In the paper, by virtue of the Faà di Bruno formula, some properties of the Bell polynomials of the second kind, and an inversion formula for the Stirling numbers of the first and second kinds, the authors establish meaningfully and significantly two identities which simplify coefficients in a family of ordinary differential equations associated with higher order Bernoulli numbers of the second kind.

In this paper, we investigate the new degenerate Daehee polynomials and numbers which are called the degenerate Daehee polynomials of the second kind, and derive some new and interesting identities and properties of those polynomials.

This study empirically investigates the relationship between realized higher-order moments and the Fear and Greed Index as a measure of sentiments. We estimate daily realized moments for five different sentiment levels using 5-minute return data of the S&P 500 index from January 3, 2011, to September 18, 2020. We found that the Fear and Greed Index significantly impacts realized volatility during periods of extreme fear. Additionally, various sentiment indicators influence realized skewness and realized kurtosis. The VIX index significantly reduces realized skewness across all sentiment levels. Bearish and bullish sentiments have a significant negative relationship with negative realized skewness during periods of extreme fear and extreme greed. Conversely, the Fear and Greed index, bearish and bullish sentiments have a significant positive relationship with positive realized skewness. During extreme fear, the Fear and Greed index, bearish, and bullish sentiments have a significant negative relationship with realized kurtosis. These results remain consistent when considering the non-linear characteristics of the Fear and Greed Index during periods of extreme fear and extreme greed. These findings highlight the relevance of understanding sentiment in financial risk management and its significant relationship with asymmetric and extremity characteristics of asset returns.

Over the last several decades there has been an arms race to acquire credentials as higher education has shifted from an elitist system to mass education. From an individual perspective, given the higher education system and labor market conditions, it is rational to pursue advanced qualifications. However, whether the education system delivers improvements in human capital or is principally a signaling mechanism is questionable. Estimates of the proportion of labor market rewards due to signaling range as high as 80%, suggesting that education is not only expensive but inefficient. In an increasingly transactional environment in which education providers are highly motivated by financial considerations, this situation is only likely to be exacerbated by the rapid developments in AI. The use of AI has the potential to make learning more effective but, given that many students see credential acquisition as transactional, it may reduce both human capital and the value of the signaling effect. If the credibility of the credentials offered is further damaged, the sustainability of the higher education sector in its present form and scale may well be unsustainable. We examine the evidence on credential inflation, returns to education and mismatch of graduates to jobs before analyzing how AI is likely to affect these trends. We then suggest possible responses of prospective students, education providers and employers to the growing adoption of AI in both education and the workplace. We conclude that the current offerings of generalist degrees, as opposed to vocational qualifications, are not sustainable and that to survive, even in a downsized form, the sector must respond to this disruptive technology by changing both the nature of its offerings and its methods of ensuring that the credentials they offer reflect genuine student learning.

This paper explores the effectiveness of the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm III (NSGA-III) and traditional Mean-Variance optimization in financial portfolio management. Using a dataset comprising global financial assets, we applied both methodologies to optimize portfolios based on multiple objectives, including risk, return, skewness, and kurtosis. The findings reveal that NSGA-III outperforms the Mean-Variance method in achieving a more diverse set of Pareto-optimal portfolios. NSGA-III portfolios exhibited superior performance in balancing risk and return, demonstrated by higher Sharpe ratios, more favorable skewness, and lower kurtosis. Additionally, NSGA-III's ability to simultaneously optimize across multiple conflicting objectives highlights its robustness in navigating complex financial landscapes, offering enhanced portfolio resilience. In contrast, the Mean-Variance approach, while effective in achieving balanced risk and return, was limited in addressing higher-order moments of the return distribution. These results underscore NSGA-III's potential as a powerful tool for portfolio optimization, providing a comprehensive alternative to traditional methods in modern financial markets where multiple objectives must be considered.

The higher-order interactions in complex systems are gaining attention. Extending the classic bounded confidence model where an agent’s opinion update is the average opinion of its peers, this paper proposes a higher-order version of the bounded confidence model. Each agent organizes a group opinion discussion among its peers. Then, the discussion’s result influences all participants’ opinions. Since an agent is also the peer of its peers, the agent actually participates in multiple group discussions. We assume the agent’s opinion update is the average over multiple group discussions. The opinion dynamics rules can be arbitrary in each discussion. In this work, we experiment with two discussion rules: centralized and decentralized. We show that the centralized rule is equivalent to the classic bounded confidence model. The decentralized rule, however, can promote opinion consensus. In need of modeling specific real-life scenarios, the higher-order bounded confidence is convenient to combine with other higher-order dynamics, from the contagion process to evolutionary dynamics.

Aim: To investigate the application of anterior and posterior corneal higher order aberrations (HOAs) in detecting keratoconus (KC) and suspect keratoconus (SKC). Method: This is a retrospective, case-control study which evaluated non-ectatic (normal) eyes, SKC eyes, and KC eyes. The Sirius Scheimpfug (CSO, Italy) analyzer was used to measure HOAs of the anterior and posterior corneal surfaces. Sensitivity, specificity and area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated. Results: Two-hundred and twenty eyes were included in the analysis (normal n = 108, SKC n= 42, KC n= 70). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed a high predictive ability for anterior corneal HOAs parameters: Root mean square (RMS) total corneal HOAs, RMS trefoil and RMS coma to detect keratoconus (AUC > 0.9 for all). RMS Coma (3, ±1) derived from the anterior corneal surface was the parameter with the highest ability to discriminate between suspect keratoconus and normal eyes (AUC = 0.922; cutoff > 0.2). All posterior corneal HOAs parameters were insufficient in discriminating between SKC and normal eyes (AUC < 0.8 for all). In contrast, their ability to detect KC was excellent with AUC of > 0.9 for all except RMS spherical aberrations (AUC = 0.846). Conclusion: Anterior and posterior corneal higher order aberrations can differentiate between keratoconus and normal eyes, with a high level of certainty. In suspect keratoconus disease however, only anterior corneal HOAs, and in particular coma-like aberrations, are of value. Corneal aberrometry may be of value in screening for keratoconus in populations with a high prevalence of the disease.

In network analysis, links depict the connections between each pair of network nodes. However, such pairwise connections fail to consider the interactions among more agents, which may be indirectly connected. Such non-pairwise or higher-order connections can be signified by involving simplicial complexes. The higher-order connections become even more noteworthy when it comes to neuronal network synchronization, an emerging phenomenon responsible for the many biological processes in real-world phenomena. However, involving higher-order interactions may considerably increase the computational costs. To confound this issue, map-based models are more suitable since they are faster, simpler, more flexible, and computationally more optimal. Therefore, this paper addresses the impact of pairwise and non-pairwise neuronal interactions on the synchronization state of 10 coupled memristive Hindmarsh-Rose neuron maps. To this aim, electrical, inner linking, and chemical synaptic functions are considered as 2- and 3-body interactions in three homogenous and two non-homogenous cases. The results show that through chemical pairwise and non-pairwise synapses, the neurons achieve synchrony with the weakest coupling strengths.

Higher-order topological insulators (HOTIs) are recently discovered topological phases, possessing symmetry-protected corner states with fractional charges. An unexpected connection between these states and the seemingly unrelated phenomenon of bound states in the continuum (BICs) was recently unveiled. When nonlinearity is added to a HOTI system, a number of fundamentally important questions arise. For example, how does nonlinearity couple higher-order topological BICs with the rest of the system, including continuum states? In fact, thus far BICs in nonlinear HOTIs have remained unexplored. Here, we unveil the interplay of nonlinearity, higher-order topology, and BICs in a photonic platform. We observe topological corner states which are also BICs in a laser-written second-order topological lattice, and further demonstrate their nonlinear coupling with edge (but not bulk) modes under the proper action of both self-focusing and defocusing nonlinearities. Theoretically, we calculate the eigenvalue spectrum and analog of the Zak phase in the nonlinear regime, illustrating that a topological BIC can be actively tuned by nonlinearity in such an HOTI. Our studies are applicable to other nonlinear HOTI systems, with promising applications in emerging topology-driven devices.

Data-Flow and Higher-Order Mutation are white-box testing techniques. To our knowledge, no work has been proposed to compare data flow and higher-order mutation. This paper compares all def-uses data-flow and second-order mutation criteria. This compassion investigates the subsumption relation between these two criteria and evaluates the effectiveness of test data developed for each. To compare the two criteria, a set of test data satisfying each criterion is generated, which is used to explore whether one criterion subsumes the other criterion and assess the effectiveness of the test set that was developed for one methodology in terms of the other. The results showed that the mean mutation coverage ratio of the all du-pairs adequate test cover is 80.9%, and the mean data flow coverage ratio of the 2nd-order mutant adequate test cover is 98.7%. Consequently, 2nd-order mutation “ProbSubsumes” the all du-pairs data flow. The failure detection efficiency of the mutation (98%) is significantly better than the failure detection efficiency of data flow (86%). Consequently, 2nd-order mutation testing is “ProbBetter” than all du-pairs data flow testing. In contrast, the size of the test suite of 2nd-order mutation is more significant than the size of the test suite of all du-pairs.

In the present study, a mathematical model of non-steady partial differential equation from the process of oxygen mass transport in the human pulmonary circulation is proposed. Mathematical modelling of this kind of problems lead to a non-steady partial differential equation and for its numerical simulation, we have used finite differences. The aim of the process is the exact numerical analysis of the study, wherein consistency, stability and convergence is proposed. The necessity of doing the process is that, we would like to increase the order of numerical solution to a higher order scheme. An increment in the order of numerical solution makes the numerical simulation more accurate, also makes the numerical simulation being more complicated. In addition, the process of numerical analysis of the study in this order of solution needs more research work.

As a manifestation of technological innovation achievements, patents reflect the frontier of technological development in the field. This paper constructs a multi-entity patent collaboration network and analyzes its evolution patterns to provide a reference for innovation organizations to grasp the general direction of innovation development and select partners. Based on the data of collaboration patents of two and three organizations in China's new energy vehicles (NEV) industry from 2008 to 2021, this paper constructs higher-order interaction collaboration innovation networks in different periods to analyze the spatial evolution of networks and patent cooperation activities. The results show that the generalized degree distribution of nodes and edges conforms to the power-law distribution. The two-dimensional simplex networks gradually form triangle groups centered on the core nodes, and the importance of key edges is beginning to emerge. Key organizations and partners, including State Grid Corporation of China, Tsinghua University, and China Electric Power Research Institute, will largely determine the direction for the future development of cooperation innovation. The study also reveals that Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangzhou, and Shanghai are in central positions in the cooperative innovation network, based on their cooperation breadth and depth measures. Additionally, key links formed by Beijing as hubs are not only the center of information exchange but also function as bridges that connect to other regions.

Embracing innovative digital technologies within educational systems is essential for overcoming challenges in modern learning environments, especially in the post-COVID-19 era. Teaching sustainability management in higher education institutions with innovative digital tools plays a fundamental role in the transition toward sustainable societies. Suitable game design elements play a significant role in facilitating sustainable learning. This study explored the effectiveness of incorporating business simulation games with project-based learning (PBL) in a flipped classroom setting. This approach was adopted within the context of a university cross-border e-commerce course to prepare students for acquiring 21st -century skills as higher-order thinking skills in a rapidly changing educational landscape. A quasi-experimental method was employed, involving a total of 60 university students from China's Zhejiang Province. Participants completed an online questionnaire designed to assess their learning engagement across three dimensions (cognitive, emotional, and behavioral) as well as their higher-order thinking skills (problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity). The results show that the business simulation games combined with flipped classroom learning had a significantly positive impact on students’ learning outcomes, enhancing their problem-solving, critical thinking, and creative capabilities. Importantly, this approach also improved student engagement and promoted sustainable practices by applying real-life scenarios in an interactive environment. We conclude that business simulation games integrated with project-based learning (PBL) in flipped classroom settings represent a valuable educational approach. This approach not only enhances learning engagement but also fosters the development of higher-order thinking skills, encouraging students to adopt sustainable learning practices.

In this letter, we show that the effects usually attributed to the presence of dark matter in the Universe can equally be seen as the ”external” effect on our Universe due to extra dimensions. For this, we consider a braneworld scenario where our universe, which is a 3-brane, is immersed in a 6D Minkowski bulk. We derive the 1/r force on the 3-brane at large distances as a response of cosmic fluid to external force due to extra dimensions. This scaling reproduces the effect of dark matter, such as the flat rotation curves of galaxies and a higher deflection angle around some gravitational lenses. It also explains the large-scale structure formation of the universe. This approach thus offers a novel perspective on dark matter, suggesting that higher-dimensional physics can account for these cosmic phenomena.

The higher education act of 2013 with its amendment act of 2021 was enacted to guide and regulate the provision of higher education in Zambia. This conceptual paper sought to assess the impact of this act in the higher education sector. It was qualitative in design and data was collected using content analysis. In this regard, literature regarding the Zambia higher education act and higher education provisions were scrutinised. The findings show that the higher education act has resulted in the creation of the higher education authority (HEA) which has brought sanity to the higher education sector by compelling all higher education institutions to be registering themselves and programmes with HEA. Further, the HEA has developed a policy for the promotion of academic staff in the higher education sector. However, the higher education act (the amended act of 2021) has negatively impacted the higher education sector. The amended act outlawed the spirit of accountability in the running of universities by removing stakeholders such as unions from sitting on the university council. Further, the act has reduced the number of councillors to sit on the council to run public universities from 16 to 8, thereby limiting the diversity of membership to the council. Furthermore, the higher education act has opened higher education institutions' affiliations to even private universities with little or no capacity, thereby further compromising the quality of higher. The Act has also increased the cost of running universities by introducing additional administrative structures in universities. Based on the above findings, the paper recommends that the Act be amended to remove the retrogressive clauses highlighted in this paper.

An undesirable sensory attribute (“floral taint”) has been recently detected in red wines in some winegrowing jurisdictions in North America (e.g. Ontario, British Columbia, Washington), caused by introduction of frost-killed leaves and petioles [materials-other-than-grapes (MOG)] during mechanical harvest and winemaking. It was hypothesized that terpenes, norisoprenoids, and higher alcohols would be the main responsible compounds. Objectives were to investigate causative volatile compounds for floral taint, and explore threshold concentrations for this problem. Commercial wines displaying varying intensities of floral taints were subjected to GC-MS and sensory analysis. Several odor-active compounds were higher in floral-tainted wines, including terpenes (geraniol, citronellol, cis- and trans-rose oxide), norisoprenoids (β-damascenone, β-ionone), five ethyl esters, and three alcohols. Thereafter, fermentations of Cabernet franc (CF) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) (2016, 2017) were conducted. MOG treatments were (wt/wt): 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5% petioles, and 0, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% leaf blades. Terpenes (linalool, geraniol, nerol, nerolidol, citronellol, citral, cis- and trans-rose oxides, eugenol, myrcene), norisoprenoids (α- and β-ionone), and others (e.g. hexanol, octanol, methyl and ethyl salicylate) increased linearly/quadratically with increasing MOG levels in both cultivars. Principal components analysis separated MOG treatments from the controls with 5% petioles and 2% leaves as extremes. Increasing MOG levels in CF wines increased floral aroma intensity, and were primarily associated with terpenes, higher alcohols, and salicylates. Increased leaf levels in CF were associated with higher vegetal and earthy attributes. Increased petioles in CS were not correlated with floral aromas, but increased leaves increased floral, vegetal and herbaceous attributes. Overall, petioles contributed more to floral taint than leaves through increased terpenes and salicylates (floral notes), while leaves contributed norisoprenoids and C6 alcohols (green notes).

In the paper, by virtue of the Fa`a di Bruno formula, some properties of the Bell polynomials of the second kind, and the inversion formulas of binomial numbers and the Stirling numbers of the first and second kinds, the authors simplify meaningfully and significantly coefficients in two families of ordinary differential equations associated with higher order Frobenius–Euler numbers.

In an era characterized by technological disruption and unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this scholarly investigation explores the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping Leadership Dynamics in Higher Education Institutions (LDHE) within the specific socio-cultural and regulatory environment of China. Utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) as operationalized through the SMART_PLS software, this research harnessed data from a robust sample of 381 key stakeholders in China higher education. The study's empirical findings indicate a noteworthy impact of AI-informed decision-making processes on LDHE, which was further mediated by the variable of AI Literacy among leadership. Moreover, the consequences of the ongoing pandemic served as a moderating factor in this relationship. These nuanced outcomes not only contribute to the theoretical discourse surrounding educational leadership and technological integration but also provide actionable insights for policy formulation and institutional strategies in an increasingly complex educational landscape.

We introduce poly-symplectic extension of Souriau Lie groups Thermodynamics based on higher-order model of statistical physics introduced by R.S. Ingarden. This extended model could be used for small data analytics and Machine Learning on Lie groups. Souriau Geometric Theory of Heat is well adapted to describe density of probability (Maximum Entropy Gibbs density) of data living on groups or on homogeneous manifolds. For Small Data Analytics (Rarified Gases , sparse statistical survey,…), density of maximum entropy should consider Higher Order Moments constraints (Gibbs density is not only defined by first moment but fluctuations request 2nd order and higher moments) as introduced by R.S. Ingarden. We use Poly-sympletic model introduced by Christian Günther, replacing the symplectic form by a vector-valued form. The poly-symplectic approach generalizes the Noether theorem, the existence of momentum mappings, the Lie algebra structure of the space of currents, the (non-)equivariant cohomology and the classification of G-homogeneous systems. The formalism is covariant, i.e. no special coordinates or coordinate systems on the parameter space are used to construct the Hamiltonian equations. We underline the contextures of these models, and the process to build these generic structures.

A reduced order model is developed to monitor aeroengines condition (defining their degradation from a baseline state) in real-time, by using data collected in specific sensors. This reduced model is constructed by applying higher order singular value decomposition plus interpolation to appropriate data, organized in tensor form. Such data are obtained using a detailed engine model that takes the engine physics into account. Thus, the method synergically combines the advantages of data-driven (fast online operation) and model-based (the engine physics is accounted for) condition monitoring methods. Using this reduced order model as surrogate of the engine model, two gradient-like condition monitoring tools are constructed. The first tool is extremely fast and able to precisely compute `on the fly’ the turbine inlet temperature, which is a paramount parameter for the engine performance, operation, and maintenance, and can only be roughly estimated by the engine instrumentation in civil aviation. The second tool is not so fast (but still reasonably inexpensive) and precisely computes both, the engine degradation and the turbine inlet temperature at which sensors data have been acquired. These tools are robust in connection with random noise added to the sensors data and can be straight forwardly applied to other mechanical systems.

This paper shares research results of an explorative study investigating a Malta context university lectureship experience. The qualitative research findings, based on thematic analysis of 10 interview transcripts, describe the experience of being a university academic as an ever-changing journey of time passages in space and time. The journey is characterised by the strong theme of teaching along with the two other primary themes labelled identity and un/belonging. Identity feeds on teaching and the sense of un/belonging, but not only. Profession/Practice and Research/Publication are two other themes that in this study emerge as feeding the primary themes. These research findings unsettle privilege portrayals of tenure track university lectureship. They confirm the emphasis on teaching in this local context and increased administration obligations. Distinctively, they expose another identity dimension additional to the teacher and researcher attributions highlighted in mainstream literature. These findings suggest that university academics need to be supported for keeping alive differentiated identity dimensions which are not in opposition to each other yet in competition for time. While the limitations of the study are acknowledged, several recommendations deriving from this study for the local context are shared.

This study delves into the transformative growth of private higher education in China, highlighting the rapid and diverse expansion following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although previous studies have reported expansion and difficulties, a thorough examination of the relationship between institutional adaptation and the development of human capital remains unexplored. This study examines how private higher education institutions modify their job-related courses to suit the demands of the job market, evaluates the effect on the employability of graduates, and investigates ways to control costs without sacrificing academic quality. This study analyzes data from the Ministry of Education, Wind Information, and Shenwan Hongyuan Research to gain insights into the impact of human capital theory and institutional theory on private higher education in China. Enrollment trends, program alignment, financial sustainability, and quality enhancement activities are all examined using detailed analysis. Private higher education institutions play a critical role in developing a skilled labor force by filling skill gaps and meeting the demands of an evolving job market. The findings also emphasize the importance of quality assurance procedures, strategic program development, and collaborations with businesses. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the imperative for more research and policy action. This is crucial to securing the lasting effectiveness and influence of private higher education institutions on China's socioeconomic progress and human capital development in the post-pandemic era.

Applied talent is not only a builder of human civilization but also a promoter of economic development. They not only need systematic and solid engineering theoretical knowledge but also rich engineering practical experience. Applied undergraduate colleges are the cradle for cultivating applied talent and shoulder the important mission of cultivating various types of applied talent for society. With the rapid development of higher education, the number of applied undergraduate institutions has sharply increased, but the quality of applied talent cultivated by them has shown a significant decline, which greatly restricts the pace of industrial development in the world. This article proposes a new concept of promoting the "three certificates" (graduation certificate, degree certificate, and skill certificate) education model in applied undergraduate colleges, which is of great significance for the country to cultivate composite talents with the ability of "product design, production management, and product processing" at the same time.

Despite the growing number of published studies on student learning in the laboratory, there is a critical need to improve methodological rigor. Resonating with discussions on research methods, this paper outlines the importance of theory-informed research questions, the minimization of researcher and participant biases, and the use of triangulation and iteration in data collection to establish rigor. An illustrative case is presented within the context of a large interdisciplinary research project aimed at improving laboratory learning at the university level. The project incorporates two research avenues: one focusing on literature and faculty perspectives, and the other on a comprehensive assessment of multidimensional learning in the laboratory. The project employs a mixed methods paradigm and is grounded in a conceptual framework that conceptualizes laboratory work as epistemic practice, requiring a holistic analysis of student learning. The article concludes by discussing the results and implications of the project's findings, which are synthesized to highlight aspects of establishing methodological rigor. The overarching goal is to develop a comprehensive assessment instrument that captures the complexity and richness of the laboratory learning environment. The findings from this research are expected to contribute to the advancement of laboratory education research by providing a model for methodological rigor that can be applied across various scientific and interdisciplinary contexts.

Policies are adopted and implemented to achieve specific goals. In this regard, the Government of Zambia in 2019 adopted the higher education policy with many objectives which include, the expansion of access to higher education; reduction of gender and other forms of inequity in accessing higher education; the improvement of quality of higher education by increasing funding to higher education institutions, construction, and repair of infrastructure in higher and improvement in the provision of learning materials in higher education institutions (HEIs).This paper, therefore, sought to evaluate the higher education policy of 2019. The four criteria were used namely; effectiveness, equity, policy sustainability, and consistency. Other principles such as political and social acceptability of a policy were not used because the policy is already adopted and being implemented. Further, the principle of efficiency was not used because it would have been problematic to gauge the expenditure against the outcomes.The findings have revealed that the policy to some extent has been effective; some of the objectives such as increased access to higher education and reduction of inequality have been partially achieved. It has been established that the number of students pursuing higher education has been increased to 114,049 in 2020 from 91,969 in 2017. Further, in 2021, 48.5% of scholarships in public universities were awarded to female students while 51.5% were awarded to female students. Further, more students are encouraged to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); and more women are pursuing studies in STEM-related fields. However, the policy has not helped to achieve the quality of higher education as funding in public HEIs has not improved. Further, infrastructure remains very poor and inadequate; and access to update and relevant learning materials also remains a challenge in HEIs. However, the policy seems to be duplicated by the recent re-launched Technical Education Vocation Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) national policy.Given the above findings, it has been recommended that the government among other things improve funding and build infrastructure in public HEIs. There is also a need to harmonise the TEVET national policy with the higher education policy.

The increasing adoption of student-centred learning environs by the institutions of higher education in business, has led to new mechanisms and methodologies such as the Simulation-Based Learning (SBL), Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). Literature has shown evidence of raising interest in these methodologies towards a more experiential paradigm with regard to upcoming events from the surrounding real-world context. This paper presents a Systematic Bibliographic Literature Review (SBLR) with respect to the integration and application of these innovative and collaborative methodologies in higher education. It aimed to identify its relevant advantages, challenges, and consequences for the future of business education. Bibliographic databases were searched for documents published up to May 2024 to categorize key topics discussed in the literature on SBL, PBL and CBL. The review process identified 89 empirical and non-empirical papers on SBL, PBL and CBL, business related paperwork, which resulted from the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method. PRISMA is a framework with evidence-based data designed to help authors perform a systematic literature review. Data analysis revealed diverse subthemes for those methodologies uses in business higher education institutions. The research questions “What are the advantages, challenges and implications of SBL, PBL and CBL altogether, in the training of business students?” guided the study. The central output of the research is the discovery of the varying uses of SBL, PBL and CBL overall, to cope with diverse demands arising within environmental context. Future research directions are suggested.

This research is part of the Doctoral thesis "Perceptions of university professors on Health Promotion and Sustainability: a research proposal based on Health Promoting Universities (HPU) / World Health Organization (WHO) ", University Fernando Pessoa (UFP) / Porto - Portugal, authored by Ivaní Nadir Carlotto: (1) Background: Universities are essential institutions for health promotion (HP). Bioethics, as a transversal discipline, seeks to analyse and systematise these values in an ethical way, strengthening the synergy between health and HP. Ecological models are a possibility to develop health actions in a holistic, sustainable and salutogenic way, stimulating positive aspects related to ethics, well-being and quality of life; (2) Methods: Exploratory-descriptive methodology and quantitative-qualitative approach. Sample: Teachers from 9 higher education institutions (HEI), random sample, probabilistic for convenience, CI = 95%, n = 1400 persons; (3) Results: Production of 6 main components through Factorial Analysis categorized and interpreted by Qualitative Content Analysis and MAXQDA® software; (4) Conclusions: Universities function as research and learning venues to strengthen HP's activities. Bioethics and HP aim to build qualified actions in health, to defend and promoting well-being, quality of life, equity, inclusion, sustainability and social justice, with the proper conceptual clarity that distinguishes it.

Longitudinal research into the impact of Covid-19 on university student mental health beyond the pandemic is lacking. This study aims to address the gap in the literature by tracking the mental health of university students over a two-year period, spanning the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath. A two-year longitudinal study surveyed a sample of university students (n=302) three times between May 2020 and May 2022. Students’ psychological distress, generalised anxiety, flourishing, and personal wellbeing were assessed at each time point. It was found that students’ psychological distress levels spiked during the first year of the pandemic, but reverted back to baseline levels at two-year follow-up. While generalised anxiety gradually improved, both their psychological distress and generalised anxiety remained considerably worse than pre-pandemic norms. Students’ flourishing scores remained very low, while their life satisfaction and state happiness improved slightly between May 2021 and May 2022. These findings clearly demonstrate that students’ mental health is still in crisis, even after the Covid-19 pandemic. More needs to be done to support students beyond the pandemic generally, including this particularly unique cohort of students who endured unprecedented challenges for prolonged periods, and are now transitioning into the working world. Practical implications and recommendations are discussed.

Background: Generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in research and education. However, there is a mixed perception about its use. This study assessed the use, perception, prospect, and challenges of Gen-AI use in higher education. Methods: This is a prospective, cross-sectional survey of university students in the United Kingdom (UK) distributed online between January and April 2024. Demography and perception of Gen-AI and other AI tools were assessed and statistically analysed to assess the difference in perception between various subgroups. Results: A total of 136 students responded to the survey of which 59% (80) were male. The majority were aware of Gen-AI and other AI use in academia (61%) with 52% having personal experience of the tools. Grammar correction and idea generation were the two most common tasks of use, with 37% being regular users. Fifty-six percent of respondents agreed that AI gives an academic edge with 40% holding a positive overall perception about the use in academia. Comparatively, there was a statistically significant difference in overall perception between different age ranges (I² = 27.39; p = 0.002) and levels of education (I² = 20.07; p < 0.001). Also, 83% of students believe AI use will increase in academia with over half agreeing it should be integrated into learning. Plagiarism (33%), privacy issues (14%), and lack of clarity by the university (13%) remain the top concerns regarding the use of Gen-AI and other AI tools in academia. Conclusions: Gen-AI and other AI tools are being used and their use will continue to grow in higher education. While current use is challenging due mainly to plagiarism fear and lack of clarity by the university, most users believe AI should be integrated into the university curriculum.

The technological revolution has contributed significantly to environmental and social issues worldwide. In higher education institutions, there is a theoretical gap in systematic reviews on the integration of digital transformation into sustainability. This systematic review of the literature aims to address this gap by exploring how digital transformation improves sustainability in higher education institutions, identifying emerging trends and best practices for effective strategies. Using the PRISMA guidelines, the study conducted a comprehensive search in the Scopus database, producing 1,686 publications from 2019 to 2024. The findings reveal a widespread awareness of digital technology integration but highlight a lack of consensus on sustainable integration strategies. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that educational achievements can be enhanced through tools and methodologies that align with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The analysis identifies three primary domains: sustainability capabilities enabled by digital transformation, innovative sustainable approaches, and the conceptualisation of sustainability in higher education. The incorporation of digital tools, such as AI chatbots, institutions foster innovation and achieves sustainability objectives, thus transforming teaching and learning approaches. This review contributes significantly to understanding the role of digital transformation in promoting a sustainable and digitally enabled future in higher education.

The two-thirds power law is a link between angular speed $\omega$ and curvature $\kappa$ observed in voluntary human movements: $\omega$ is proportional to $\kappa^{2/3}$. Squared jerk is known to be a Lagrangian leading to the latter law. However, it leads to unbounded movements and is therefore incompatible with a quasi-periodic dynamics, such as the movement of the tip of a pen drawing ellipses. To solve this drawback, we give a class of higher-derivative Lagrangians that allow for both quasi-periodic and unbounded movements, and at the same time leading to the two-thirds power law. We then perform the Hamiltonian analysis leading to action-angle variables through Ostrogradski's procedure. In this framework, squared jerk is recovered as an action variable, and its minimization may be related to power expenditure minimization during motion. The identified higher-derivative Lagrangians are therefore natural candidates for cost functions, i.e. movement functions that are targeted to be minimal when an individual performs a voluntary movement.

The significant improvements in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) observed in recent years present Higher Education with both an opportunity and a significant challenge. Its successful integration will require careful planning and sound pedagogical underpinnings, both in regard to learning and teaching, as well as assessment and feedback. Drawing upon theories from the more-than-human world, as well as concepts such as originality, equality, and sustainability, it is possible to develop a dialogue around GenAI that places the students’ learning journey at the heart of the discussion.

In an era where digital technologies are integral to daily life, developing higher-order thinking skills with appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) support is crucial. The purpose of this study was to examine synergies of systems thinking and technology-enhanced learning from the perspective of flow theory. For that purpose, we surveyed more than 65 pre-service preschool teachers engaged in a design, technology, and engineering (DTE) course at the University of Ljubljana. Mapping of systems thinking revealed that pre-service preschool teachers needed support with regard to feedback and understanding the interrelationship dimen-sion of systems thinking. Predictive and mediation analyses yielded some interesting results. Those who participated in the ICT-enhanced DTE course showed higher cognitive and social engage-ment, which is correlated with better systems thinking, while their aesthetic engagement was lower. Experiencing a flow state during ICT activities positively influenced systems thinking, par-ticularly in terms of clear goals and autotelic experiences. Flow theory seems to be a solid and ap-propriate framework to use for studying synergies in technology-enhanced systems thinking for sustainable education. These findings underscore the importance of integrating systems thinking into curricula to enhance learning outcomes and prepare students for future challenges toward the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

Nowadays, higher education students play an active role in the realization of sustainable development goals (SDGs) for global citizenship. However, some important issues such as how much students know about these goals can play a role in achieving these goals are not yet clear. The aim of this study is to establish a fundamental study for determining the level of knowledge on the higher education students about SDGs. An open-ended questionnaire was conducted with the qualitative research methods on 54 higher education students after pandemic of COVID-19. As a result of the research, the goals of quality education, gender equality, health and quality of life, reduction of inequalities and peace, justice and strong institutions are the most frequently mentioned by the students. In addition, the opinions of the students on the subject of “sustainable cities and communities” are sequentially; the themes include ensuring socio-economic development, preserving cultural heritage identity, safe environment and durable buildings, as well as modern irrigation and waste methods, and reducing air pollution. On the other hand, they agreed on the need for global citizenship to have universal qualifications. In conclusion, global citizenship contributes directly to the SDGs and human-oriented production should be given more importance.

The design, facilities and conditions inside a classroom play a significant role in the teaching and learning experience for both students and lecturers. Prior studies of primary schoolchildren indicate three design principles affecting student learning, namely: naturalness, individualisation and stimulation. The current study extends these investigations to Higher Education through a survey of undergraduate students and university lecturers aimed at determining the most critical factors in undergraduate classroom design. One-to-one interviews were conducted with students and lecturers (n. 31) at the University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus. Interviewees were encouraged to express their opinions, comments, concerns and suggestions through open-ended questions. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed and coded using NVivo10. Results show a strong desire among lecturers and students for improved classroom equipment, greater flexibility in classroom arrangement, more attractive decoration and for the addition of natural elements to the classroom environment. Of the three design principles, individualisation and naturalness emerged most strongly from the interviews and appear to be more important factors for undergraduates than stimulation. These findings could make a novel and significant contribution to the physical aspects of classroom design in Higher Education settings. Educational institutions are increasingly employing non-traditional classroom designs, which are expected to provide for more flexible, collaborative, and active learning and teaching experiences. Taking into consideration the environmental psychology of teaching and learning, several of the reported design attributes can serve as benchmarks for upgrading current classroom design and facilities in the future, as institutions look to upgrade their physical infrastructures to meet the changing demands of teachers and learners arising from technological innovations and shifts in our understanding of the methods and purposes of Higher Education.

The great lockdown of the current COVID-19 pandemic has significant consequences on the global Higher Education Studies (HES).To find the relevance of eLearning in the HES, our study calculates the economic costs of higher education during Covid-19 in Bangladesh, which includes both stu-dents’ cost and institutional cost. The study used a purposive random sample survey conducted on 105 students enrolled in higher education in different categories of institutions to identify the stu-dents’ cost during this pandemic. The institutional cost of higher education is analyzed by breaking down the budget allocated in the education sector in Bangladesh and reviewing the literature. The result indicates that the HES of Bangladesh experiences a huge economic cost due to this pandemic and the study found eLearning can reduce the economic impact of HES. In the post-COVID-19 world, higher education will never be the similar because many institutions that already had experi-ence a huge advantage from online education. The findings of the study might be helpful for the policymakers to frame effective education policies during any bizarre situation that creates huge cost in higher education sector.

In typical whiskey, the content of higher alcohols is about 1500-2000 mg/L, lead to high intoxicating degree (ID). To produce the low-ID whiskey, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae XF0-h, XF0-H and XF0-LH were successfully constructed by CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology to knock out HOM2 (encoding aspartate β-semialdehyde dehydrogenase) in the original strain XF0 and the LEU1 knockout strain XF0-L. The content of higher alcohols in whiskey fermented by the XF0-h, XF0-H, and XF0-LH were 704±8 mg/L, 685±6 mg/L, and 685±19 mg/L, respectively, showing reductions of 23.93%, 25.98%, and 15.81% compared to the XF0, XF0, and XF0-L. The fermentation conditions of the XF0-LH were optimized through single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken design. The optimal conditions were the wort concentration of 9.8 °P, the hydrolyzed broken rice syrup addition of 78 g/L, and the inoculum size of 2.7 × 106 cells/mL. The low-ID whiskey was brewed with higher alcohols content at 556 mg/L by 50L fermenter at the optimal conditions.

In this work, we propose an alternative theoretical model to explain the accelerated expansion of the universe, based on the gravitational collapse of a black hole in a higher-dimensional space. We suggest that this collapse causes a rupture in the fabric of spacetime, generating a new universe whose accelerated expansion is a direct consequence of this process. Through detailed calculations, we demonstrate that the current acceleration of the universe is consistent with observational data, such as those from type Ia supernovae and the cosmic microwave background. Additionally, we address the problem of the universe's low initial entropy, proposing that this model provides a natural explanation for the order observed in its early stages. The results suggest that this alternative approach offers a viable explanation for cosmic expansion and raises new questions about the role of gravitational phenomena and the evolution of the universe.

The experimental realization of twisted bilayer graphene strongly pushed the inspection of bilayer systems. In this context, it was recently shown that a two layer Haldane model with a thirty degree rotation angle between the layers represents a higher order topological insulator, with zero-dimensional states isolated in energy and localized at the physical vertices of the nanostructure. We show, within a numerical tight binding approach, that the energy of the zero dimensional states strongly depends on the geometrical structure of the vertices. In the most extreme cases, once a specific band gap is considered, these bound states can even disappear just by changing the vertex structure.

As a consequence of the global sanitary crisis in early 2020, universities had to tackle with a sudden shift in their teaching-learning strategies so that the preset competences could be fulfilled. This study presents the learning outcomes of the tasks implemented, student experiences and feedback, as well as some reflections from the instructors with a holistic perspective of the courses due to the measures and adaptations adopted. Six courses taught at Civil Engineering degrees of three universities, two from Spain and one from Peru, are analyzed. The teaching and evaluation strategies are described and some reflections are made by comparing the student’s performance with the previous course. Although the shift to online learning had to be made from day to day, with no time for preparation, the experience has proved that online learning can be beneficial in some aspects and have probably come to stay, although some others are difficult to replace with respect to face-to-face learning, especially students’ engagement and motivation.

The period of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a rapid development of innovative education methods, in particular using e-learning and remote work tools. The effects of this development are also post-pandemic changes in formal teaching regulations, in particular in higher education, allowing classes and lectures to be carried out with Blended Learning or Flipped Classroom methods. This paper provides information about a case study of implementing ICT technologies with elements of the mentioned methods in one of the subjects at a technical university. The implemented tools and solutions in the field of e-learning and interactivity are presented, along with information regarding their perception by students during two academic years in the post-COVID-19 period. The analysis of results of these information and student evaluations indicates their generally positive approach to such innovations in the educational path, and at the same time shows significant challenges for teachers to increase the attractiveness and effectiveness of the teaching process and the development of practical, technical skills of students.

In the paper, the authors consider the generating functions of the Hermite polynomials and their squares, present explicit formulas for higher order derivatives of the generating functions of the Hermite polynomials and their squares, which can be viewed as ordinary differential equations or derivative polynomials, find differential equations that the generating functions of the Hermite polynomials and their squares satisfy, and derive explicit formulas and recurrence relations for the Hermite polynomials and their squares.

In the context of inclusive education, digitalization in higher education is designed to promote the ideals of cultural diversity, social inclusivity, and sustainable development through technological means. This study explores the strategies and practices of digitalization in achieving inclusive education goals in higher education, aiming to provide theoretical and empirical foundations for education policymakers, teachers, and technology developers. This study adopts a mixed-methods research design, combining quantitative and qualitative data analysis to assess the current state of digitalization in higher education from various perspectives, particularly its effectiveness in advancing educational inclusivity. Through surveys, in-depth interviews, and case studies, data were collected from teachers, students, and administrative personnel to reveal opportunities and challenges in digital education resources and practices. The results show that while digitalization has improved the accessibility of educational resources, facilitated information sharing and cultural exchange, there are still numerous challenges, such as unequal technology access, insufficient cultural sensitivity in content, and issues related to the depth and quality of online interactions. Furthermore, the study identifies key factors supporting inclusive education, including cross-cultural curriculum design, teacher professional development, and students' critical use of digital tools. Finally, the paper presents a series of strategic recommendations, including the development of multicultural education platforms, strengthening teacher training, and building an inclusive digital environment. These recommendations aim to promote a more coordinated and inclusive higher education digital ecosystem that emphasizes not only technological innovation but also humanistic care and social responsibility. Through these measures, digitalization in higher education can better serve individual growth and comprehensive societal development.

Nepal, primarily an agricultural country, heavily relies on agricultural residue and fuelwood for daily energy requirements. In 2022, total energy consumption was 640 PJ, with traditional sources accounting for 64.17%, and fuelwood comprising 58.53% of total fuel consumption. The estimated potential supply of agricultural residue is 26 million tonnes, yielding about 442 million GJ of energy in 2021. Biomass trading often emphasizes volume or weight, necessitating a rapid and non-destructive assessment of energy properties for mutual benefit, aiding in the identification, management, and utilization of biomass sources. In this study, 200 biomass samples were collected in two batches (126 and 74 samples) from various locations in Nepal. Using Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), a model was developed correlating higher heating value (HHV) from a bomb calorimeter and spectral data from Fourier Transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIRS) (3595 – 12,489 cm-1) sensor. PLSR models incorporated raw spectra, eight preprocessing techniques, the multi-preprocessing five-range method, and a genetic algorithm. Outliers in the first batch were identified, and the first batch divided into an 80% calibration set and a 20% validation set, while the second batch was designated as an unknown sample set. The optimum PLSR model, utilizing first derivative preprocessing, improved accuracy by 6.77%, with coefficients of determination in the calibration set, validation set, and unknown set as 0.9694, 0.9578, and 0.8089, respectively. Root mean square errors were 132.4790 J/g, 189.4800 J/g, and 360.8845 J/g for the calibration set (RMSEC), validation set (RMSEP), and unknown set (RMSEUN), respectively. The prediction to deviation ratio (RPD) for the validation set and unknown set was 4.9 and 2.4, respectively. The cross validation model of combined sample data of every sets showed the R2CV of 0.95 and RPDCV of 4.6 indicating the model could serve as a reliable and swift non-destructive alternative for evaluating biomass HHV using NIRS and ready for updating for industrial use. However, incorporating a larger number of representative samples is crucial to enhance accuracy and develop a more comprehensive global model for predicting biomass HHV.

Women's empowerment represents a process in which they are recognized as subjects of rights. Despite advances in women's rights, inequalities persist in various areas. This study aims to validate a psychometric scale of 31 items in seven factors: Participatory Empowerment, Temerity, External Influences, Independence, Social Satisfaction and Equality. The objective is to measure the empowerment of women in the university context. The research was carried out in a transversal and non-experimental manner, with the participants' voluntary collaboration, including the participation of 1,478 university students from four Higher Education Institutions in Zone 4 of Ecuador. The data was analyzed through inferential statistics, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicated that the instrument for measuring empowerment can be made up of 24 items grouped into six factors, and this model showed a good fit.

Recent research emphasises the importance of Artificial Intelligence applications as supporting tools for students in higher education. Simultaneously, an intensive exchange of views has started in the public debate in the international educational community. However, for a more proper use of these applications, it is necessary to investigate the factors that explain their intention and actual use in the future. With the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model, this work analyses the factors influencing students' use and intention to use artificial intelligence technology. For this purpose, a sample of 199 Greek students at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences from the University of Patras participated in a survey. The findings highlight that expected performance, habit, and enjoyment of these Artificial Intelligence applications are key determinants influencing teachers' intentions to use them. Moreover, behavioural intention, habit, and facilitating conditions explain the usage of these Artificial Intelligence applications. The study did not reveal any moderating effects. The limitations, practical implications, and proposed directions for future research based on these results are discussed.

(1) The objective of this study is to describe and compare the levels of physical activity, preferences for leisure-time physical activity and the frequency of non-sedentary behaviors of Portuguese, Italian and Spanish students attending, respectively, higher education in Portugal, in Italy and Spain; (2) Methods: 1354 Portuguese, Spanish and Italian students (21.2 ± 2.9 years) participated in the study. An online questionnaire was used to collect data and a priori power analysis statistical procedures were used using G∗Power (3.1.9.7) and one-way Anova; (3) Results: The highest levels of sedentary lifestyles are found among Spanish students, followed by the Portuguese and lastly the Italians. Regarding the levels of physical activity Spanish students perform more minutes of low and moderate activity compared to Italians and Portuguese. Italians students are the ones who perform more vigorous activity; (4) Conclusions: We can conclude that Spanish students have a higher level of sedentary lifestyle with the majority of physical activity being low and moderate, while Italians are those who have more time spent on vigorous physical activity and naturally a lower level of sedentary lifestyle. However, it is worth highlighting that all three countries reach the minimum levels of physical activity recommended by the WHO.

Teacher self-efficacy (TSE) significantly influences teacher well-being and pedagogical quality, thereby impacting student learning outcomes. Despite the recognized effectiveness of Lesson Study (LS) in shaping teachers' practices and beliefs, there is a research gap in TSE, particularly in higher education. To address this, we conducted a longitudinal study at a northeastern Chinese university, tracking TSE evolution in three English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, encompassing both novices and experienced educators, during a six-month LS program. We collected both quantitative and qualitative data, encompassing interviews, surveys, and observations. Underpinned by Bandura and Wyatt's self-efficacy theory, the impact of LS on teachers' TSE development was explored and interpreted. Our findings shed light on the many ways in which LS effects individual teachers' TSE. Notably, both novice and experienced teachers improved significantly in TSE, especially in the domains of instructional techniques and student engagement. However, in the context of classroom management, there was considerably less growth. Furthermore, our research identifies a number of challenges that can have a negative impact on teachers' TSE, such as adapting to students' changing needs, dealing with limited resources, managing time constraints, navigating the school examination system, and overcoming initial resistance to the LS approach.

This paper discussed the concept of quality assurance (QA) in higher education and its implications to higher education institutions (HEIs) and the possible challenges. The study evaluated literature concerning QA in Zambia and elsewhere. The findings of the study show that QA is implemented through external and internal mechanisms such as accreditation, registration, institutional auditing, and the use of external examiners, self-evaluation, and peer reviews. The QA implications to HEIs in Zambia are that there is a need for accreditation of academic programmes with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) by HEIs. Further, HEIs should establish QA units to spearhead quality issues, reactive, and introduce the use of external examiners to ensure quality. The challenges identified in the implementation of QA in HEIs include inadequate funding, infrastructure, shortage of qualified academic staff, and lack of standalone QA units in some HEIs. In this regard, it has been recommended among other things, government improve funding in public HEIs, construct infrastructure, HEIs establish QA units, and recruit and retain qualified academic staff to ensure the quality of education.

