Blog Post

How much do we know about countries preparedness to respond to pandemics? Insights from two country-level indices

Guillaume Lafortune (SDSN) • Apr 20, 2020

Guillaume Lafortune
Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

Guillaume Lafortune coordinates the SDSN annual Sustainable Development Report which tracks the performance of all UN
member states on the Sustainable Development Goals. Contact: guillaume.lafortune@unsdsn.org. This article benefited
from excellent research assistance from Finn Woelm (SDSN).

The Covid-19 pandemic is shedding light on the vulnerability of health systems, including in rich countries, that many thought were best prepared to face epidemics. SDG3.D. calls all countries to strengthen their capacity for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks. As of April 16, the country with the highest number of reported cases and deaths due to Covid-19 is the United-States. This is likely to continue as the number of reported cases and deaths continue to grow in the United-States. As a share of the population, besides small city-states, Spain, Belgium, Italy, France and the United Kingdom report the highest number of deaths per capita. By contrast, countries located closer to where the disease outbreak started - such as South Korea - seem to have managed more effectively the Covid-19 outbreak. Some of these countries have started to loosen up lockdown measures.

The situation remains highly unpredictable. Data and statistics on cases and mortality due to Covid-19 move rapidly. Experts question at times their reliability. Yet, it is already clear that much of what we thought to know about countries’ health systems and their ability to cope with such a major public health challenge was incomplete or incorrect. This raises important questions on how we measure countries’ preparedness.

This paper presents a first comparison between two country-level indices that aim to measure countries’ preparedness to face epidemics. One produced before Covid-19 and one that has recently been released following the initial outbreaks. The findings on this latter index remain preliminary and will be updated as the health crisis unfold. These two measures received a lot of media attention in the past few weeks. The paper aims to highlight potential limitations in pre-Covid-19 measures of health systems’ preparedness and capacities to face epidemics but also to identify other reasons, non-health related, that might affect the effectiveness of countries responses to disease outbreaks.

The Covid-19 “reality” check between health care systems’ supposed preparedness and responses


In November 2019, a consortium of organizations [2] released the Global Health Security (GHS) Index. The goal of the GHS is to help understand and measure improvement in global capability to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats. It is according to the consortium, and to our knowledge, the first comprehensive assessment of global health security preparedness. The GHS covers 195 countries and territories. It is based on a comprehensive framework that comprises 140 questions organized around six categories: Prevention, Detection and reporting, Rapid response, Health system, Compliance with international norms and risk environment. More details on what each category aims to capture is available in the supplementary material section. Overall, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands topped the global 2019 GHS ranking.

In March 2020, the Deep Knowledge Group (a consortium of profit and non-profit organizations) released the Covid-19 Safety, Risk and Treatment Efficiency framework and indices. The Indices cover 150 countries. They use 72 metrics grouped into three indices (Safety, Risk and Treatment Efficiency) and twelve underlying quadrants. The data is collected from publicly available sources including World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins University, Worldometers, and the CDC. Many elements of the methodology and results are proprietary and have not been released publicly. This makes it impossible to fully assess this new index and its sub-components. The top 40 ranks for the “Safety” Index are accessible online. The “Safety” Index includes four quadrants: Quarantine efficiency, Government management efficiency, Monitoring and detection and Emergency treatment readiness. More details are available in the supplementary material section. Overall, Israel, Germany and South Korea topped the 2020 Covid-19 Safety Index. The Covid-19 Safety Index is dynamic; scores and ranks have already evolved since it was launched and will continue to evolve over time as the health crises unfold.

One would assume that the top performers in the November 2019 GHS Index would also perform best in terms of responses based on the preliminary results from the Covid-19 Safety Index. However, looking at 43 countries for which data are available on both indices as of 15 April 2020 [3], there is no correlation in the GHS ranks and Covid-19 Safety ranks (see figure below). While a few countries like Australia and South Korea rank well on both indices, the two top performers in the GHS – the United-Kingdom and United-States – are not in the top 40 performers in the Covid-19 Safety Index. Other OECD countries that ranked well (in the top 20) in the November GHS index such as France, Spain or Sweden are also not in the top 40 Covid-19 Safety ranks. By contrast, countries such as Austria, China, Hungary, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates perform better on the Covid-19 Safety Index than what could be “predicted” by their GHS ranks. Germany performed only 14th on the GHS index while it is ranked 2nd on the Covid-19 Safety Index, whereas France ranked better than Germany on the GHS index but much worse on the Covid-19 Safety index (not in the top 40).

There is also a very poor relationship between the November GHS ranks & scores and the number of Covid-19 cases and Covid-19 deaths per capita (fig 3.). In our view, death rate is the useful indicator of effectiveness. The number of cases reported might simply reflect that a greater portion of the population are being tested.

Out of the six categories of the GHS, three really capture the health systems capability to respond to an epidemic outbreak. The three other categories on Prevention, Compliance with international norms and Risk environment capture more issues that go beyond the preparedness of the health care system (including behavioural factors). Yet, even when focusing on the GHS categories related to detection, response, and health preparedness the rank correlation with the Covid-19 Safety Index remains completely random (fig 4). Surprisingly, there is an inverse relationship between the GHS ranks on the “Detection” category and the number of Covid-19 tests per capita according to the data available as of April 16th (fig 5).

Beyond health care system preparedness: The central role of political decisions in shaping the response to epidemic outbreaks

These results suggest that the November 2019 GHS might have greatly overestimated the preparedness and capacity of certain health care systems to respond to major epidemics - particularly those of France, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. By contrast, the preparedness of certain countries, including for instance Germany and South Korea, seems to have been underestimated.

Considering the level of uncertainty, it is too early to draw any final conclusions. There are uncertainties related to the accuracy of Covid-19 data including on incidence and death rate. Some countries like China have already started to review the number of covid-19 related deaths upwards, and in many OECD countries death rates in nursing homes have not been reported accurately yet. Also, should some countries face a “second wave” of Covid-19 international assessments of countries’ response and effectiveness in managing the pandemic would evolve.

Besides the degree of uncertainty, technical choices made in constructing these indices and ranks (including weights given to certain variables or normalization and aggregation techniques) might also explain some of the discrepancy. The figure above focuses on rank correlations because total scores on the Covid-19 Safety Index are not available. Score correlation should also be conducted to provide a more comprehensive picture. The numerous moving pieces should therefore call for prudence in interpreting these results.

Yet, we highlight below two broad preliminary hypothesis that might explain parts of the discrepancy between the GHS and the Covid-19 Safety Index and other measures of Covid-19 impacts (including incidence and death rates) at country-level.

1. Has the GHS framework put too little emphasis on testing and the adaptability of health systems (including reserve capacity)?

The GHS is meant to apply to a wide range of health and biological risks: natural, intentional, or accidental. Still the key messages and the conceptual framework presented in the November 2019 GHS are highly relevant in the Covid-19 context. The key message of the November GHS report was that most countries are not well prepared to face pandemic threats. The six categories of the GHS framework prove to be very relevant in the Covid-19 context. Under category 1 (prevention) the GHS tracks for instance the existence of surveillance systems for zoonotic diseases/pathogens. Category 2 (early detection) tracks the capacities of national laboratory systems and epidemiology workforce and the existence of electronic reporting surveillance system. Category 3 (rapid response) tracks the existence of national public health emergency plans and Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) and whether countries conducted health emergency exercises recently. Category 4 (Health System) focuses on the capacities of the hospital system (e.g. number of hospital beds) and primary care system (e.g. number of doctors), on the availability of equipment and on measures of access to care (UHC, out of pocket expenditure). It also has a specific focus on processes for approving medical treatments. Category 5 (Norms) and Category 6 (Risk) cover aspects that go much beyond the health care system preparedness including the adoption of international resolutions, recent political statements and risk factors in case of an epidemic outbreak (poverty, education, quality of infrastructure etc.).

The weights assigned to the six categories by the International Expert Panel for the construction of the overall GHS score and ranks also resonates quite well in the current context. Categories 2 (early detection) and 3 (rapid response) have the greatest weight (19.2%), higher than the four other categories (16.7% or less). It is likely that part of the success of Asian countries in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis can be attributed to massive testing, acute surveillance systems and rapid isolation of infected patients. This likely helped flattening the epidemic curve and reduced burden on the hospital system. In fact, in light of the Covid-19 crisis, one could argue that these two categories could be weighted even higher in the GHS methodology. It is possible for users to adjust the weights themselves on the GHS website.

