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.

In an ever-evolving landscape of higher education institution, the College of Arts and Sciences at St. Michael's College, Iligan City, Philippines, embarked on a strategic journey to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the post-pandemic era. This study, conducted in August 2022, delves into the multifaceted dimensions of their strategic planning processes. Through qualitative methods that use intensive in-depth reviews of literature, informal interviews, observation, and thematic analysis, this research unveils a narrative of adaptation, innovation, and internationalization. It explores how the institution resiliently adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic, leveraged technological advancements to enhance educational delivery, fostered interdisciplinary collaboration at the nexus of arts and sciences, and embraced internationalization through partnerships and cultural exchange. Anchored in a robust theoretical framework, this study resonates with broader trends in higher education, echoing the global call for agile, student-centric, and forward-thinking institutions. As this institution's journey unfolds, its experiences and lessons resonate with academic leaders, administrators, faculty, students, and stakeholders, inviting reflection and dialogue on the future of higher education.

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.

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.

Policy initiatives by the United Nations and EU institutions have emphasized the need for higher education institutions (HEIs) to fulfill a significant role in the green transition, and that they tend to fall short of the achievement of this objective. Multiple studies indicate that HEIs assign high importance to the integration of environmental sustainability on a strategic level but generally lack dedicated policies of integration in operational aspects. This paper analyzes the state of the art on research on HEI sustainability and maps institutional sustainability self-assessment models, tools, and guidelines. The mapping was conducted in four prominent research areas: 1) sustainability integration in educational activities, pedagogical perspectives, and systemic transformations; 2) benchmarking sustainability of organizational transformation and operational op-timization, and links between developmental priorities and educational settings; 3) whole-system approaches focusing on the design and implementation of whole-institution sustainability plans; and, 4) HEI sustainability culture and operations. Best practices were selected on criteria of 1) the effectiveness of self-assessment models, tools, and guidelines in each respective research area; 2) the degree of integration of systems thinking and/or modelling; and 3) the incorporation of qualitative indicators for stakeholder engagement.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Education is an imperative key to driving sustainability and gender equity. In addition to addressing well-known female deficiencies in leadership training, it is really important to develop initiatives in sustainable leadership education for women to acquire skills, competencies and tools on leadership and to increase their self-perceptions. The purpose of this study is to assess a Women’s Leadership Program for university students. The sample consisted of 50 students enrolled in the program. A mixed-method approach was applied. Quantitative methods with a survey were conducted to evaluate the training and the achievement of leadership skills. In the data analysis, a descriptive statistics variance analysis, using a Welch statistic and T2 Dunnett test, was applied. Qualitative research methods were conducted through three focus groups to evaluate personal changes in their own-perceptions and self-confidence. Results suggest that the female students in the program reached a level of leadership knowledge with practical tools for their future. The program inspired them and confirmed changes in their personal capacities or self-confidence, including reflection about facing challenges in the work environment. The findings support the effectiveness of the specific education in breaking two barriers shown by the literature for women to getting a managerial position: lack of training and female self-confidence.

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.

Teachers of English as a foreign language in Taiwan are challenged to organize multi-dimensional language activities for foreign students coming from ASEAN countries, including Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam. With different cultural backgrounds, these students have different prior knowledge of Taiwanese culture, and, because of the similarities and differences between Taiwan and these countries, it is meaningful to explore the development of globalization with the students, who are learning both English and Chinese. The different historical backgrounds, various cultural and religious differences, and social conditions, such as gender relationships in working places, are significant topics for class discussions. When teachers serve as discussion facilitators, they encourage students to express their own multi-identities and expectations for the exchange program. Most interesting of all is to find out about their own short-term and long-term career goals. 32 foreign students from the Philippines and Vietnam were recruited for research. Questionnaires were used to assess their foreign language learning motivation and strategies, as well as to discover the learning environment they prefer and their globalization prospects. It was found that multi-lingual language policies for promoting globalization in higher education are very likely to influence the success of foreign student study in Taiwan.

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.

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.

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.

Nowadays, the European Union and the governments of the different countries have focused on the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the 2030 agenda, something that has been translated into education itself. Video Games, Gamification, and Game Based Learning have become different strategies and tools to enhance the learning process and some of the growing approaches used by teachers to develop sustainable education in the classrooms. This research aims to analyze the characteristics to promote sustainability in education using games and technology, specifically its learning benefits for Higher Education. A systematic review of the literature was conducted following the PRISMA methodology. At first, 2025 documents were found which, after the filtering phases, the number of articles has been reduced to nine, which subsequently were analyzed in depth. The results indicated that among the benefits of the use of games mediated by technologies are the following: it favors education for sustainability and it promotes the educational inclusion and the work of various social skills such as collaborative and cooperative work. Also, showed an increase of the number of publications between 2019 and 2023, reflecting the growing interest in the topic. However, there are some research gap in this field.

