University Consortium For Liberia

THE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR CONSERVATION (HECA) IS TO BUILD THE SKILLS OF LIBERIA'S FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCE WORKFORCE TO SUPPORT THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATURAL FOREST RESOURCES WHILE ADVANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GENDER EQUALITY, YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, AND THE SOCIAL INCLUSION OF MARGINALIZED AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH STRENGTHENING LIBERIAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO OFFER COHERENT FORESTRY, BIODIVERSITY, AND CONSERVATION (FBC) CURRICULA AND DEFINED CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT BUILD PROFESSIONALS' KNOWLEDGE AND DEVELOP WORKFORCE SOFT SKILLS NEEDED TO WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS. THESE ACTIVITIES DEPEND ON EFFECTIVE SOCIALIZATION AND ACTIVE BUY-IN AMONG KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO BUILD COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES. UCL WILL BE CONTRACTED AS A CONSULTANT UNDER THE GRANT TO FACILITATE AND HELP COORDINATE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS, HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS AND RELATIONSHIPS, WORKSHOP AND CONFERENCE PLANNING, AND USAID-REQUIRED MARKING AND BRANDING, AS WELL AS CULTURALLY INFORMED LOCAL MARKETING. THIS INCLUDED FACILITATING IN-COUNTRY MEETINGS BETWEEN PARTNERS, STAKEHOLDERS, HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS, THE GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA, THE U.S. EMBASSY IN MONROVIA, AND OTHERS. PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES INCLUDE CONTRACTOR, TRAVEL, AND CONFERENCE EXPENSES. CONTRACTOR EXPENSES INVOLVE THE MEDIA, MARKING AND BRANDING PLAN FOR THE FBC CENTER. IT INCLUDES THE USE OF EMAIL BLASTS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS, DESIGNING AND CREATING PRINT MEDIA SUCH AS FLIERS, NEWSLETTERS, AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES SHARING RELEVANT INFORMATION, STORIES, AND ENGAGEMENTS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT SEEK TO INFORM THE LOCAL AND BROADER INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES ON THE FORESTRY, BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION (FBC CENTER AND RELATED HECA ACTIVITIES. THE UCL TEAM PREPARED INVITATION LISTS AND COORDINATED MEDIA RELATIONS. ALSO, ASSISTED WITH TRAVEL AND HOTEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE HECA TEAM, MET WITH VENDORS, FACILITATED CATERING, PHOTOGRAPHY AND MEETINGS AND PREPARED ALL MARKETING AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS, AGENDAS, PROGRAMS, ETC. TRAVEL EXPENSES WERE FOR THE HECA CONFERENCE HELD IN LIBERIA. THE UCL TEAM TRAVELED TO LIBERIA IN SUPPORT OF THE HECA CONFERENCE AND WAS THE ADVANCED TEAM TO SET UP THE CONFERENCE AND SERVED AS A HOST FOR THE DELEGATIONS. THIS INCLUDED AIRFARE, HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS, PER DIEM, ETC. CONFERENCE EXPENSES SUPPORTED THE UCL TEAM WITH FACILITATING A 1-DAY CONFERENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIBERIA FENDALL CAMPUS IN LIBERIA IN APRIL 2023 WHERE OVER 100 HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF, MINISTERS OF GOVERNMENT, USAID AND U.S. EMBASSY STAFF, PARTICIPATED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FORESTRY, BIODIVERSITY, CONSERVATION AND GREEN ENTERPRISE. UCL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR NEGOTIATING FEES/COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONFERENCE.