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For every child, the right to education

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is fundamentally transforming all sectors of society, with education being at the forefront of this change. To prepare children and youth for a technology-driven world, education systems must evolve in tandem with technological advancements. Modern information and communication technologies (ICT) offer significant opportunities for educational reform, enabling personalized learning through multimedia content, educational games, and simulations that make complex concepts accessible and engaging. Integrating ICT into schools also enhances pedagogical interaction while streamlining administrative management.

Bosnia and Herzegovina actively participates in Giga, a global initiative launched by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) aiming to connect every school to the internet. This initiative serves as a cornerstone for the country’s digital transformation in education, ensuring that students and teachers have equitable access to information, digital resources, and 21st-century skill development.

To guide these investments, the document “Basic Technical Standards for ICT Tools in Education Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina” was adopted in October 2021. This document established minimum acceptable baseline thresholds for ICT infrastructure across administrative units. However, the 2021 framework relies heavily on rigid, component-based hardware specifications, such as fixed processor speeds in GHz, specific gigabytes of RAM, and rigid device dimensions. It also treats online safety through an isolated, device-centric lens restricted to localized parameters such as standalone antivirus software, basic firewalls, and endpoint content filtering.

Given the rapid pace of technological obsolescence, these static hardware specifications create bottlenecks in public procurement, limit technological neutrality, and fail to reflect modern cloud-based and performance-driven computing realities, centralized security architectures, and robust data privacy needs.

Therefore, a comprehensive update is required for the upcoming three-year cycle 2027–2029. The process will engage multi-sectoral experts to shift the paradigm from rigid hardware criteria toward functional and performance-based specifications, ensuring that the education system remains agile, resilient, and future-proof.

How can you make a difference?

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide advanced technical expertise to the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina to revise, update, and draft the new Basic Technical Standards for ICT Tools in Education 2027–2029.

The consultant will ensure that the updated standards transition into a performance-based and functional framework rather than a rigid hardware list. The resulting document must be practical, technologically neutral, socio-economically viable, and inclusive of emerging educational domains such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and environmental sustainability. The standards must also upgrade the 2021 security baselines, which focused on local firewalls, antivirus software, automatic updates, and basic content filtering, into modern functional requirements. Driven by the transition to universal, high-speed school connectivity, the revised framework should shift from individual device protection to centralized security management, whether cloud-based, hybrid, or regionalized, robust student data privacy, and network-level threat mitigation.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will be responsible for the following main tasks:

1. Technical Gap Analysis of the 2021 Standards

Conduct a comprehensive review of the current 2021 standards document. Identify technical bottlenecks, obsolete parameters, including in desktop, notebook, and server configurations, and procurement limitations caused by rigid hardware metrics. Map out areas that must be converted into functional and performance-based specifications.

2. Technology Trend Assessment and Horizon Scanning

Identify and analyze emerging technological trends relevant to the 21st-century classroom. This includes modernization of cybersecurity and online safety, technical capabilities of internal school networks, frameworks for the safe and pedagogical integration of Artificial Intelligence tools in schools in line with UNESCO guidance for generative AI in education and research, and strict protocols for electronic waste management and eco-friendly disposal of IT equipment.

3. Comparative Analysis of International Best Practices

Review successful European Union and regional models of performance-based educational ICT standards. Adapt these methodologies to the specific socio-economic, infrastructural, and administrative context of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

4. Drafting the Preliminary Functional Standards 2027–2029

Develop the initial draft of the new ICT standards. The draft should abandon rigid component-based metrics, such as fixed GHz or GB limits, in favor of an operational, performance-driven framework that ensures long-term technological neutrality, socio-economic viability, and structural scalability across various school sizes.

The consultant will structure the draft around the following functional areas:

User Profile and Pedagogical Alignment Matrix: Clearly segment hardware and software requirements into distinct functional profiles based on actual pedagogical use cases:

Basic Profile: tailored for primary administrative tasks, consumption of digital content, and web-based Learning Management Systems.
Intermediate Profile: designed for intensive content creation, multitasking, hybrid classroom environments, and introductory coding.
Advanced Profile: optimized for specialized technical tracks, local software development, database management, and resource-heavy workloads such as CAD and 3D modeling.