The rapid advancements in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and artificial intelligence (AI) necessitate a transformative approach to leadership in higher education. This paper investigates the current state of leadership in Iraqi universities and proposes strategies to enhance leadership capabilities aligned with technological advancements. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature, qualitative analysis, and quantitative data collection, the study identifies key challenges and opportunities for developing effective university leadership. The findings underscore the importance of strategic human resource management, high-performance work systems, and technological integration in fostering leadership excellence. Practical recommendations for policymakers and educational leaders in Iraq are provided, highlighting the need for strategic investments in leadership development to meet the demands of the evolving educational landscape.

Eliminating anxiety in higher education is essential to creating a positive learning atmosphere and improving students' general well-being. University students frequently struggle with anxiety, which is frequently made worse by social expectations, academic demands, and the adjustment to living on one's own. This article review aims to give collective ideas from relevant research articles to solidify such solutions in eradicating anxiety among students at the tertiary level. Eliminating anxiety in higher education necessitates a multifaceted strategy that includes identifying the problem, offering extensive support networks, encouraging a balanced lifestyle, fostering inclusivity, reducing financial stress, fostering a sense of community, fostering open communication, routinely evaluating tactics, and working with outside organizations. By implementing these measures, universities and colleges may foster a more positive, healthy environment where students can succeed academically and personally.

Resilience governance provides a new governance model for emergency management in higher education institutions facing major public crises. Higher education resilience governance, while achieving short-term objectives such as mitigating external impacts and maintaining core functions, enhances the enduring adaptability of higher education institutions to the increasingly changing natural and social environments. This transformation shifts the emergency management mode in higher education from reactive responses to proactive governance. In terms of value logic, resilience governance upholds the mission of higher education as the primary nurturing ground, ensuring fairness, quality, and sustainability in education. In terms of organizational logic, it emphasizes collaborative cooperation among higher education institutions, government, society, and the market, as well as the integration of functions within higher education institutions and relatively close connections among their personnel. In terms of institutional logic, it relies on both top-down institutional supply and bottom-up institutional demand to support effective participation, resulting in authoritative and complementary behavioral rules. In terms of action logic, it combines vertical coordination mechanisms and horizontal community collaboration to enhance the effectiveness of cooperative governance. Therefore, the highest value should be placed on the safety of faculty and students, and education planning should be imbued with resilience. It starts with organizational adaptability to develop resilient institutions, focuses on orderly transitions to enhance the emergency management system in higher education, and centers on proactivity and collaboration to build a community of action for emergency governance in higher education.

The portal website of a university or a college usually represents the cultural characteristics and teaching advantages and plays a vital role in higher education, showing the style of the university or college to society and improving the admission rate. Mississippi State (MS) is bounded by the Mississippi River in the west and the Gulf of Mexico in the south, with a population of 3.1 million. It has a rich cultural heritage, and many universities, especially historically black colleges and universities (HBCUS), have strong scientific research strength in agriculture, medicine, petrochemicals and papermaking. Therefore, this article will analyze the design of the portal websites of four HBCUs in Mississippi from two aspects: user experience (UE) and functional architecture (FA), determine their advantages, disadvantages, similarities and differences, and propose some optimization suggestions.

Background: The university must take on the challenges that arise at all levels. Within this mechanism, university professors play an important role as facilitators of knowledge. Aim: To analyse the motivations that influence the professional performance of Spanish university professors. Methods: 102 university professors from 9 Spanish public universities participated in the study. [Male: 54 (52.9%); Female: 48 (47.1%)]. A questionnaire of 22 closed-ended Likert-type questions was designed, scoring from 0-10 (do not agree at all, strongly agree). Results: The questionnaire, finally composed of 17 items, showed good internal consistency. (Cronbach's alpha=0.858). The validity analysis showed a value of 0.822 (>0.5) ) in the sample adequacy measure KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett's sphericity test (p<0.0001). The exploratory factor analysis showed a clustering in 4 factors (2 for internal goods and 2 for external goods), explaining 64.33% of the total variance. Comparisons between each factor scores by gender (male and female) showed differences statistically significant by gender for factor F1 (higher for females) and F2 (higher for males). Finally, Q1 and Q13 showed a statistically significant correlation (p≤0.05) with years of teaching experience. Conclusions: The motivations of Spanish university professors seem to be associated with the age and gender of the teacher.

Education 4.0 postulates the flexible combining of digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving in training environments linked to real-world scenarios. Therefore, teachers are challenged to find or develop new methods and resources to integrate into their curricula to help students develop these desirable and necessary skills; hence, the question: What are the characteristics of a teacher to consider within the framework of Education 4.0? This article presents a study carried out in a higher education institution in Ecuador. The objective was to identify the teaching profile required in new careers within the framework of Education 4.0. The descriptive, exploratory methodology applied quantitative and qualitative instruments (surveys) to 337 undergraduate students in education careers and 313 graduates. It also included interviews with 20 experts in the educational field and five focus groups with 32 rectors, school principals, university professors and specialists in the educational area. The data was triangulated, and the results were categorized in (a) processes as facilitators (b), soft skills, (c) human sense and (d) use of technologies. This article may be of value to administrators, educational and social entrepreneurs, trainers, and decision-makers interested in implementing innovative training programs.

This study explores the challenges faced by science educators at the university level, with a focus on teaching practices and classroom management. A total of 100 faculty members, including Associate Professors, Professors, and Heads of Departments, were surveyed to gather insights. Data was collected using a two-point rating scale, examining three core areas: the future challenges in higher education, teaching methodologies, and effective classroom management. Key findings from the study highlight several pressing concerns. Financial burdens, including high tuition costs, continue to create barriers to access for students, while systemic issues hinder equitable opportunities in higher education. The study also identified the need for ongoing professional development for faculty to keep pace with evolving teaching methodologies, particularly in science education. Additionally, the increasing integration of AI tools into academic environments has raised concerns about maintaining academic integrity. Other challenges identified include the difficulties in transitioning to online or hybrid teaching formats, especially in the context of science education, and the growing reliance on adjunct faculty, which can impact the continuity and quality of instruction. The study concludes with recommendations aimed at addressing these challenges, emphasizing the importance of institutional support and faculty training to strengthen teaching practices, enhance classroom management, and adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of higher education.

We are currently facing a potential ‘polycrisis’, a critical inflection point that requires a whole-of-society response aimed at building collective foresight and preparedness for short-, medium-, and long-term risks. The role of higher education institutions and social stakeholders is decisive to make an impact. This paper depicts the alignment of academia, governance, and industry with the aim to challenge, inspire, and encourage universities to go beyond commodified courses and mere employability, enhance student growth and bind macro-scale measures that lead to a sustainable future. A modest teaching innovation project has served as a transforming lever, with the private sector joining in, to create a platform that reaches more than 50 000 undergraduate students and teaching staff. The resulting structure, rooted in the University’s strategic plan, has served to channel local and regional initiatives, establish effective partnerships with broad social members, raise awareness and promote actions to advance in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals. Chronology, materials and methodology, together with a description of the different courses, programmes and actions are provided. The paper concludes with some recommendations for future research, policy and cooperation among stakeholders. Research methodology posted on clinicaltrials.gov under ID NCT04392869, NCT05598944, and NCT05775978.

We are currently facing a potential ‘polycrisis’, a critical inflection point that requires a whole-of-society response aimed at building collective foresight and preparedness for short-, medium-, and long-term risks. The role of higher education institutions and social stakeholders is decisive to make an impact. This paper depicts the alignment of academia, governance, and industry with the aim to challenge, inspire, and encourage universities to go beyond commodified courses and mere employability, enhance student growth and bind macro-scale measures that lead to a sustainable future. A modest teaching innovation project has served as a transforming lever, with the private sector joining in, to create a platform that reaches more than 50 000 undergraduate students and teaching staff. The resulting structure, rooted in the University’s strategic plan, has served to channel local and regional initiatives, establish effective partnerships with broad social members, raise awareness and promote actions to advance in the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals. Chronology, materials and methodology, together with a description of the different courses, programmes and actions are provided. The paper concludes with some recommendations for future research, policy and cooperation among stakeholders. Research methodology posted on clinicaltrials.gov under ID NCT04392869, NCT05598944, and NCT05775978.

In an era characterized by a move towards a “knowledge society”, universities are central in fostering “knowledgeability”, that is the reflexive understanding of knowledge in knowledge societies. The objective of “knowledgeability” can be met through creating a stronger link between education and research. Furthermore, overall student performance, for example in critical thinking and problem solving, can be improved if research-related activities are incorporated into the curriculum. The aim of this paper is to use inter-national examples to discuss the research- education nexus from four different perspectives, namely context, policy, im- plementation and quality, with case studies from higher education institutions in Singapore and Sweden. We suggest that different integrative technologies can be used to enhance the links, but it will be essential to consider the inputs of training, service and support in using new technology. Interestingly, the act of evaluating the link between edu- cation and research will increase awareness of this linkage by stakeholders involved in both education and research. In turn the link can be strengthened, contributing to increased quality in both education and research.

(1) Background: The development of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is transforming higher education. This systematic literature review synthesizes recent empirical studies on the use of GAI, focusing on its impact on teaching, learning, and institutional practices. (2) Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search strategy was employed to locate scientific articles on GAI in higher education, published by Scopus and Web of Science between January 2023 and January 2024. (3) Results: The search identified 102 articles, with 37 meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies were grouped into three themes: the application of GAI technologies, stakeholder acceptance and perceptions, and specific use situations. (4) Discussion: Key findings include GAI’s versatility and potential use, student acceptance, and educational enhancement. However, chal-lenges such as assessment practices, institutional strategies, and risks to academic integrity were also noted. (5) Conclusions: The findings help identify potential directions for future research, including assessment integrity and pedagogical strategies, ethical considerations and policy development, the impact on teaching and learning processes, perceptions of students and instructors, technological advancements, and the preparation of future skills and workforce readiness. The study has certain limitations, particularly due to the short time frame and the search criteria, which might have varied if conducted by different researchers.

The use of educational robotics has become increasingly popular in STEM education, offering motivating and hands-on learning experiences. This paper explores the potential of educational robotics for teaching plane curves at the university level. Specifically, it investigates the development and implementation of a LEGO SPIKE Prime robot designed to draw various central trochoids, including epicycloids and hypocycloids. The robot’s construction and programming are described, emphasizing the relationship between the robot’s physical movements and the mathematical equations of the curves it produces. The study also examines the integration of dynamic geometry software, which allows for visualization of the curves and verification of the robot’s accuracy. The paper concludes that educational robotics can serve as a valuable tool for enhancing both theoretical and practical understanding of mathematical and engineering concepts, offering a more engaging and interactive approach to learning.

On the termination of nearly twenty years since the beginning of commercialization of the Ukrainian higher education the intensity of discussion of its purposes, results and possible amendments don't decrease neither among experts, nor among the interested public. Supporters and opponents of commercialization note that education is that social branch which participates in the formation of prerequisites of economic growth. The main point of the article is to disclose the essence of the phenomena of economism and commercialization. Economism is seen as part of globalization of education, a global corporatization of education provides training for the global labour market, using human capital economic theories. As noted by George Spring, the human capital, economists argue that investments in education lead to economic growth, reducing income inequality and increasing employment. The article confirms that the state educational policy as a component of social policy is one of instruments of influence of the state on formation of social structure and is directed ​​ to the solution of problems of societal level. It does relevant sociological examination of transformational processes in education and, in particular, results of commercialization. Thus, it is possible to claim that the educational system tests the uncommon influence of globalization, forming and building a peculiar system of the relations and interaction.