Yet, in light of the Covid-19 crisis, there might be elements of effective disease control and management that might have been overlooked or not adequately captured in the November GHS. This is highlighted by the comparison of the results obtained by three countries: Germany, South Korea and the United States.

First, the GHS evaluates primarily what is on paper (rules, regulations, processes, existence of specific bodies) based on the judgement of people who developed the index. It relies extensively on binary data (0 or 1) and aggregates altogether 140 data points. The comprehensiveness of the methodology may hide poor performance on some crucial aspects. On category 4 (health system) the United-States (73.2) obtains a much better score than Germany (48.2). While the U.S. performs very poorly on the “Healthcare access” sub-component of the category (measured notably by UHC, out-of-pocket expenditure), this poor results is offset by a perfect score (100) on other dimensions notably on “Communications with health workers during a public health emergency” (measured by two binary questions on the existence of communication systems in place [4] ). On this latter dimension Germany obtains a straight 0 which considerably affects it overall performance on the category. This binary score of “all or nothing” based on expert judgement affects greatly the overall results. It is very doubtful that the German health system was less well prepared than the U.S. system to respond to the Covid-19 crisis given their huge hospital capacity and medical staff capacity. Also considering that the U.S. Global Health Security and Biodefense unit — responsible for pandemic preparedness – was dismantled by the current administration in May 2018.

Second, the GHS indicator set might overlook or not capture well enough elements that proved to be crucial in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic. We focus on two elements (there might be others). The first element is the crucial role that testing, surveillance and rapid isolation played in flattening the epidemic curve to avoid excess pressure on the health care and hospital system. In the GHS, the United States scores better (98.2) than Germany (84.6) and South Korea (92.1) on category 2 (detection and reporting). The U.S. also scores better on the subcomponent “Capacity to test and approve new medical countermeasures". Yet, according to the latest data available as of April 16th, the United-States took much more time than Germany and South Korea to test a significant proportion of its population (figure below). As of, April 12th the Germans had tested two times mor people relative to its population size than the U.S.

The GHS methodology focuses notably on laboratory capacities to perform WHO-defined core tests and on timely procurement systems. The U.S. performs well on both according to the GHS, but in practice during Covid-19, tests prepared by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention proved faulty and tests other than the CDC’s were approved late (on Feb. 29). It is also likely that South Korea was able to mobilize faster the private sector to develop and implement test kits, building on their past experience in dealing with similar epidemics in the past twenty years. These results suggest that the GHS might have overestimated the U.S. capacity to administer massive tests for a new virus like Covid-19.

The other element is related to the availability of equipment to face a pandemic. In the GHS, the United States obtains a perfect score (100) on the sub-component “Infection control practices and availability of equipment” whereas Germany and South Korea obtain half of the points only (50). Yet, Germany and South Korea did not face greater shortages of protective equipment (including masks) and Germany had a greater number of hospital beds, intensive care beds and ventilators than the United-States to respond to any peak in demand. Here also, the GHS tracks primarily the existence of strategic plans for medical equipment probably because of data availability limitations at the global level. However, this rough dichotomous scoring approach is not precise enough to assess the availability of key equipment to respond to this specific crisis and the ability to mobilize quickly additional equipment, like masks and ventilators.

2. The GHS cannot anticipate political decisions and difficult arbitrations

Another interpretation of the poor correlation between pre-Covid-19 measures of preparedness and new indicators developed during Covid-19, is that certain countries should have been able to respond in a better way to the Covid-19 health crisis than what they have done as they were, in theory, better prepared. As highlighted above the GHS did not get it all wrong; and many of the underlying measures used are highly relevant in the current context. Ultimately, the response and management of an epidemic does not only depend on health care resources and preparedness only, but also to a large extent, on the ability of political leaders to mobilize actors and take the correct decisive actions at the right time.

