Conducting a gender and social inclusion assessment of the student loan program and beneficiary experience evaluation

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

ASSIGNMENT PARTICULARS

Country Republic of Uzbekistan

Client / Borrower Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF)

Implementing Agency Education Loan Financing Fund Management Department (ELFFMD) within MEF

Program

EduImkon: Redesigning Opportunity, Delivering Education Equity Program

Grant Number Grant . TF0C8875

Assignment Title Conduct a gender and social inclusion assessment of the student loan program and beneficiary experience evaluation

Selection Method Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) — World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers

Assignment Duration 2 to 3 months from the date of contract signing

REOI Reference UZ-MEF-12-CS-CQS

EOI Submission Deadline

September 15, 2026, at 18: 00 hours Tashkent time

BACKGROUND

The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan is implementing comprehensive reforms aimed at expanding equitable access to higher education, strengthening human capital, and improving the effectiveness and inclusiveness of public support mechanisms for students. As part of these reforms, the Student Loan Program has become one of the key financial instruments designed to reduce economic barriers to higher education and provide students with greater opportunities to pursue tertiary education. Since its introduction, the Student Loan Program has supported thousands of students in financing their education and has contributed to increasing access to higher education across the country. As the programme continues to expand, it is important to understand not only its operational performance but also its impact on the lives of beneficiaries and their families, particularly in terms of educational opportunities, financial well-being, social inclusion, and future employment prospects. While administrative data provide valuable information on programme implementation, they do not fully capture beneficiaries' experiences throughout the student loan journey, including the challenges encountered during the application process, access to information, interactions with participating institutions, financial and social circumstances before receiving the loan, and the changes experienced after obtaining financial support. In addition, there is a need to assess whether the programme effectively responds to the needs of different population groups and provides equitable access and benefits for women and men, students from different socio-economic backgrounds, and other vulnerable or underserved groups. DISBURSEMENT-LINKED RESULTS IN SCOPE

DLI DLR Description and Formula Disbursement Value

DLI 1 Inception Report and Work Plan Submission of the Inception Report describing the research methodology, implementation approach, sampling methodology, stakeholder engagement strategy, data collection instruments, quality assurance measures, ethical considerations, and detailed work plan. 10 %

DLI 2 Beneficiary Profile and Gender & Social Inclusion Assessment Report Submission of the analytical report presenting the beneficiary profile, beneficiary segmentation, Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) assessment, programme accessibility, socio-economic characteristics, financial vulnerability, drivers for applying for student loans, and baseline indicators for impact assessment. 20 %

DLI 3 Beneficiary Journey Assessment Report Submission of the assessment report describing beneficiaries' experience throughout the Student Loan Program, including awareness, application and approval process, institutional interaction, digital service experience, post-loan experience, beneficiary satisfaction, and Beneficiary Journey Mapping. 20%

DLI 4 Socio-economic, Educational and Employment Impact Assessment Report Submission of the impact assessment report covering educational outcomes, socio-economic impact, education-to-employment transition, financial preparedness, repayment readiness, long-term aspirations, and overall programme impact. 20 %

DLI 5 Final Assessment Report and Policy Recommendations Submission of the Final Assessment Report consolidating findings from all components of the assignment, including evidence-based policy recommendations, stakeholder-specific recommendations, and supporting annexes. 30 %

Total 100 %

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective is to engage a qualified consulting firm to serve as to conduct a comprehensive Gender and Social Inclusion Impact Assessment of the Student Loan Program in Uzbekistan by evaluating the experiences, accessibility, inclusiveness, and socio-economic outcomes of student loan beneficiaries. The assessment shall examine beneficiaries' journey before, during, and after receiving a student loan, identify barriers and enabling factors affecting access to the programme, assess its impact on education and livelihoods, and develop evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the inclusiveness, responsiveness, and effectiveness of the Student Loan Program. SERVICES REQUIRED

The selected firm will be required to perform the following main tasks, as detailed in the Terms of Reference (TOR) to be provided to the shortlisted firm: 1. Research Design and Inception including development of a comprehensive research framework and methodology for conducting the Gender and Social Inclusion Impact Assessment of the Student Loan Program. 2. Beneficiary Profile and Gender & Social Inclusion Assessment of the socio-demographic profile of Student Loan Program beneficiaries, evaluate the gender and social inclusiveness of the programme, and examine the socio-economic circumstances, needs, and factors that influenced beneficiaries' decision to apply for a student loan. 3. Beneficiary Journey Assessment of beneficiaries' experience throughout the entire Student Loan Program journey, from awareness of the programme and the decision to apply, through the application and loan approval process, to loan utilization, interaction with participating institutions, including access to complaints, grievance, feedback, and appeal m