Higher education informatization (HEI) is an interdisciplinary field that examines the use and integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in higher education. This paper provides a bibliometric and visual analysis of the research trends, patterns, and topics in this field. Using the Web of Science database, we selected and analyzed 199 SCI and SSCI papers on HEI published from 2000 to 2023 by VOSviewer and CiteSpace software. The results indicate that the publication volume of HEI research has grown significantly in recent years, with China and the US being the most productive and influential countries. The author network shows the collaboration and contribution of different researchers and institutions, while the journal network reveals the multidisciplinary nature and scope of the field. The keyword network and the burst keyword analysis identify the main research themes and the emerging hot topics in HEI, such as online learning, big data, and artificial intelligence. The co-citation network of sources illustrates the theoretical and methodological foundations and influences of the field. The paper concludes with some implications and suggestions for future HEI research.

With the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), many aspects of our lives, from how we work to how we interact with each other and the world around us is showing dramatic changes. Education is one of the key areas that may be impacted by the rise of AI. Although a large number of studies have been conducted in recent years to shed light on how AI may influence various dimensions of education, a very little work has been carried out to consolidate and synthesis empirical studies on the application of AI in higher education. The present study reviewed empirical studies published between 2013 and 2022 to 1) examine the characteristics of published research in the field, and 2) to present thorough insights on the promises and challenges of this dramatic technology in higher and professional education. This review included 44 empirical studies published as peer-reviewed journal articles. The results indicated that there is rapid increase in the publications focusing on AI in higher education in last a few years. However, a big proportion of these publications are technically theoretical and conceptual proposals for AI intervention. The areas of AI applications in higher education that are supported by evidence based research are presented. Imperative implications are also highlighted for future research and implementation of AI based interventions in higher education.

This paper explores benefits of using VR technologies in higher education. Theoretical part investigates classical education system and its features in order to compare advantages of using VR systems in education. VR technologies and its current state in industry and in education were explored as well as which branches of higher education uses these systems. Survey was conducted through online questionnaire where respondents (N = 55) gave their opinion on VR and the implementation of VR technologies in education. Three hypotheses related to the use of VR technology, student interest, and learning outcomes as well as the effectiveness, immersiveness and the effect of VR systems on the users were tested through 27 questions.

This article analyzes the assessment of the four development levels of the Digital Teaching Competence (DTC) to recognize the needs and formulation of challenges in training and educational innovation required in the pedagogical practices of university professors under the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The study used an empirical-analytical methodology with a non-experimental, transactional, descriptive design. The sample design was probabilistic, estimated with 95% confidence and 5% error among 252 teachers from various faculties of the University of La Guajira. The selected instrument corresponded to the rubric's application to evaluate the university professor's digital teaching competence in Latin America. Among the study's significant results, we highlight that the rubric presented a high Cronbach's alpha reliability (α: 0.947). In the general assessment of DTC development, it was estimated that 78.2% of teachers are in the first two levels of DTC development assessment (Beginning and Middle). The evaluation rubric allows identifying challenges and opportunities that teacher training must address to advance the professional development of professors.

Sustainable development (SD) is essential to reduce and mitigate climate change impacts, environmental deterioration and to increase social sustainability. SD is therefore highly relevant for the engineering profession and is today found integrated with the higher education of specific engineering programs. This paper investigated the knowledge of SD for students entering the master’s program in Sustainable Building Information Management (BIM) by comparing levels of knowledge at the start and end of the first course Sustainability, Analyses and Simulations. The level of knowledge of SD was analyzed by classifying students’ conceptions of sustainability using SOLO taxonomy and the spectrum of liminality and the threshold concept. Students written responses to the question “What do you know about sustainability?” and written group project reports were used for analyzing levels of knowledge of SD. Levels of knowledge of SD was classified as pre (pre-liminal or pre-structural); uni-structural, multi-structural, relational and post-stages (extended abstract or post-liminal). In total, 68% of the students entering the master’s program in 2017 and 88% in 2018 showed a pre-structural, uni-structural and multi-structural SD knowledge. In general, few students entering the program showed relational and post-stages of SD knowledge, 32% and 12% of the students in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The students at the post-stage were able to express themselves more individually and creatively compared to previous levels in that they could connect the dimensions of SD to the context of SD of buildings, but also argue why SD of buildings was important and they could also suggest actions or tools for improved SD that engineers should use. Only one group of five (in 2017) showed a post-stage level of knowledge in the group project report. It is likely that the student’s general approach to the work with the reports was to mainly cope with the course requirements which is a sign of surface approach to learning. It, therefore, seems reasonable that future developments of the course should ensure that the students use the scientific literature in their group project reports to make it easier for them to understand the relationship between software use and the connection to green buildings certificate systems and SD of buildings. By making it mandatory to include scientific literature in the reports the students will be encouraged to read and think critically, and deeper, and to put the practical implementation of the software analysis results into a scientific context of SD and BIM.

Cultivating research competencies facilitated by the use of technology in the university is crucial to boost acquisition of knowledge, educational innovation, and successful professional development. The objective of this article is to analyze the evolution and characteristics of scientific production that has had the greatest impact on the momentum of investigative competencies and their articulation within technological scenarios. Applying various selection criteria in the Scopus database, we utilized systematic, bibliometric mapping as a methodological strategy in which 250 articles related to the topic were identified, then analyzed with the semantic analysis software VOSViewer. The results indicate that there is an emerging line of research on the subject since 2016 and point to the underdevelopment of lines that associate research skills with digital literacy, information literacy, digital libraries databases, and the development of critical thinking.

IntroductionDiversity is known to be important but diversity of staff working in dental schools in the UK and Ireland is low in comparison with the dental profession and the overall population. AimsTo provide a detailed snapshot of the diversity of dental academic staff in 2021 including staff working in academic and clinical roles.MethodsAn online survey was circulated to dental schools by Dental Schools Council. Questions included dates of graduation and key career milestones, demographics and indicators of esteem. Free text questions were also included.ResultsThere was a high degree of variability in dental academic careers which made direct comparisons difficult. Neither gender nor race appeared to be associated with a faster career progression. Females and those of racialised minority were less represented at the most senior grades. For those who had completed specialty training, racialised minority staff were far less likely to be working at consultant grade than their White equivalents.ConclusionThere are differences in career progression between staff in dental schools. The high amount of individual variability makes these difficult to quantify except at the most senior positions. Qualitative information is needed to contextualise the results and provide additional information.

In an increasingly changing world, critical thinking is one of the key skills that ensure organisations' competitive advantage. Thus, in higher education institutions there is an accelerating emphasis on developing critical thinking (CT) among students. This paper presents the results of three experimental courses (Pedagogy and didactics of financial accounting, Virtual Learning Environments in Economics, Business Communication), using a blended learning method, aimed at improving students' CT skills. The three courses were delivered by both higher education teachers and trainers from the labour market. After analysing the data from the three experimental courses, it will be possible to assess whether the intervention of labour market trainers contributed to the improvement of students' critical thinking skills, and, in particularly at the level of which components improvements have been identified.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about major changes in our world and has accelerated the progress of the job market. This presents both a challenging and exciting prospect for the workforce in the future, particularly in 2030 and beyond. Through thorough literature reviews, this paper navigates the constantly changing landscape of education and employment. It specifically focuses on the importance of preparing students for the jobs of the future by fostering skills such as adaptability, critical thinking, empathy, integrity, optimism, proactivity, and resilience. The pandemic has accelerated the need for online learning and remote work skills, which are now essential for future success. Through observations, the paper also examines the pulse of the situation in Iligan City, Philippines, where aligning educational institutions with the changing job market is crucial. Overall, this paper has significant implications for educational reforms and real-world challenges, creating a guide for institutions to empower students and contribute to the city's economic growth. Significant information suggests that in a constantly evolving world, those who are prepared, adaptable, and equipped with the skills to shape the future will succeed. Iligan City is well-aware that it needs to position itself to play a pivotal role in this journey.

For college students, speaking skills are a priceless commodity that can solve a wide range of social, professional, and academic problems. Proficiency in oral communication allows students to express themselves coherently and convincingly in academic and workplace contexts, which improves their involvement in group projects, presentations, and class debates. This paper determines to collect literature to prove that speaking skills can be a panacea for college students in the classroom and the workplace. Having speaking skills is, in fact, a college student's greatest asset, providing a plethora of advantages that go beyond scholastic achievement to encompass personal and professional growth. These abilities should be prioritized in colleges and institutions, with thorough curricula incorporating technological integration, practice opportunities, and public speaking courses. More investigation is required to look into creative approaches to improving speaking abilities and helping students get past obstacles. In essence, emerging strong speaking skills prepare college students with a multipurpose device that improves various aspects of their lives, making it a true panacea.

A well-prepared public health workforce is essential for reducing disease burdens and improving population health, requiring an education that addresses global and complex challenges. This paper examines the integration of the relational employability framework in public health education to cultivate critical global citizenship among students and graduates. Our research, conducted at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, involved two case studies using qualitative interviews. Case Study 1, drawn from Cook’s doctoral research, explored student experiences with the relational employability framework within an undergraduate capstone unit. Case Study 2, a school-funded project, gathered graduate perspectives to inform ongoing curriculum development. The findings indicate that the relational employability framework enhances global competencies among students and graduates, through research skills development and critical reflective practice. Students reported improved awareness of their learning needs, self-confidence, and an increased ability to engage with diverse perspectives and societal challenges. Graduates highlighted the framework’s role in understanding ethical standards, conducting rigorous research and applying evidence-based practices in professional settings. Additionally, the framework supported the development of a reflective mindset, enabling graduates to make informed, value-based career decisions and advance their professional growth. The study suggests that adopting a relational employability approach can effectively prepare globally competent and reflective public health professionals. We advocate for the broader implementation of this framework in health education and higher education, offering practical recommendations for curriculum transformation. Such an approach will equip future professionals to contribute meaningfully to public health debates and embody the principles of global citizenship in their practice.

In recent years, it has become common for individuals to juggle employment and unpaid care work. This is just as true for the England-based academic workforce, our focus in this article. We discuss how, in the context of English HE, support for carers is enacted and negotiated through policies and practices of care. Our focus on academics with a diverse range of caring responsibilities is unusual insofar as the literature on care in academia is overwhelmingly concerned with parents, usually mothers. The article is informed primarily by critical and post-structuralist feminist perspectives. We draw on a corpus of 47 interviews conducted with academics representing a broad range of caring responsibilities, subjects, and positions. A thematic analysis reveals how carers’ relationship with the provision and policies of care support at institutional level is characterised by ambiguity. On the one hand, participants approve of societal and institutional policy support for carers. On the other hand, they are often reluctant to position themselves as the beneficiary of such policies, expressing instead a general preference for support from outside the workplace or for workplace-based inter-individual and informal care arrangements. This resistance is particularly noticeable in the case of participants with caring responsibilities other than the parenting of healthy, able-bodied children and of those whose gender, class, racial, or sexual identity do not conform with the figure of the ‘ideal academic’, contributing to their othering in the academic realm. These findings have significant implications for policies supporting carers, pointing to the need for greater visibility and recognition of caring responsibilities in academia, especially in terms of their diverse identities.

