use of large-scale surveys, and who have published work in scientific journals are encouraged to apply. Selected fellows will be required to work at the OECD headquarters in Paris for a minimum period of three months. Research proposals will be selected on the basis of their originality, potential and scientific rigour. All policy-relevant topics will be considered, particularly those focusing on equality of opportunity, such as the interaction between students socio-economic and immigrant background and learning outcomes in different educational settings, the impact of school governance and autonomy across accountability regimes, and the performance of resilient students across and within education systems. The programme, named after the former director of the OECDs Education, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs department, will provide funding for one year, including time spent at OECD headquarters in Paris. Fellows will be expected to produce a publishable research paper or report at the end of their fellowship. Fellows will work in close collaboration with OECD analysts. For more information on the Thomas J. Alexander Fellowship Programme, visit: http://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisafellowshipsandgrants/ IMPORTANT: For more information on how to prepare this application and the research proposal before applying online, please click here.

Main responsibilities Analysis and drafting Analyse policy issues related to education. This will include conducting statistical analysis of large OECD data sets, such as those from PISA, TALIS and PIAAC, identifying relevant policy issues and design appropriate statistical analyses to develop tools to assist countries in implementing their education policies. In collaboration with other fellows, colleagues and external experts, draft and edit substantive papers, including synthetic reports, country case studies and analytical papers, and where needed.

Collaboration and representation Help organise seminars, conferences and workshops in collaboration with the OECD and partners. Represent the Thomas J. Alexander Fellowship Programme in relevant international and national fora and deliver presentations and papers. Candidates profile Academic background An advanced university degree in education, psychology, social sciences, economics or a related field. Professional background Proven experience in public policy analysis in an academic setting, an international or national agency or research institute. Proven experience in organising projects in research and/or policy contexts. Contacts within the education policy community would be an advantage, as would experience with education systems or developments in OECD countries and/or emerging countries. Tools Sound knowledge of and proven experience in the application of statistical techniques involving large assessments of skills and large scale survey data. Experience using statistical analysis software such as Mplus, R, STATA, SPSS or SAS would be an asset.

Languages Excellent oral and written communication skills in one of the two official languages of the OECD (English or French) and a very good working knowledge of the other language. Research proposal Policy relevance The proposal should address an important policy topic in education from a novel perspective. It should place the work within the current policy debate and briefly describe the potential contribution this research will make to the field of education and to policy making. Data and methods The proposal should provide a strong rationale for the use of OECD datasets, such as PISA data or other elements of the OECD knowledge base, to meet the proposed research objectives. It should describe, in detail, the data that will be used to develop the research project, including which variables (for example, particular PISA variables or combinations of them) will be used to measure the concepts defined in the conceptual framework, and which sample(s) will be the focus of the analysis (e.g. groups used, exclusions to sample). The proposal should describe the methods and statistical procedures that will be used to develop the research project. The proposed methods should be clearly linked to the conceptual framework and research question(s). Resources The proposal should outline the resources needed to achieve the proposed research goals and the proposed timeline. The aims of the research proposal should be achievable within the proposed time and the resources sought. The proposal should describe the length, reasons and expected benefits of carrying out part of the research project at OECD headquarters in Paris. Duration The duration of the fellowship is 1 year. Background The OECD Directorate for Education has launched the Thomas J. Alexander Fellowship Programme. Mr. Alexander (11 March 1940 - 22 January 2012) was the Director for the OECDs Education, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Directorate from 1989-2000. He steered the launch of the OECDs Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which he conceived as a tool for governments to build relevant skills for all children and to turn these skills into better social and

economic outcomes. The programme is funded by the Open Society Foundations, where Mr. Alexander launched several education initiatives after leaving the OECD in 2000. Aims of the programme The programme seeks to develop and support improvements in education quality and equity, particularly in emerging economies, in three ways, namely by: 1. supporting quantitative research to provide evidence-based analysis relating to education policy and practice; 2. strengthening the use of such analysis in policy making; and 3. helping education leaders modify their practices to maximise its impact on student learning. Expected profile of the fellows Thomas J. Alexander Fellows will typically come from research institutions, governmental agencies (e.g., research centres, ministries) or professional organisations. Ideally they will a hold a Ph.D., have experience with quantitative research methods and using large-scale surveys, and have had articles published in scientific journals. The programme encourages applicants from a variety of disciplines. Applying for a fellowship Applicants should complete and send the application before the deadline. Successful applicants will define their policy areas of interest, identify policy questions, and indicate the intended research methods, explaining why OECD data (from PISA, TALIS, PIAAC, etc.) are particularly well-suited to address those questions. Proposals focusing on improving equity in education are particularly encouraged. Applicants should explain how their work would benefit the broad public and promote quality and equity in their their countries education systems. A call for proposals will be issued twice a year. The selection process Applications will be considered by a group of experts in the field of international education assessment. Candidates will be selected on the basis of the originality, potential, and technical quality of the proposals as well as on the qualifications and experience of the applicant and the value added by their time working at OECD headquarters in Paris. What does the OECD offer fellows? Fellows will have the opportunity to work at OECD headquarters in Paris with the team of analysts. They will be expected to spend at least three months and up to a maximum of 12 months in Paris. Fellows will be expected to produce a publishable research paper or report at the end of their fellowship. Questions For a more detailed description of the aims of the programme, click here.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to direct them to edu.fellowships@oecd.org.

Other Fellowships and Grants The following links provide information about resources available for secondary-analyses of PISA data. Contact the institutions providing these resources directly if you wish to find out more about these opportunities. While some of these resources may not be currently available, these are programs that are likely to continue in the future.