International DevelopmentProjects Portfolio

Strategic research and advisory project commissioned by GIZ under the Technical Support for the Comprehensive Technical Education Initiative (TCTI II) to explore innovative financing mechanisms for TVET institutions in Egypt, focusing on optimizing underutilized school assets to generate systemic revenue streams through international comparative analysis of 5-8 global models of school-administered income generating activities, conducting practitioner interviews for in-depth implementation insights, synthesizing lessons learned and best practices from international experiences, and developing actionable recommendations tailored to Egyptian TVET context within the framework of Technical Education Reform 2.0 and Egypt Vision 2030 alignment.

Since December 2025, indeson — through its director Dr. Rainer Gerke as Team Leader and Key Expert — leads the implementation consultancy of the KfW-financed Financial Support for the Comprehensive Technical Education Initiative (FCTI) in Egypt, delivered within the GFA Consulting Group team. The assignment drives TVET modernisation through institutional strengthening, digital transformation, the development of Centres of Competence and governance reform. It advises on technology-enabled teaching, learning-management systems, blended learning and digital trainer competencies, manages a multidisciplinary expert team, and coordinates closely with GIZ, KfW and private-sector partners.

Comprehensive Labour Market Needs Analysis implemented under the Strong Businesses and Communities for Moldova project (GIZ-funded) to support the Ministry of Education and Research in strengthening VET policy and planning through evidence-based forecasting, stakeholder engagement, and international benchmarking aligned with EU Green Deal and 2030 Agenda priorities, including systematic development of the national State Order (SO) mechanism and integration of green economy and energy transition competencies for sustainable workforce development.

Ongoing GIZ-commissioned assignment strengthening Pakistan's TVET system through a structured Training-of-Trainers programme on competency-based training and assessment (CBT&A) at NVQF levels 5–7. indeson trains and certifies a pool of at least 100 master trainers and industry trainers, creating a cascading system to upskill 1,000 teachers in EU-funded regions. Trade-specific curricula and training materials aligned with NAVTTC standards are developed for the energy, agribusiness, construction and water sectors — embedding sustainability, green skills, digitalisation, gender inclusion and modern andragogical approaches — and delivery is anchored in industry visits, coaching and post-training evaluation.

Since June 2024, indeson — through its director Dr. Rainer Gerke as NQF, Mutual Recognition and Labour Market Expert — supports the IGAD Secretariat in mapping and analysing the National Qualifications Frameworks of the IGAD member states. The engagement advances regional integration, labour mobility and skills recognition: it coordinates consultations with ministries, TVET institutions, employers and development partners across the region, including Uganda, facilitates stakeholder workshops, and develops recommendations for institutional capacity development and qualifications cooperation. The work carries forward the NQF–IGADQF alignment agenda that indeson advanced under the IGAD–GIZ SIMPI programme.

From March to December 2025, indeson — through its director Dr. Rainer Gerke as Senior Expert for TVET Scaling-up and Digital Transformation — provided technical leadership for TVET modernisation under the EU–Malaysia Cooperation Facility, delivered within the GOPA implementation team. The assignment focused on digital transformation, Industry 4.0, technology-enhanced learning, Centres of Excellence and workforce readiness, and advised on TVET governance, competency-based training, digital learning solutions and private-sector engagement for scaling-up measures under the EU Global Gateway.

Under the IGAD–GIZ SIMPI programme, indeson advanced the regional recognition of skills and qualifications for refugees, returnees, internally displaced people and host communities across the IGAD member states — Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. The assignment conducted NQF stage assessments and needs analyses, designed tailored national implementation plans and referencing methodologies, and guided member states toward alignment with the IGAD Regional Qualifications Framework (IGADQF): legislation, baseline analysis, qualification maps, level descriptors, and policies on Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Accumulation and Transfer. Regional data systems for qualifications comparability and skills portability, governance guidelines, a resource mobilisation strategy, an implementation and training handbook, and gender-responsive monitoring in line with the Djibouti Declaration operationalised the framework — supported by capacity building, validation meetings and regional multi-stakeholder workshops.

Assignment within TESDA's Project Management Consultant team (via IPE Global) under the ADB-financed Skills for Competitiveness programme. As Industry Expert for 4IR and Green TVET integration, indeson designed and deployed a web-based data-analytics dashboard for 17 Technical Training Institutes — enabling real-time, multi-level monitoring of enrolment, course completion, industry partnerships, institutional performance and quality assurance indicators across national headquarters, Regional TVET Innovation Centers and institute level. The work integrated gender-disaggregated and Green TVET analytics, and strengthened TESDA's capacity for industry-driven curriculum design, dual-training coordination and quality assurance.