The decision to shutdown non-essential economic activities to respond to the Covid-19 outbreak was taken by most political leaders in countries highly affected by the virus; albeit at very different speed. There is a growing consensus among experts that this a very effective measure to deal with rapid virus spread but this has huge economic consequences. Most Asian countries, including South Korea, have adopted, and implemented strict confinement measures at a very early stage. Some European countries, including France and Germany, have also adopted rapidly similar approaches. In these cases, health considerations took precedence very early on over any economic considerations. As highlighted in recent OECD and IMF reports, the economic consequences of lockdowns are huge, in terms of production and employment loss. It seems that for some of the countries that topped the GHS ranking – such as the United States and the United Kingdom – the political decision to shutdown the economy in order to save lives was harder to make and took longer to take effect (or were only implemented in certain States)

As many countries start deconfining, this political trade-off between health and the economy will remain delicate to handle considering on one hand the risk of a second-wave and on the other hand the desperate need of many people and industries to restart economic activities.

This article argues that the lead pre-Covid-19 measure of countries’ preparedness to face epidemics – the Global Health Security Index - overestimated the level of preparedness of certain countries (including the United Kingdom and United States) and underestimated the preparedness of other countries (including Germany, South Korea and other Asian countries). This can be partly attributed to the limited emphasis in the GHS methodology on testing and the adaptability of health systems (including reserve capacity for strategic medical equipment). At the same time, it is beyond the scope of the GHS to anticipate rapid and decisive political actions which are critical for the effective management of any epidemics. These findings would need to be updated in light of the evolution of the Covid-19 health crisis.

Notes

[1] The GHS Index is a project of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security (JHU) and was developed with The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
[2] Imputations on the Covid-19 Index ranks were made for six countries that were not included in the top 40 ranks available publicly. These are France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States. A rank of 41 for these six countries was assumed. These will be updated should we get access to the detailed results.
[3] The exact questions are: 4.4.1a. Is there a system in place for public health officials and healthcare workers to communicate during a public health emergency? and 4.4.1b. Does the system for public health officials and healthcare workers to communicate during an emergency encompass healthcare workers in both the public and private sector?

