CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Background 

The Master of Advanced Studies ETH Mediation in Peace Processes (MAS ETH MPP) program, hosted by the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (D-GESS) at ETH Zurich, invites qualified and experienced evaluation teams to submit an expression of interest for conducting an external evaluation of the program. This evaluation is jointly commissioned by ETH Zurich and its strategic partners, the United Nations, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the German Federal Foreign Office (FFO), and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA).

The MAS ETH MPP program, established in 2017, aims to professionalize peace mediation by equipping participants with the knowledge, skills, and networks necessary to mediate violent political conflicts effectively. The program also seeks to strengthen cooperation among its strategic partners in the field of peace mediation.

Objectives, Scope, Timeline

The evaluation will focus on the MAS ETH MPP program’s first four cycles, from 2017 to 2025, assessing the program’s relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, and impact.

The evaluation will play a crucial role in shaping the future direction of the MAS ETH MPP program by providing strategic recommendations based on its findings. These insights will help inform future priorities, enhance program effectiveness, and ensure that the program continues to meet the evolving needs of the peace mediation community and its strategic partners.

The evaluation will utilize a mixed methods approach drawing on desk research, a series of semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and other methods proposed by the selected evaluation team. A significant amount of time will be dedicated to the conducting of interviews with relevant stakeholders.

The precise evaluation dates will be determined in discussion with the selected evaluators. This assignment will include approximately 50 days of work undertaken by a small team and should be completed by the end of January 2026 with a short interim report by May 2025. The evaluation team is expected to start their work immediately upon the conclusion of contractual arrangements.

Team composition

The evaluation team should consist of experts with the following qualifications:

·       Demonstrated evaluation experience, including in designing tailored evaluation approaches;

·       Sound empirical social research skills, in particular in the application of qualitative methods;

·       Experience in conducting desk- and field-based research and handling politically sensitive information;

·       Sound understanding of, and experience in, conflict mediation, broader peace sector work, and/or peace education;

·       Sound understanding of adult/continuing education programs, teaching, and/or pedagogics;

·       Fluency in English is required.

·       Diverse and inclusive teams are desirable.

The final evaluation team will be jointly agreed upon by the strategic partners of the MAS ETH MPP program.

Expressions of Interest

Interested individuals, teams, and/or institutions should  express their interest as soon as possible. ETH Zurich will share a copy of the full evaluation Terms of Reference (ToR) and further information on the application and decision process with selected applicants. For more information on the program, please visit https://mas-mediation.ethz.ch/.