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1. Background 

China boasts a large number of World Heritage sites with unique styles and great value. To date, China has 56 World Heritage sites, of which 39 are cultural heritage sites, 14 are natural heritage sites, and 4 are natural and cultural heritage sites. However, at the same time, China is still the largest developing country in the world, with a large population base, low per capita hold of resources, fragile ecological environment, and the problems of unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unsustainable development remain prominent. Driven by the goal of "development is the top priority", how to effectively balance heritage protection and socio-economic development, so that development can be comprehensive, sustainable and benefit a wider range of people, has become an important issue.

Taking culture and heritage as the starting point and World Heritage sites as the carrier, the project “Conservation and Management of World Heritage sites in China” began in 2007 aiming at exploring the path and practice that cooperate protection with development. As a country of great population and rich heritage resources, and one of the most important economies in the world, the challenges and opportunities of heritage protection and development in China are universal and typical, and Chinese experiences and practices also have potential advantages in providing reference cases for other countries in the world. The latest project evaluation conducted in 2021 pointed out that the Project Phase III explored synergies between natural and cultural development, linking closely to the needs of the local governments and people in the pilot sites, and giving a high priority to women’s participation and empowerment during the implementation. It indicated that the high degree of cooperation among partners in the implementation had created a synergy that ensures the smooth implementation of the project, reflecting UNESCO’s unique role as a convener and coordinator. 

Against such background, since 2021, the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia (hereafter UNESCO Beijing) launched “Conservation and Management of World Heritage sites in China” Project Phase IV (2021-2024). The overall goals of the Project Phase IV focus on consolidating good practices illustrating culture’s enabling role in achieving sustainable and inclusive development in the context of China, where conserving heritage and strengthening cultural identity face complicated challenges amid the strong momentum for urbanisation and economic growth. This goal was attained through activities in three areas: revitalizing intangible cultural heritage for sustainable livelihood of local communities, encouraging youth participation in heritage promotion and nature education, and enhancing global partnership through knowledge transfer and exchanges. Partners of the project include World Heritage site management offices, research and academic institutions, international organizations and line ministries, who all work together to benefit the communities living around the World Heritage sites. The activities have taken the forms of capacity building, policy advice, awareness-raising activities, media campaigns and networking for youth and practitioners. The total funds for Project Phase IV is 11.5 million yuan, approximately US$1,749,582.

2. Purpose and scope

   2.1 Purpose

The evaluation has two main purposes. On the one hand, the evaluation findings are expected to provide UNESCO, China Youth Development Foundation Mercedes-Benz Star Fund, and the partners with analysis and evidence-based information to understand the expected and achieved accomplishments. On the other hand, these findings are expected to provide UNESCO with further guidance and suggestions on how to refine and implement the planned Phase V (2024-2027), which is a continuation of the current Project Phase IV. 

   2.2 Scope

The evaluation will focus on five main dimensions of performance: 

1)Relevance: the alignment of the project with: (i) the UNESCO 41C/5 and 42C/5 and Culture Sector’s Expected Results (Major Programme IV); (ii) China national heritage strategy as specified in the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan to further enhance the protection and utilization of important heritage and other national priority programmes (iii) the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030; and (iv) the real needs of the main beneficiaries.

2) Effectiveness: the project’s results in terms of output delivery and outcome achievement in the three areas of activities: revitalizing intangible cultural heritage for sustainable livelihood of local communities, encouraging youth participation in heritage promotion and nature education, and enhancing global partnership through knowledge transfer and exchanges.  

3) Efficiency: the project outputs – both qualitative and quantitative – in relation to the inputs. 

4) Partnership and Coordination: the type and quality of the project’s partnerships and collaborations, and the in-kind contribution the Project has leveraged. 

5) Sustainability: a virtuous cycle and continued benefit to society beyond the end of project implementation.

For each of these dimensions the evaluation will provide action-oriented recommendations formulated on the basis of substantive findings.

   2.3 Evaluation questions

The main questions of the evaluation will be further refined in the evaluation’s data collection plan. Indicative questions are provided below:

2.3.1 Relevance

a) To what extent have the project’s main activities in each of the three areas (revitalizing intangible cultural heritage for sustainable livelihood of local communities, encouraging youth participation in heritage promotion and nature education, and enhancing global partnership through knowledge transfer and exchanges) been aligned to:

• UNESCO’s priorities and policies (from the perspective of UNESCO 41C/5 and 42C/5 and Culture Sector’s Expected Results (Major Programme IV)?

• China national heritage strategy as specified in the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan and other national priority programmes?

• The Sustainable Development Agenda 2030?

b) To what extent was UNESCO’s project design in line with the real needs of the main beneficiaries considering the scope and size of the Project?

c) What has been the comparative advantage of the Project

•  if compared with those carried out by other institutional actors, including UNESCO Category II Centers, and why?

• if compared with those carried out by private sector’s CSR projects such as BMW China Culture Journey, and why?

2.3.2 Effectiveness

a) What have been the main results, intended and unintended?

b) What were the main factors that have enabled or hindered the achievement of UNESCO’s priorities and policies?

2.3.3 Efficiency

a) Were the project activities implemented efficiently? 

b) How is the project monitored to ensure objectives are achieved on time?

c) What are the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of outcomes?

2.3.4 Partnership and Coordination

a) What are the Project’s main institutional partners?

b) How do the Project collaborate with and leverage resources and in-kind contribution form national and local governments’ priority programmes and work plans?

c) How do the Project collaborate with and leverage resources and in-kind contribution from other key stakeholders including the donors?

d) What are the main challenges and opportunities associated with the Project’s coordination with its main partners?