Performance-Driven System Capabilities: Define requirements based on what devices must execute rather than prescribing physical component lists. Specifications must target concurrent workload capabilities, such as the ability to simultaneously run a local productivity suite, an HD video call, and a browser with multiple active tabs without performance degradation, verifiable through standard, industry-recognized benchmark scoring.

Modernized Centralized Security Architecture: Upgrade the legacy 2021 security parameters, which focused on isolated local firewalls, standalone desktop antivirus, and basic content filtering, into active functional standards. The draft should outline technical requirements for centralized security management, whether cloud-based, hybrid, or regionalized, incorporating automated network-level threat mitigation, cloud-synchronized patch deployment, and strict compliance with modern student data privacy regulations.

Infrastructure Hardware Readiness and School Capacity Scaling: Formulate strict technical benchmarks for internal school network hardware, categorized by school size metrics and student/staff population tiers, such as small, medium, and large institutional capacities. The standards must specify performance and density capabilities for local infrastructure, ensuring that hardware scaling, such as access point density and switch port capacity, dynamically aligns with the total number of concurrent student users to prevent local network congestion.

Sustainability and Emerging Technology Integration: Embed functional specifications for green ICT compliance, including international energy-efficiency certifications, such as Energy Star and EPEAT, minimum device repairability indexes, and secure data-wiping verification protocols for decommissioning. Concurrently, define technical criteria for integrating AI tools, distinguishing between local edge-processing requirements and cloud-dependent application workloads.

5. Stakeholder Consultations and Feedback Integration

Facilitate consultation processes with educational authorities, academic institutions, and civil society organizations across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Systematize, analyze, and consolidate all qualitative and quantitative feedback into the draft. The consultant will develop the methodology for consultations, which includes 16 ministries of education and equivalents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, ITU, UN, EU Delegation, mobile network operators, academia, and the private sector. UNICEF will provide support with relevant institutions to collect inputs, including provision of contacts, follow-up if needed, and organizational support for required online meetings.

6. Finalization of the Standards Document

Edit and finalize the comprehensive proposal for the Basic Technical Standards 2027–2029, formatting it as a clear and authoritative guideline ready for institutional adoption.

The final document developed by the consultant must be modular, written in clear and technically precise language in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, and delivered in both textual and tabular formats, ready for integration into tender documentation of ministries of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Work Assignment Overview	Deliverables/ Outputs (SMART)*
Work Assignment Overview	Deliverables/ Outputs (SMART)*
Inception Report and Gaps/Trend Analysis	A detailed report mapping the deficiencies of the 2021 standards document, international best practices, and technical recommendations for current technology trends and innovations relevant to improving educational systems. The deliverable will be deemed completed only upon formal review and written approval by the contract manager.
First Draft of the Updated Functional ICT Standards 2027–2029	A comprehensive, performance-based draft document ready to be shared for institutional and public consultation. The deliverable will be deemed completed only upon formal review and written approval by the contract manager.
Final Technical Standards Document and Consultation Report	The final, approved version of the standards incorporating stakeholder feedback, accompanied by a report on how inputs were addressed through activities to gather feedback on the first draft and communicate with representatives of educational institutions, academic institutions, and civil society organizations. The deliverable will be deemed completed only upon formal review and written approval by the contract manager.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Education: Advanced university degree in ICT, ICT management, Project management, Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications Engineering, Computer Engineering, Business Administration.

Work Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive professional experience in the ICT sector, IT solutions architecture, IT vendor management, digital transformation project management, or related fields.

Skills: Proven experience in authoring technical specifications, ICT standards and frameworks, or public procurement frameworks in the public sector.

Deep understanding of functional and performance-based specification methodologies versus legacy hardware component listing.
Solid knowledge of contemporary technology trends, including cloud computing, cybersecurity, Learning Management Systems, Artificial Intelligence safety and applications, and e-waste/environmental sustainability standards for hardware.
Ability to adapt international and regional best practices to the socio-economic, infrastructural, and administrative context of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Strong analytical, drafting, consultation, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Language Requirements: Fluency in professional written and spoken English and the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian.

Desirables:

Specific experience within the educational technology or EdTech sector is highly advantageous. Prior experience working with public education institutions, ministries of education, international organizations, or development partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina or the wider region would be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

National Individual Consultancy – Revision and Update of Basic Technical Standards for ICT Tools in Education Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina 2027–2029, 35 working days, Remote