Recent years have seen organizations increasingly shift towards the development of a mentoring culture, as opposed to the imposition of formalized mentoring programs. This original research paper set out to explore the utility of fostering mentoring cultures within higher education settings with a particular emphasis placed on the ways in which a mentoring culture may support the nurturing of leadership potential and serve underrepresented minority faculty and staff members. Primary data was gathered using an open-ended qualitative survey, which was followed up by semi-structured interviews. One hundred faculty members in diverse academic and administrative leadership roles across the United States were sent online surveys, with 18 individuals expressing interest in participating in a semi-structured interview. Those who responded affirmatively were then contacted via telephone to follow up with further questions. Analysis of their insights, in conjunction with analysis of other literature, suggests that the cultivation of a mentoring culture offers diverse benefits for mentees advancing into leadership positions; for mentors; and for the institution as a whole. Overall, the development of a mentoring culture characterized by informal, spontaneous exchanges, and tailored to the needs of underrepresented minority faculty members, appears to be a useful tool in enhancing leadership potential in higher education contexts.

Multiple recent studies, namely laboratory-based systematic review articles and applied or experimental research, have indicated the association, particularly in young or adult users, between results in measurements of short-term memory (STM) with the frequency and intensity of playing games using various forms of electronic support, globally known as digital games (DG). In this sense, we used an experimental study applied to the assessment of STM among university students, based on a comparative analysis between two groups, one of intensive users of digital games (IDG), and the other not (NIDG), statistically comparing the two results. The starting hypothesis holds that it is possible to statistically demonstrate that subjects who intensely use DG present, when tested in a laboratory context, higher results in STM tests. A self-assessment scale for the use of DG was used to define the experimental groups and, for data production, a subtest from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults measured for the Portuguese population, the digit span (or digit memory), experimentally adapted from a program produced using stimulus presentation software, SuperLab6. It was developed with 164 university students, with identical gender distribution, from a higher education institution. The results of the student t test indicated the presence of statistically significant differences between the groups. There are significant differences between the groups regarding STM according to the DOD. The potential applicability of the STM assessment program to different groups and objectives is concluded, particularly in an experimental context, and suggests its possible adoption as a Psychology tool in the areas of cognition.

The goal of this narrative review was to identify, synthesize and summarize research providing both institutional and personal recommendations for female leaders who aspire to hold leadership roles in academia. Existing evidence regarding factors that influence females acquiring leadership positions was first gathered and examined, noting recurring issues that have been identified as inimical to women assuming leadership roles. Recent research studies and statistical trends were then investigated, tracking and reporting on the increase in female leadership in academia that has occurred over recent years. Quantitative and qualitative literature focusing on successful strategies to support females aspiring to academic leadership positions were then elaborated upon, with specific factors identified in order to deepen understanding of shifts that may help to account for the rise of females in academic leadership roles. The recommendations resulting from the findings of this narrative review could be used to scaffold female success in the pursuit of academic leadership roles and offer insights for university executives and administrators on methods of more effectively supporting an increase in female leaders in academia.

The goal of this study is both to determine the opinion that professors and students at the University of (details removed for peer review) have of active methodologies and to describe the perception and opinion of the modes of organization, methodological focuses, and evaluation systems that define the teaching-learning process. On surveying the professors and the students in their classes, we found significant differences in 32 of the 92 variables in common. The content of these results shows that professors and students are believe they are making progress toward a learning-centered model, that implementation of active methodologies implies new functions in their teaching practice.

The direct hydrogenation of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) to higher alcohols (C2+OH), as an important research area in C1 chemistry, is one of the most essential approaches to convert CO2 into liquid fuels or other value-added chemicals. The high atom economy and direct pathway make this reaction attractive to convert CO2 to higher alcohols. However, due to the complicated reaction network and the difficulty of C-C coupling, the formation of higher alcohols is more difficult compared with methanol or other compounds containing one carbon. The key issue is development of novel catalysts with high conversion and space time yield. But this is still a huge challenge faced by researchers. In this review, the thermodynamics and reaction pathways of CO2 hydrogenation were firstly clarified. Subsequently, after reviewing single metal-based, bi-and multi-metallic catalysts, the recently progress of tandem catalytic system was emphasized. Finally, we also provided an overview about tandem catalysis for CO2 hydrogenation to higher alcohols.

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge about Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology in higher education by describing and analysing interrelations between competencies, and their contribution to knowledge transfer (KT) and students’ rating of the project. The sample consisted of 464 students from the Universities of Huelva (N=347; 74.8%) and Murcia (N= 117; 25.2%), enrolled in the second year of a degree in either Infant or Primary Education. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire comprising a total of 53 items measuring General, Specific and Transversal competencies, as well as students’ rating of the project. Competencies were selected from the course programmes for the degrees in Infant and Primary Education. Preliminary results showed that competencies were moderately to highly acquired after PBL, and that students reported notable KT as well as a positive assessment of the project. KT showed a high degree of association with students’ ratings and was established as a key factor in learning and learner satisfaction in higher education.

This review paper delves into using micro-credentials in higher education ecosystems as a digital enablers. Micro-credentials, which are digital credentials that attest to a learner’s mastery of a specific skill or knowledge area, are becoming more popular in higher education. The paper examines the successful implementation of micro-credential frameworks in higher education, using case studies to demonstrate the advantages of micro-credentials. The review emphasizes the agility and flexibility of microcredentials, which enable learners to acquire new skills quickly and respond to changes in the job market. In addition, the paper discusses the digital nature of micro-credentials and how they allow institutionsto provide targeted, skills-based training that isrelevant to employers. It also explores how micro-credentials are delivered through online platforms, making them convenient and easily accessible for learners. The review underscores the significance of digital infrastructure, connectivity, and public utility for promoting micro-credentials. The paper argues that micro-credentials function as a digital enabler for higher edu- cation ecosystems, allowing learners to acquire targeted training and enabling institutions to expand their offerings and reach more students. The paper concludes by highlighting the potential for micro-credentials to help bridge the skills gap and equip learners with the skills necessary to succeed in today’s digital economy.

Purpose: The rapid development of technological innovations is causing major transformations in organisations. These changes are facilitating the transition of organisations from traditional to digital cultures and are influencing the positioning and even the survival of many of them. Higher Education Institutions are no exception. This article aims to understand the main factors that facilitate and drive this transformation from the point of view of their external stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach - Due to the complexity of the study, the case study method has been used as an appropriate methodology. Findings - As the results of the study show, the use of new agile methodologies, the development of continuous improvement processes, the automation of tasks with the use of new technologies, data-driven decision making, and the management of new digital talent are enablers. Research limitations/implications - Further research could conduct similar analyses with other stakeholders, to achieve a complete management model. Practical implications - The case study allows researchers to learn from practitioners and business leaders, while providing a theoretical model that can help other managers in the process of transforming their organisations. Originality/value - The main contribution of this study has been to apply the study to a specific Higher Education Institution.

The aim of this paper is the evaluation of the success of graduating with distinction in higher education (SGDHE) using the fuzzy DEMATEL method. The observation has been done using cause and effect criteria. 11 cause and 14 effect clusters have been used in this study. The study result of this work shows that all the effects are connected to the given causes and a cause-effect graph has been generated for each connection. This proposed approach is demonstrated with the empirical case of Dire Dawa University students in Dire Dawa Ethiopia.

Foods are complex products consisting of various ingredients of diverse origins. Along the food supply chains, food products are prone to spoilage and safety issues, which could give rise to different health-related concerns and outcomes. Furthermore, the existing highly centralised food systems generate substantial greenhouse gas emissions and food waste. In order to strengthen the sustainable decentralised "farm-to-fork" food chains, a mindset shift supported by relevant education and policy initiatives is highly required. The ERASMUS+ KA220 project SafeFood4EU was conceived with a crucial mission- to develop an interdisciplinary and innovative toolbox of higher education and lifelong learning courses that reflect various aspects of sustainable agri-food systems. The thematic areas discussed within the SafeFood4EU project have covered food safety and supply chain management, sustainable food systems and design, food production and quality of raw materials, food authenticity and analysis, and digital and soft skills. The main objectives have been to develop a distinctive content package and make it available to the students via an e-learning management system. The project's results, aimed at creating a pool of young and capable experts, can significantly impact future food security, thereby increasing awareness about the future challenges regarding food systems transition, dietary shift and the next generation's food security.

This paper explores the influence of GenAI chatbot (ChatGPT) and AI-based simulation (SimVenture) on the start-up intention through the mediating roles of entrepreneurship educational outcomes; entrepreneurship cognition, entrepreneurship competencies, and innovation spirit of students in higher education institutions in the Middle East. The proposed conceptual framework was empirically tested with partial least squares structural equation modeling using 166 survey responses from fourth-year undergraduate students enrolled in business administration programs in four higher education institutions in the Middle East region. The findings reveal that ChatGPT significantly promotes start-up intention, while ChatGPT has insignificant influence on entrepreneurship educational outcomes. Conversely, the SimVenture platform negatively influences start-up intention. Additionally, the SimVenture platform significantly improves entrepreneurship educational outcomes; thereby entrepreneurship educational outcomes directly influence start-up intention. Furthermore, the mediation paths show ChatGPT has an insignificant indirect influence on start-up intention through the mediating roles of entrepreneurship educational outcomes, while the SimVenture platform exhibits a notable indirect influence on startup intentions through improved entrepreneurship educational outcomes. These findings seek to provide insights for higher education institutions in the Middle East region in leveraging GenAI chatbot (ChatGPT) and AI-based simulation (SimVenture) to enhance entrepreneurial knowledge, awareness, competencies, and the spirit of innovation, which leads to promoting students’ intentions to start their businesses. Theoretically, the study contributes to filling the gap in the existing literature between AI tools and entrepreneurship education. This study is among the first to empirically explore the influences of GenAI chatbot (ChatGPT) and AI-based simulation (SimVenture) on entrepreneurship educational outcomes and the intention of students to embark on entrepreneurial ventures. It highlights the need for understanding AI technologies as distinct pedagogical tools.

It is time that universities reexamine what is meant by globalization. Contemporary researchers in science and the humanities (Critchley, Chomsky, Mumford, Ostrom, Eisenstein, Ferry, Orr, Shiva, Klein, Margulis, Meadows, Capra and Tolba, just to name a few) have aptly redefined the concept of « world » as a biological and cultural ecosystem. This paper seeks ways to integrate the theory and practice of eco-citizenship into various cross-disciplinary aspects of higher education, with a focus on curricular adjustments that may be steered by World Languages and Cultures programs. While "global citizenship" is still often understood today as a form of supranational citizenship that may find its actualization through the valuable, yet often arrested efforts of the United Nations, or as the individualistic result of a neoliberal economic emancipation of markets and capital throughout the world, this notion must rather be embedded within a radically cultural, natural and ethical bedrock from which a more potent world citizenry will stem. Departments of World Languages and Cultures and cultures are ideally positioned in the academic landscape to foster the development of a greater eco-civic and biospheric awareness that can permeate new curricular orientations of universities in the US and abroad.

Universities can do more to deliver against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), working with faculty, staff and students as well as their wider stakeholder community and alumni body. They play a critical role in helping shape new ways for the world, educating global citizens and delivering knowledge and innovation into society – universities can be engines of societal transformation. Here, using a case study approach, different ways of strategizing sustainability in a university setting are explored with an example from the UK, Europe and USA. The first case is a public UK university that adopted enterprise and sustainability as its academic mission to secure differentiation in a disrupted and increasingly marketized global higher education sector which then became a source of inspiration for change in regional businesses and the local community. The second case study is a business sector-led sustainability-driven transformation working with a private university in Bulgaria to catalyze economic regeneration and social innovation. Finally, the case of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability engagement program is given to show how this approach connects faculty and students with institutional sustainability plans and external partners. Each case is a living lab, positioning sustainability as an intentional strategy. Leadership at all levels, and by students, was key to success in acting with purpose. Partnerships within and with universities can help accelerate delivery of the SDGs, with higher education making a fuller contribution to sustaining the economic, cultural and intellectual well-being of our global communities.

