RFAs: National Coding and AI Skills Bootcamp for Mongolian Students

Deadline: 15-Sep-2026

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Mongolia is seeking a civil society organization to implement a nationwide hybrid coding and AI skills bootcamp for secondary-school students. The initiative aims to provide equitable access to digital learning, strengthen STEM interest, and promote gender inclusion among students across Mongolia. Building on UNICEF Mongolia’s “Girls Code” summer bootcamp experience, the 2026 program will expand coding and AI education to both girls and boys from diverse geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

About the Program

The initiative is designed to increase access to foundational coding and artificial intelligence skills among Mongolian secondary-school students.

It will particularly focus on:

- Building students’ confidence in STEM learning - Increasing interest in technology-related education and careers - Expanding access to coding and AI learning opportunities - Promoting gender inclusion in ICT and STEM pathways - Reaching students from rural and underserved communities - Providing practical, project-based digital learning experiences The selected civil society organization will deliver a nationwide hybrid bootcamp combining online learning, mentorship, practical activities, and an in-person capstone showcase in Ulaanbaatar.

Background

UNICEF Mongolia has previously piloted the “Girls Code” summer bootcamp model to help address gender disparities in ICT and STEM pathways. The earlier initiative focused on equipping adolescent girls with practical digital skills while exposing them to technology-related education and career opportunities. The 2026 initiative builds on this experience by creating a broader and more inclusive program for both girls and boys. The program is intended to reach students from different geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout Mongolia. What Will the Bootcamp Support? The selected organization will be expected to develop and deliver a hybrid learning program that combines several components. Online Learning Students will participate in structured online learning designed to introduce them to foundational coding and AI concepts. The online component should be accessible to students with different levels of experience and should consider the needs of participants from rural and underserved areas. Mentorship The program will provide mentorship to help students develop their technical skills, confidence, and interest in STEM pathways. Effective mentorship should encourage students to explore technology-related learning and potential future careers. Practical Projects Students will participate in practical, project-based activities that allow them to apply their coding and AI knowledge. The project component should encourage creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and hands-on learning. Capstone Showcase The bootcamp will culminate in an in-person capstone showcase in Ulaanbaatar. Students will have an opportunity to present or demonstrate projects developed during the program. Arrangements should be made to enable rural students to participate in the final event. Key Objectives

The program aims to:

- Increase equitable access to foundational coding and AI skills. - Strengthen students’ confidence in STEM learning. - Increase interest in ICT and technology careers. - Address gender disparities in ICT and STEM pathways. - Include students from diverse geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. - Provide practical and project-based digital learning. - Connect students with mentors and technology learning opportunities. - Ensure rural students can participate in the final showcase. Funding Information The indicative budget available for implementation of the program is $15,000. The funding will support implementation of the nationwide hybrid coding and AI skills bootcamp for secondary-school students. Applicants should present a realistic and transparent budget demonstrating how the available funding will be used to deliver the proposed activities effectively and equitably.

Eligibility Criteria

Applications are invited from civil society organizations with relevant experience in youth and digital skills programming. Eligible organizations should demonstrate experience in areas such as: - Adolescent digital skills development - Coding education - Artificial intelligence education - Inclusive program delivery - Youth engagement - Mentorship - STEM learning - Technology-related education initiatives Organizations should also have the capacity to deliver a nationwide hybrid program and work effectively with students from different geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Participant Selection and Inclusion

The selected organization will be expected to establish a transparent and equity-based participant selection process. The selection approach should help ensure that students from different backgrounds have fair access to the program.

Particular attention should be given to

- Gender inclusion - Geographic diversity - Rural students - Students from underserved communities - Socioeconomic diversity - Equal access to learning opportunities The program should build on the gender-focused experience of the “Girls Code” model while ensuring meaningful participation of both girls and boys. Accessibility of Online Learning Because the initiative will be implemented nationwide, online learning should be designed to accommodate students with different levels of connectivity and access to technology. Applicants should explain how they will make the digital learning component accessible and practical for students outside major urban areas. Child Safeguarding Child safeguarding is an important requirement of the program. The implementing organization should have appropriate measures to protect participating children and ensure that activities are conducted in a safe and responsible learning environment. Proposals should demonstrate an understanding of child safeguarding requirements a