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Supplementary Material

By SDSN Kenya 28 Mar, 2024
On 25 March 2024, SDSN Kenya joined WRI Africa and other Kenyan partner organizations in co-hosting an interactive workshop and debate format entitled: ‘Carbon Markets: Which Way for Kenya? A Carbon Markets Clinic and Debate’. The full-day event was hosted at Strathmore University in Nairobi, a local SDSN network member institution, ahead of an official Carbon Markets Conference organized by the Kenyan government on 26-27 March. Close to 200 participants were in attendance with leading experts and practitioners from the Nairobi Climate Network, Aspen Initiative, Green Belt Movement, Climate Action Platform-Africa (CAP-A), as well as community and civil society leaders throughout Kenya. In addition to bringing in Kenyan climate and development researchers from the SDSN Kenya network , we were able to facilitate the active involvement of Kenyan ‘carbon’ farmers through contacts of the SDSN FELD (Food, Environment, Land and Development) Programme. These farmers are members of the vast TIST network that links more than 100,000 Kenyan farmers across 5,000 villages with regular payments from global carbon markets for more than a decade. A representative of TIST actively joined the discussion panel to present on the everyday experience of her fellow farmers with already existing carbon market mechanisms – an important practical contribution on what unfortunately is often a controversial, polarized, and abstract issue in Kenyan development discussions. To stimulate vivid debate, expert-led clinic sessions that explained key issues in carbon markets were followed by an Oxford-style debate in the late afternoon. Key issues raised during the event include: Carbon credits and their role in the pursuit of climate commitments under the Paris Agreement to reach “Net Zero”; Carbon pricing mechanisms and controversies around them; Carbon trading transaction costs and project finance; Land ownership and its implications for carbon markets; Inclusivity, benefits sharing, and community safeguarding; Current concerns around integrity, transparency, and the pervasiveness of corporate greenwashing; and Kenya’s legal and policy provisions regulating carbon trading, and their effectiveness. Carbon markets continue to garner significant interest in Kenya, where the government is currently developing a ‘Carbon Credit Trading and Benefit Sharing Bill’. This full day of civil society and expert-led discussions with stakeholders from across the spectrum in Kenya demonstrated both the demand and the importance of bringing complex development and financing issues to a broader audience, alongside government meetings. SDSN is grateful to its partners in Kenya, especially WRI Africa and the FOLU Coalition Kenya Platform, and its funders at the Robert Bosch Stiftung for their support and partnership.
By Science Panel for the Amazon 27 Mar, 2024
The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest and river basin, faces urgent environmental challenges such as deforestation, degradation, and criminality. In response, the Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) is taking an important step to foster a better understanding of these threats and their impacts to promote participation in developing solutions. In collaboration with the SDG Academy, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the World Bank (WB), and with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), today, the SPA launched its groundbreaking massive open online course (MOOC), "The Living Amazon: Science, Cultures, and Sustainability in Practice."
By SDSN Youth 27 Mar, 2024
The Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth Initiative (SDSN-Youth) is delighted to announce the 2024 Local Pathways Fellows (LPF) cohort. Following an exhaustive selection process, we are honoured to introduce 103 exceptional young professionals from 51 countries and 85 cities. These individuals were chosen from a highly competitive pool of 1740 applicants for this prestigious fellowship.
By SDSN China Hub and SDSN Hong Kong SAR 25 Mar, 2024
On March 15, 2024, the 3rd edition of the Universities for Goal 13 Award (UG13) Greater China Finals was held. This event was co-organized by the host institutions of SDSN China Hub and SDSN Hong Kong SAR, the Institute for Sustainable Development Goals of Tsinghua University (Tsinghua SDG Institute) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) respectively. Sponsored by Pernod Ricard China, this event took place in the Auditorium Hall of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University.
22 Mar, 2024
ABOUT SDSN The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. We aim to accelerate joint learning and promote integrated approaches that address the interconnected economic, social, and environmental challenges confronting the world. SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society. It is directed by Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs and operates through offices in New York, Paris, and Kuala Lumpur. ABOUT SDGS TODAY The SDSN launched SDGs Today in July 2020 at the High-Level Political Forum with support from Esri and the National Geographic Society. SDGs Today aims to advance the production and use of timely and geospatial data for the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ). The program encourages countries, institutions, and civil society members to produce, share and engage with new data sources to help ensure that we meet the Global Goals by 2030. SDGs Today provides a snapshot of the state of sustainable development around the world. The team curates and produces accessible data products packaged in interactive formats that are accessible to a wide range of users and SDG stakeholders, and works with partners to share use cases and innovative projects through storytelling, to put a human face on quantitative data. SDGs Today also supports capacity development efforts and produces educational materials and programs that help integrate a data-driven approach into sustainability-related projects and research. BACKGROUND SDGs Today is involved in various projects and workstreams focused on sustainable development. One of our current initiatives involves contributing to the development of Ages of Globalization, an innovative online course inspired by Professor Jeffrey Sachs' influential book "The Ages of Globalization." This course explores humanity's journey across the world and through time, highlighting the interconnectedness of history, driven by factors such as climate, technology, and institutions. Our team is responsible for developing geospatial data visualizations and content for