GIZ-commissioned assignment aligning Pakistan's TVET offer with labour-market demand. indeson identified occupational profiles in key technical fields — including energy, agribusiness, construction and water — and translated them into competency-based standards and modular curricula. Qualification packages enabled Centres of Excellence to design certified programmes with clear learning and employment pathways, while support to public institutions on modular, fee-based programmes contributed to long-term financial sustainability and expanded access for youth, migrants and displaced persons.

EU-funded assignment (implemented via EPRD) supporting the transformation of Azerbaijan's National Qualifications Framework. indeson introduced Level 5 competency-based qualifications with integrated digital pedagogy platforms, e-learning systems and digital assessment methods, and built teacher, assessor and manager capacity to apply them. Training packages embedded green skills, inclusive pedagogy and climate awareness; 'green school' approaches and gender-responsive teaching expanded women's access to technology-enabled vocational fields and strengthened employability through labour-market-oriented qualification pathways.

GIZ-commissioned assignment under the Vocational Education Lao PDR (VELA) programme, strengthening the National Training Council Permanent Office (NTC-PO) as the national body for occupational and competency-based standards. Across 92 expert-days, indeson delivered DACUM and Training Needs Analysis workshops, supported development of two validated occupational standards, and led the revision of the 2013 NTC Manual on competency-based standards — aligning it with the Lao NQF and international frameworks (ILO, UNEVOC). A community-of-practice model with digital collaboration tools now links DTVET, NTC-PO, VEDI and LNCCI, and the final outputs were endorsed through national stakeholder workshops.

Two-year GIZ-commissioned assignment strengthening the institutional backbone of Egypt's TVET reform. indeson designed and implemented performance-based management tools and monitoring systems for three flagship Centres of Competence in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency — supporting data-driven planning, income-generating strategy tracking and financial sustainability monitoring under responsible institutional autonomy. Institutional management systems were developed for the Ministry of Education and Technical Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, including operational planning tools, performance measurement frameworks and public-private partnership coordination mechanisms, complemented by competency-based curricula, quality assurance systems and training for teachers and administrators in entrepreneurial school operations.

Comprehensive HTUplus Programme implemented in partnership with KfW and Al Hussein Technical University (HTU) to establish additional TVET offerings across various technical occupational fields, providing technical and educational advisory services, developing and adjusting training and assessment materials and tools, creating procurement specifications from technical perspectives for respective occupation fields, and focusing on technical training of teachers to enhance institutional capacity and educational quality at one of Jordan's premier technical universities.

Spearheaded systematic reform and modernization of Sudan's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework through comprehensive capacity building initiatives, strategic policy dialogue, and development of evidence-based validation systems that enable formal recognition and certification of skills and competencies acquired through informal and non-formal learning pathways, directly addressing skills gaps and enhancing labor market mobility for underserved populations.

SEWOH project supporting sustainability and value addition in Uzbekistan's cotton economy, focusing on agricultural modernization, value chain development, and sustainable farming practices in the cotton sector.

Developed a comprehensive National TVET Blueprint integrating Global Gateway's high-standard investment approach to systematically address priority sector skills gaps, embed green and digital transition competencies, and ensure strategic alignment with Kenya's Vision 2030, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and targeted achievement of SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Three-year assignment under the GIZ-implemented TVET rehabilitation programme in Somalia. indeson helped rebuild the country's TVET system architecture: modular, competency-based qualifications aligned with Somali National Qualifications Framework levels 1–5, Recognition of Prior Learning mechanisms, quality assurance standards and assessment protocols, and Somali-language training and assessment materials. The work strengthened governance structures through federal and state-level committees, qualified 120 trainers in service (including 24 women), and opened modularised programmes at 10 technical secondary schools to 1,500 young people and adults — raising women's enrolment from 15% to 20% in a context shaped by protracted conflict and displacement.

Strategic enhancement and modernization of Egypt's dual education system through comprehensive revision of company participation requirements, development of future-oriented in-company training quality standards, implementation of robust child labor prevention mechanisms, and establishment of sustainable institutional frameworks that ensure systematic alignment between vocational education outputs and evolving industrial workforce demands in accordance with Egypt Vision 2030 and international best practices.