2.3.5 Sustainability

a) What is the likelihood that the benefits of the intervention will continue after UNESCO’s work ceases?

b) To what extent was capacity developed to ensure sustainability of the benefits?

   2.4 Potential uses of the evaluation

The findings and recommendations of the evaluation will provide evidence to UNESCO, the donors and the key partners, who are also the main users of the evaluation, on the Project’s key achievements, challenges and ways forward. More specifically, users include the following: 

UNESCO HQs and UNESCO Beijing, China Ministry of Culture and Tourism, National Administration of Culture Heritage, National Administration of Forestry and Grassland, Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, the donors, project partners, the wider policy and academic community in the field of culture and heritage. 

3. Methodology

The evaluation will include the following suggested methodological elements (tasks):

   3.1 Desk-based review 

a) Literature review of topical issues and global trends in culture and heritage conservation, management and sustainable development

b) Analysis of project documents to identify interventions, strategies, activities, and reported results

c) Review and analysis of national policy documents, statistics and trends 

   3.2 Results framework

a) Review the results framework to understand the linkages of the Project’s main areas of work with key outputs and expected outcomes as well the major assumptions underlying these linkages.

   3.3 Field-based data collection 

a) Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to obtain primary data from multiple sources including interviews, focus groups, surveys as appropriate 

b) Semi-structured interviews (face to face/phone/WeChat) with a number of key stakeholders: UNESCO staff (WHC/CLT), China Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, Palace Museum, relevant provincial and municipal/county level government agencies and academic partners of the 5 pilot sustainable livelihood sites (Sani Embroidery Sustainable Livelihood in Shilin, Miao Embroidery Sustainable Livelihood in Songtao, Beekeeping & Heritage Education Sustainable Livelihood in Sichuan Giant Panda Sancturies, Bamboo Handicraft Sustainable Livelihood in Chishui, Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China), INBAR, local community representatives, the project donors and etc.     

The evaluation will include mission, as necessary, to a selected pilot site. The site will be selected based on the suggestion of the evaluator, in consultation with UNESCO and the project partners.  

4. Roles and responsibilities 

The evaluation will be managed by Culture Unit of UNESCO Beijing (CLT/BEJ) and conducted by an external evaluator.

CLT/BEJ will have a management and quality assurance role of the evaluation process. In addition, CLT/BEJ will participate in some of the data collection, analysis and reporting activities. Broadly the division of labour in data collection, analysis and reporting is presented in the Table below (Table 1). The precise division of labour will be determined during the finalization of the data collection plan.

CLT/BEJ will assist in the preparation and organization of the evaluation exercise and will facilitate the activities of the external evaluator (including logistical and coordination support in Beijing and mission sites).

5. Schedule and deliverables

The evaluation will have four main deliverables: a data collection plan (including a working Theory of Change and the related evaluation matrix) in English and Chinese, a draft evaluation report in English, and a final evaluation report and PowerPoint presentation in English and Chinese (Table 1). These deliverables are the responsibility of the external evaluator (with inputs from CLT/BEJ, see above). The following guidelines apply:

   5.1 The data collection plan in English and Chinese (max. 12 pages excluding annexes) will include: refined evaluation questions, a concise description of a working Theory of Change, the methodological framework for the evaluation, and a detailed activity schedule. The data collection plan will include a simple evaluation matrix that shows the relationships between the main evaluation questions and the methods of data collection and analysis. 

   5.2 The draft evaluation report in English (between 25-35 pages excluding annexes) will present in a concise manner the following elements: 

• Executive Summary (2- 4 pages)
• Project description and Theory of Change
• Evaluation purpose and scope
• Methodology
• Main findings
• Recommendations and conclusions 

• Annexes including TOR, interview list, data collection instruments, key documents consulted

   

  5.3 The final evaluation report in English and Chinese (between 25-35 pages excluding annexes) integrating UNESCO’s feedback and comments will present in a concise manner the following elements:

•  Executive Summary (2- 4 pages)
• Project description and Theory of Change
• Evaluation purpose and scope
• Methodology
• Main findings
• Recommendations and conclusions 

• Annexes including TOR, interview list, data collection instruments, key documents consulted

   

  5.4 A PowerPoint Presentation in English and Chinese (of max. 100 slides), which is a visual summary of the final evaluation report, with emphasis on diagrams, pictures, charts, graphs, anecdotal information gathered from the field. It should not be text-heavy.

6. Qualifications of the external evaluator 

The external evaluator / team of external evaluators / non-profit organization or private company can be selected. The selected candidate will possess the following qualifications. 

Mandatory qualifications:

• Be eligible to undertake paid work in the People’s Republic of China or be legally registered as an enterprise or organization or an individual with suitable experience;

• Main personnel responsible for the evaluation should have advanced degree in culture-related subjects, social sciences, management and economics, and other relevant fields;

• At least ten years of working experience (for the lead evaluator, if it is an organization) acquired for an international organization; 

• Understanding and knowledge of the culture and heritage management system and status in China;

• Understanding and knowledge of the UN system;

• 10 years of experience in evaluation, project and/or programme planning and management;

• Knowledge of and experience in applying qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques and RBM principles;

• Excellent analytical and demonstrated drafting skills in English and Chinese; 

• No previous involvement in the implementation of the activities under review. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• 5 years of work experience in the UN or experience with assignments for the UN; 

• Experience with assignments focusing on multi-stakeholder partnerships, and/or World Heritage conservation and management.