The allocation of funding for higher education typically focuses on competition in neoliberal mechanisms. Surprisingly, much less attention has been paid to considering the effect of fund locations for sustainable development through public goods purposes in neoliberal contexts. This study aims to examine specific funding schemes and determine the influential factors impacting funding for teaching, research, and public goods transformation. Taking Taiwan's Higher Education Sprout Project (HESP) as an example, we explored the effect of policy initiatives on public goods transformation towards sustainable development. The data were collected from the Ministry of Education and Scopus databases. First, a regression analysis was conducted to determine which factors influence the effect of funding allocations in academic institutes. Second, we used logistic regression to detect the effects of the system and the sector. Third, we used partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to explore the causal effects among the selected impact variables on expected outcomes. Finally, we used the bootstrap method to demonstrate the model’s robustness. Our study found that only diversity was shown in private technology groups receiving less HESP funding. At the same time, it did not widen the differences in the sector and system in the transformation process. Our findings suggest that funding allocations will not affect teaching and research based on sectors and systems. In contrast, this study demonstrates that transforming public goods through special funding can play a critical role in leading sustainable development in higher education.

In the fields of partnership research and social innovation, there have been an increasing number of calls for evidence regarding the kind of collaborative multi-level governance structures that might support large scale transformation processes, specially towards climate-neutral cities. This paper conceptualizes a new type of intermediary actor; the Systemic Collaborative Platform (SCP). Using the example of a multi-stakeholder arrangement set up to design and implement Madrid’s Climate Neutrality Roadmap, the key features of an SCP include a focus on multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral collaboration for public policy development, in this case operating at both a systemic level and a city scale, and a strong link to a key actor within this regime (a city council). Our study reveals how a SCP can contribute to articulation of a shared mandate among city actors and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of a targeted transition by attracting, aligning and managing a wide and diverse organizational ecosystem through distributed facilitation, collaborative leadership and continuous learning.

Centromeres, the chromosomal loci where spindle fibers attach during cell division to segregate chromosomes, are typically found within satellite arrays in plants and animals. Satellite arrays have been difficult to analyze because they comprise megabases of tandem head-to-tail highly repeated DNA sequences. Much evidence suggests that centromeres are epigenetically defined by the location of nucleosomes containing the centromere-specific histone H3 variant cenH3, independently of the DNA sequences where they are located; however, the reason that cenH3 nucleosomes are generally found on rapidly evolving satellite arrays has remained unclear. Recently, long read sequencing technology has clarified the structures of satellite arrays and sparked rethinking of how they evolve, while new experiments and analyses have helped bring both understanding and further speculation about the role these highly repeated sequences play in centromere identification.

The Covid-19 pandemic that hit the world in early 2020 has had a major impact on social and economic life in every country, including Malaysia. Many socio-economic activities have been disrupted globally, leading to the closure of companies and the suspension of work activities, which have drastically increased the unemployment rate and narrowed employment opportunities. This study uses a qualitative method to explore the initiatives taken by Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education and university in improving the sustainability graduates’ employability at the post pandemic Covid-19 phase. The total sample of the study involved is ten officers who are experienced and responsible in organizing initiatives for university graduates’ employability programs and ten participant students who attended the programme were purposively selected. The study showed that Short -term training & placement programmes (MyStep), Career Advancement Programmes (Penjana CAP), Professional certification programmes (Penjana PACE), Career Advancement Programmes at State (Penjana KPT CAP@ State) were the major initiatives taken by Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education in improving graduate employability at the post Covid-19 phase. The findings also revealed upskilling and reskilling, gig economy, entrepreneur, finishing school programmes and online career fair were the important initiatives taken by university in improving graduate employability rate at the post Covid-19 phase. Interviews with student respondents showed that the initiative taken by the government and university to increase the marketability of graduates in the post-covid-19 era has given them the opportunity to learn and improve new skills that are very necessary to get new job opportunities in the post-covid 19 eras. The main contribution of this study is that upskilling and reskilling programs are essential to improve the sustainability of graduates’ employability in the post-covid 19 era.

Academic performance is the level of achievement that students reach in their educational activities. It is influenced by several factors that should be analysed and prioritised, especially in engineering courses, characterised by their difficulty and low success rates compared to other careers. This paper analyses the impact of these factors on academic performance during exams in a technical college in southwestern Spain, with a particular focus on environmental conditions, identified as a relevant and independent variable. The results show a significant connection with thermal comfort and academic performance. Temperatures within the comfort range (23-26°C) improved students' satisfaction with exams. In contrast, those who experienced thermal discomfort pointed to environmental conditions as the main obstacle to their performance, overcoming factors such as prior preparation and coincidence of exams. These findings underline the importance of optimising the classroom's thermal environment through strategies that promote a more favourable learning space, improving both students' well-being and their academic performance.

The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in undergraduate enrollment, graduation, and employment in Ethiopia. It looked at data from the past 20 years of enrollment and graduation, as well as the 15 years of unemployment trends. For enrollment, we used the ARIMA(0,1,0) model, for graduation, the Holt-Winter model, and unemployment, the Simple model. Results showed that enrollment rates increased dramatically, but graduation rates remained constant. Besides, enrollment is expected to continue rising, while graduation rates are expected to fall. On the other hand, between 1999 and 2018, the overall unemployment trend declined. Yet, between 2009 and 2018 the unemployment trends stayed stable. According to the findings, for the next ten years, higher education enrollment and graduation will continue. Nevertheless, it is shown the diminishing demand for jobs in the labor market. As part of improving the existing realities of higher education, the study suggests reconsidering job-driven policy formulation, strengthening higher education-labor market alignment, controlling higher education expansion, and sustaining the development qualification systems.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based models hold the potential to transform higher education if adopted properly and ethically. A prime example is ChatGPT with earlier studies indicating its widespread adoption in academia and by university students. The current study aimed to identify the factors influencing the attitude towards ChatGPT and its usage among university students in Arab countries. A previous survey instrument termed Technology Acceptance Model Edited to Assess ChatGPT Adoption (TAME-ChatGPT) was administered online using a convenience-based approach among the contacts of the authors. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for the survey constructs was done using root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), comparative fit index (CFI), and Tucker-Lewis index (TLI). The final study sample comprised a total of 2240 participant divided as follows: Iraq (n=736, 32.9%), Kuwait (n=582, 26.0%), Egypt (n=417, 18.6%), Lebanon (n=263, 11.7%), and Jordan (n=242, 10.8%). A total of 1048 respondents heard of ChatGPT before the study (46.8%), of which 551 used ChatGPT (52.6%). The mean scores of TAME-ChatGPT constructs showed that the ease of ChatGPT use, positive attitude towards technology and social influence, higher perceived usefulness, the influence of behavioral/cognitive factors, low perceived risks and low anxiety were the determinants of positive attitude to ChatGPT and its use. For both the attitude and usage scales of TAME-ChatGPT, CFA collectively yielded satisfactory fit indices as indicated by low RMSEA and SRMR together with high CFI and TLI. Multivariate analysis showed that attitude to ChatGPT use was significantly influenced by country of residence, age, university type, and the latest grade point average of the students. The current study confirmed the validity of TAME-ChatGPT as a survey instrument to assess the possible determinants of ChatGPT use among university students in Arab countries. The study findings highlighted that successful adoption of ChatGPT in higher education could be dependent on perceived ease of use, usefulness, positive attitudes to technology, social influence, behavioral/cognitive factors, lower anxiety, and minimal perceived risks. The utility of ChatGPT in higher education requires policies that should be tailored for various settings, considering the differences observed in attitude towards ChatGPT among participating students in this study.

The research is based on the inspection performed in June 2002 for carrying out a research program for the eradication of a termite infestation due a desertic species in the area of the Saint Catherine Holy Monastery at Mount Sinai - Egypt. The paper describes the application of the registered European bait system SentritechTM and the trend of eradication during the first year. The application of bait system blocked the termite infestation inside the Katholikon (Main church) and in the surrounding after 6 months. Nevertheless, the infestation restarted and even increased again in the surrounding of the main church. An explanation of this surprising event is attempted in this paper.

Online teaching is considered an important approach for achieving sustainable learning and education, and college teachers’ attitude and behavioral intention are essential for the sustainable adoption of online teaching practice in higher education institutions. To examine the influencing factors that sustain teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a sample of 1,102 college teachers in central China, using hierarchical linear regression analysis to explore possible influencing factors in four levels: individual experience, environmental support, self-perception, and technology acceptance. The study results show that the subjective norms, readiness, beliefs, and perceived usefulness of online teaching had a significant impact on teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention. Nevertheless, the effect varied with factors like online-teaching load and teachers’ technology self-efficacy, as their influence seemed to be singular, affecting the teachers’ attitude toward online teaching or behavioral intention exclusively. In contrast, previous online-teaching experience did not notably affect either. The findings of this study reveal the complex interactions of factors that influence college teachers’ disposition toward and decisions about online-teaching practices and emphasize the need for targeted strategies to maintain and enhance online education in the post-pandemic era.

Civic engagement refers to the ways in which citizens participate in the life of a community to help shape its future or improve conditions for others. While it might have been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, this study explored how college students perceive civic engagement on selected campuses that were partially locked down. We sampled 1036 student volunteers from six universities in Taiwan by using a self-designed module of civic engagement and transferable capabilities. The Student’s t-test, ANOVA, regression, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to interpret the differences and relationships among these variables. This study provides a more detailed example of the current status of civic engagement and its relative to transferable capabilities in a higher education setting. The related programs and institutes should take responsibility for enhancing students’ civic engagement and transferable capabilities during the pandemic. How to ameliorate the situation? The findings suggest that it should consider a student’s academic major, learning experiences in the department, and time spent on related activities during the pandemic recovery. The findings might prove useful to various campuses for enhancing ongoing practices.

In this study, we designed a structural model to determine the relationships among push–pull factors, institutional situations, and satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 17 selected indicators fell under five domains, namely push factors, pull factors, institutional leadership, international strategies, and satisfaction. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to verify the assumptions of the model. Based on 1005 degree-seeking international students' views, this study found that push and pull factors may coincidentally exist, and their functions can be modified by institutional situations. The findings suggest pull factors will, through institutional leadership, impact students' satisfaction, while push factors will not. Moreover, the detection of institutional mediation can provide useful information for specific institutes to develop their future recruiting or retaining strategies. These findings enriched our knowledge of the field during the pandemic. For future studies, this design may be useful to interpret the phenomena of global student mobility in higher education settings.

Emerging technologies have a potential future impact on the developments in higher education and teaching practices at the universities. The paper is based on the project “My future colleague robot” that aims to improve the competence of university teachers in the implementation of Emerging Technologies (ETs) in the teaching practices at the university. In this paper, we identified the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are related to the adoption of two ETs, robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), in higher education. Additionally, we analyzed the perceptions of faculty about these ETs. The empirical data was collected using written essays from 18 university teachers and students. Deductive and inductive approaches with thematic analysis were used for the data analysis. The findings support the idea that previous experience related to ETs can support positive attitudes and the implementations of ET in university teaching. University teachers had optimistic expectations towards ETs accepting them as part of teaching practice development, while discussion about the negative effects of ETs was negligible.

Utilising Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) as a case example, this report will provide information about the strategic challenges that many modern universities in the UK face in creating a flexible delivery of education. Using strategic concepts and analysis, the current short report will examine the competitiveness within the higher education sector in the UK and explore key external and internal environmental factors of CCCU, gaining a greater understanding of their current position. From these analyses, strategic recommendations as to how universities such as CCCU can create a competitive advantage through a new form of flexible learning delivery.