Comprehensive project commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to improve food security in Kismayo, Somalia through better access to fishery products, training programs, and infrastructure development, reaching over 459,000 people.

Development of comprehensive guidelines for attracting suitable candidates to cooperative vocational education and training programs in India, based on international best practices and tailored for the Indian context through collaborative workshops.

EU-funded comprehensive reform initiative expanding and improving equitable, gender-balanced TVET governance and institutional capacity through systematic curriculum modernization, qualification framework enhancement, and large-scale teacher professional development program targeting construction and integrated agriculture sectors, directly aligning with Malawi's National Development Strategy III and commitment to achieving SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) targets.

Execution of targeted tasks in Nigeria's SKYE project focusing on improvement of vocational training and education in construction across different occupational specializations, aimed at enhancing youth employment opportunities.

Development of comprehensive occupational standards and qualifications validation system in Jordan, focusing on employment enhancement and social inclusion through improved skills recognition and certification processes.

Comprehensive dual TVET programme development contracted by GIZ and KfW, with Indeson collaborating with PEM Consult to systematically modernize Georgia's ICT sector training through consultation with enterprises, VET institutions, and stakeholders for dual TVET curricula design within the NQF framework, comparative analysis of Georgian and German National Qualification Systems, development of ICT teacher training programmes and capacity-building for in-company instructors, launch of accreditation processes with TVET Quality Assurance Framework, and piloting of Workplace Instructor Training courses with focus on project-based, sustainable, and action-oriented teaching approaches that embed digital skills for green transition and align with European competency standards.

Supporting the Skills Initiative for Africa through financing facility development, focusing on employment opportunities for young populations across Africa with emphasis on scoping missions, operational procedures, and information campaigns.

Comprehensive midterm evaluation of energy efficiency improvement programs in China's construction sector, including stakeholder analysis, development partnership assessment, and strategic recommendations for GIZ implementation.

Development of occupational profiles, curriculum modules, and teacher training programs for plumbing, cooking & catering, and poultry farming in Liberia, focusing on building institutional capacity for skills development.

Implementation of vocational training and education tasks in Malawi's construction sector covering 4 occupational areas, focusing on practical skills development and industry-relevant training programs.

Comprehensive Youth, Employment and Skills (YES) programme in Kosovo executed in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW) and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), addressing critical youth unemployment through systematic competency standards development for NQF levels 4-6, evidence-based skills outlook planning, labour market diagnostics, and integrated green TVET competencies that align with EU integration objectives and sustainable development priorities.

Comprehensive post-disaster vocational training system strengthening implemented under EU-funded hurricane recovery programme with DAI Europe to systematically rebuild British Virgin Islands' workforce capacity through development of industry-validated occupational profiles, competency-based curriculum modules, and intensive teacher training programmes for plumbing, cooking & catering, and poultry farming sectors, directly supporting economic recovery and resilience building following catastrophic 2017 Hurricane Irma through strategic skills development aligned with reconstruction priorities and sustainable development objectives.

Comprehensive Equipping Youth for Employment (EYE) Project implemented in partnership with Asian Development Bank and GIZ to systematically modernize Myanmar's TVET system through training of 710 vocational teachers in didactics and modern pedagogy, development of competency-based modular short courses (CBMSC) aligned with National Qualifications Framework standards, integration of digital learning solutions for inclusivity enhancement, and implementation of comprehensive teacher training programmes that foster Global Gateway's digital and green transformation objectives while strengthening institutional capacity for sustainable vocational education delivery.

Comprehensive EU-funded UNESCO TVET Reform Project implemented in strategic collaboration with Iraq's Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and Ministry of Education to systematically enhance TVET system quality and relevance through application of DACUM methodology for occupational standards development, sector council establishment, competency-based curriculum design for NQF levels 3-7, and integration of project-based and workplace-based learning approaches that address post-conflict reconstruction workforce demands while aligning with international development frameworks.

Groundbreaking establishment and operationalization of Saudi Arabia's first Technical Trainer College in Riyadh, developing comprehensive bachelor degree programs combining technical expertise with pedagogical qualifications for 1,300 students across Information & Communication Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Electrical Engineering Technology disciplines, directly supporting the Kingdom's Vision 2030 human capital transformation agenda and technical workforce nationalization objectives.