lectures, lessons, and hands-on activities. We are seeking an intern who can commit 20 hours per week to support our GIS activities. POSITION SUMMARY The GIS Intern will assist in identifying relevant data sources for the project, processing and visualizing data, and creating data tools. Additionally, the intern will aid in developing hands-on activities and interactive lessons showcasing the collected data. The intern will also offer comprehensive GIS support throughout the project. PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES Research data sources utilized for the project Develop visualization and spatial analysis Support with the development of GIS lessons and activities Collaborate with the broader team on GIS activities related to the project Provide overall GIS support for the project QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE Enrolled in or graduated from a bachelor's or master's degree in Geographic Information Systems or related fields 2 years of experience in GIS Advanced knowledge of spatial data and GIS Proficiency in ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online Strong Design, cartography, and data visualization skills Familiarity with Python and ArcGIS Arcade is most preferred but not required Technical skills in data analysis and modeling are preferred Strong research skills Strong organizational skills and efficient management of multiple tasks and priorities Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of team members Ability to adapt and effectively respond to challenging situations and deadlines IMPORTANT INFORMATION Location: The incumbent will have the opportunity to work remotely or be based at the SDSN office in New York. ​​Contract Length: April 22 - September 30, 2024 Salary Range: A student currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a Bachelor’s degree program will be paid $16/hour, while a student currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from a Master’s degree program, will be paid $19/hour. Interns may work a maximum of 29 hours per week. Reports to: Head of the SDGs Today program Work authorization: Only candidates authorized to work in the United States will be considered. SDSN IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER SDSN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, and physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws. APPLICATION PROCESS Please apply via HR Partner and please share 1-2 samples of work, ex. map or data visualization.
By Info 22 Mar, 2024
The fourth edition of the Global Commons Stewardship Index Report presents the most recent data on domestic impacts and transboundary spillovers on the Global Commons. Building on the latest research and modelling tools in the field of industrial ecology and environmental science as well as the recognition that this work has now begun to receive we hope this report can support the efforts made by policymakers at the global and national levels to safeguard the Global Commons. The report was launched today at the Villars Institute Summit 2024 in Switzerland.
By Info 20 Mar, 2024
This policy paper presents the results of a survey jointly conducted by the OECD, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the European Committee of the Regions on how to localize the SDGs in a changing international landscape marked by disasters and shocks.
By Info 19 Mar, 2024
ABOUT SDSN The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. We aim to accelerate joint learning and promote integrated approaches that address the interconnected economic, social, and environmental challenges confronting the world. SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society. SDSN is directed by Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs and operates through offices in New York, Paris, and Kuala Lumpur. ABOUT AGES OF GLOBALIZATION Embark on a thrilling educational journey with "The Ages of Globalization," a high school course that propels students through time, inspired by Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs' groundbreaking book. This isn't your average history class; it's an immersive adventure that combines world history, science, geography, and technology. Picture yourself traveling to UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage Sites, where storytelling and exploration bring the past to life, making history an exhilarating experience that leaps off the pages. This dynamic curriculum doesn't just aim to educate; it seeks to connect and inspire. Through interactive maps and global classroom connections, students are not just learners but explorers on a mission to understand humanity's interconnectedness. ABOUT UN AT YOUR DOORSTEP “UN at Your Doorstep” is the live-lecture component of “Ages of Globalization,” envisioned for high-school assemblies, extra-curricular activities, Model UN clubs, community NGOs, or the traditional classroom. These online lectures will offer an unprecedented opportunity for high-schoolers to directly engage with world leaders and UN officials in the fields of history, science, and sustainable development. These sessions are not just lectures but vibrant forums for dialogue and inspiration, where students can ask questions, seek advice, and gain insights. Students will be at the forefront of global discussions, adding an enriching co-curricular element to their educational journeys. ABOUT THE CONSULTANCY In this position, you will support the implementation of a dynamic curriculum that intertwines history, science, geography, and technology with live global interactions. This pivotal role involves coordinating with world-renowned experts for the live lecture series and ensuring a seamless, engaging learning experience for high schoolers worldwide. In addition, it will involve creating key communications assets, strategy documents, and fundraising materials for the program. The ideal candidate will possess a passion for education, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to foster collaborative relationships across cultures and disciplines. It is a plus if the candidate has prior experience developing curriculum, teaching, and/or working directly with school administrators in international settings. This role offers a unique opportunity to impact the next generation of global thinkers and leaders. RESPONSIBILITIES 35% Administration, Fundraising, and Partnerships Liaise with all programmatic teams & partners, from SDGs Today, the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), the SDSN Communications team, the SDSN Administrative teams, Mission 4.7 partners, and the Global Schools Program on programmatic updates; Support the Global Schools Director with coordination and administrative tasks for the Ages of Globalization program; Support the Global Schools Director in the development of a roll-out plan for Ages of Globalization; Design pitch-decks and other key assets for UN at Your Doorstep and support in finding sponsors for the program; Support the Global Schools Director with following up on fundraising leads for the Ages of Globalization Program; Conduct partnership scoping and outreach for partners/schools joining the program, including targeted calls, emails, outreach at events/conferences, LOIs and/or MoUs; Establish partnerships with key educational influencers to raise awareness of the course through their channels. 40% UN at Your Doorstep Program Support Develop draft syllabi for the UN at Your Doorstep Program that includes proposed speakers/world leaders; Manage invitations, outreach, and communications with high-level speakers and partners; Prepare content for the AoG website on UN at Your Doorstep, according to the AoG style guide; Develop project-based curricular templates and assessment rubrics for students participating in the UN at Your Doorstep program; Gather permission forms and photo release forms from teachers, students, and/or parents; Maintain all email communications for the UN at Your Doorstep program, liaising with teachers, schools, and parents, using software such as mail merge and mailchimp; Work closely with Professor Sachs’ executive assistants to schedule time for UN at Your Doorstep sessions; Design program certificates and gather signatures from speakers; Design instructional guidelines for teachers/schools/parents participating in the program, including an onboarding video for the program; knowledge of child development and safeguarding considered a plus; Develop M&E mechanisms, as well as surveys, for program participants; conduct data analysis for the program; Gather photos and testimonials of the program, and feature these on the Global Schools/SDSN/Mission 4.7 blog, social media, and/or in news outlets 25% Communications Work with the SDSN Communications Team to shape a dedicated communications strategy for the AOG course and UN at Your Doorstep Program; Provide timely feedback and updates on the AoG website to ensure targeted content to key audiences and assist with website analytics as necessary; Work with the SDSN Communications team to craft and refine key messages to ensure course uptake across targeted stakeholders and geographic areas; Support the CSD team’s efforts in generating lists of target audience members (Ministries, school boards, principals, etc) and lead outreach; Build an events strategy into the communications plan, targeting key education conferences and workshops; Develop a promotional kit and assets for the course that are tailored to target audience members including a flyer, slide deck, social cards, etc; Work with the SDSN Communications team to map a robust digital communications strategy across social media and email to increase awareness of and enrollment in the course through video trailers, dedicated emails, and graphics; Build and maintain relationships with key communications partners including Columbia University Press, UNESCO, and the Ban Ki-Moon Center to cross-collaborate on outreach and communications efforts; Draft and develop regular mailings for target audiences with information on the course, including supporting the growth of the AOG’s mailing list; Create regular short-form content for the AOG’s social media and other digital channels leading up to the course launch, both owned and external. QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE Professional fluency in English required; other languages are considered a plus; Exceptional writing, drafting, and oral communications skills required; Masters degree in education; communications; sustainability; project management; teaching; child development; and/or related field; Experience with curriculum development and/or teaching in a primary/secondary school setting is strongly preferred; Project management experience strongly preferred; Adept at communications and administrative software, such as word; excel; powerpoint; Graphic design, marketing; and communications experience strongly preferred; experience with video editing looked upon favorably; Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multiple teams and time zones; Proactive and willing to take initiative, leadership skills required; Ability to engage with high-level UN officials and leaders in a professional and timely manner. IMPORTANT INFORMATION Location: The position reports to the SDSN Office in New York City, but the candidate can be remote/virtual in another location Travel: Requires occasional domestic and/or international travel (up to 10%) Contract Type: Full Time Contract Length: Consultancy (7-months), May 1 to November 30th, with possibility of extension Benefits: SDSN team members have the opportunity to follow very stimulating discussions on sustainable development. As part of their work, team members have the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the world's leading sustainability leaders - professors, economists, best-selling authors, educators and academics. Additionally, the SDSN team is made up of bright and dynamic sustainability professionals from different countries and backgrounds. With this unique exposure and environment, every SDSN member can learn and grow while doing the work they love and contributing to making a positive impact. Reports to: Reports jointly to the Global Schools Director and SDSN’s Head of Communications & External Relations SDSN IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER SDSN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, and physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. APPLICATION PROCESS To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter on the HR Partner platform until April 19th, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a quarterly basis. In addition, please include 2-3 references, with contact information. Finally, please include a proposal with your required budget for full-time engagement for 7-months on the tasks described in this document. Budgets are subject to approval. Please note that due to the high volume of applications received, only pre-selected candidates will be contacted. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
By SDSN Black Sea 19 Mar, 2024
SDSN Black Sea members discussed strategic regional collaboration across the 12 countries of the network
By SDSN 14 Mar, 2024
The SDSN has launched an 'Employee Spotlight Campaign' to showcase the passion and expertise of our staff. This employee spotlight showcases Managing Director of the SDG Academy, Amber Webb!
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