There is a growing urgency to address society’s complex issues, many of which are incorporated within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Higher education has a special role and responsibility to support and promote these goals. The SDG framework helps students understand SDGs, but special competencies are necessary to address them effectively. Sustainability competencies impart the personal/emotional development missing from current programming, but higher education institutions have been reluctant to introduce them into the curricula. This study examines the ongoing debate about integrating sustainability competencies into higher education curricula. We employed a scoping review to synthesize the current issues and highlight key barriers to changing the curricula. Contrary to a commonly expressed theme in the literature, scholarly opinion has converged around a singular model for sustainability competencies, the framework proposed by Wiek et al. (2011) and the 2021 update. Integrating sustainability competencies into management education responds to SDG-4 (quality education) and yields far-reaching impacts. The interconnectedness of the goals means that students acquire the competency to understand, address, and promote various SDGs. Given the absence of a policy decision to integrate sustainability competencies into higher education curricula, this paper provides a timely summary of the issues to focus on discussion and potential action. The focus is on business schools and changing management education. Business schools have been selected given the heightened demand from society for businesses to be more involved in and share responsibility for complex global issues like sustainability.

Geoethics is a field of knowledge currently in full development. Researchers in geoethics are pri-marily concerned with the anthropogenic interaction with the Earth system. Due to its nature, ge-oethics holds particular importance in sustainable development due to its nature as it aims to promote ethical human behaviour that does not negatively impact the Earth system. In the present research, we implemented an intervention program addressing various issues related to the sus-tainability of the Earth system, such as the exploitation of geological resources, the management of geological risks, and the conservation and promotion of geopatrimony. The intervention program was applied to higher education students in the geosciences field. A sample of 90 students from various geosciences courses completed an initial questionnaire, revealing limited knowledge about geoethics. This study resorted to mixed-method research involving interviews with some students who volunteered (n=52). The results showed that after applying the intervention programme most students had developed a deeper understanding of the topics addressed and recognised the con-tributions this scientific area can make to sustainable development. Additional research in geoethics education is essential to foster the integration of geoethics into the curricula of higher education institutions.

Sustainability, sustainable development and education for sustainable development are increasingly central concepts, both in social practice and in the field of scientific knowledge. Sociology, and in particular Sociology of Education as a specialised Sociology, can provide relevant contributions in its promotion. This article aims to explore the importance of Sociology of Education in promoting sustainability literacy in higher education, using the Sustainable Development Goals and key competencies (United Nations and UNESCO) as the central reference in this field, and intends, thus, to become an added contribution for this discussion. The article seeks to demonstrate that the learning of sustainability literacy would benefit from the use of a sociological stance throughout this whole process that considers dimensions that are often not directly emphasised and articulated between each other, such as: interconnection of scale levels, sociological imagination, multi-paradigmatic nature, heuristic interdisciplinarity, reflexivity and use of Sociology for action.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This paper presents an overview of EREMI, a two-year project funded under ERASMUS+ KA203, and its results. The project team's main objective was to develop and validate an advanced interdisciplinary higher education curriculum, which includes lifelong learning components. The curriculum focuses on enhancing resource efficiency in manufacturing industries and optimizing poorly or non-digitized industrial physical infrastructure systems. The paper also discusses the results of the project, highlighting the successful achievement of its goals. EREMI effectively supports the transition to Industry 5.0 by preparing a common European pool of future experts. Through comprehensive research and collaboration, the project team has designed curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the evolving manufacturing landscape. Furthermore, the paper explores the significance of EREMI's contributions to the field, emphasizing the importance of resource efficiency and system optimization in industrial settings. By addressing the challenges posed by under-digitized infrastructure, the project aims to drive sustainable and innovative practices in manufacturing. All five project partner organisations have been actively engaged in offering relevant educational content and framework for decentralised sustainable economic development in regional and national contexts through capacity building at local level. A crucial element of the added value is the new channel for feedback from students. The survey results, which are outlined in the paper, offer valuable insights gathered from students, contributing to the continuous improvement of the project.

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.

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.

Incorporating AI tools like ChatGPT into higher educational settings has been beneficial for education, yet the extent of user satisfaction with the information provided by these tools, known as user information satisfaction (UIS), remains underexplored. Our study introduces a UIS model specifically designed for ChatGPT's application in the educational sector. Drawing from established UIS theory, we crafted a model centered around seven essential factors that influence the effective use of ChatGPT, aiming to guide both educators and learners in overcoming common challenges such as plagiarism and ensuring the ethical use of AI. We gathered data from Indonesian university participants and applied Structural Equation Modeling using Smart-PLS 4.0 for our data analysis. The results reveal that completeness, precision, timeliness, convenience, and the format of information as the most influential factors driving user satisfaction with ChatGPT. Interestingly, our research indicated that the accuracy and reliability of the information, typically deemed paramount, were not the primary concerns in the academic use of ChatGPT. Our findings lead to a recommendation for a cautious approach to the integration of ChatGPT in higher education. We advocate for a strategic use that recognizes its innovative potential while also acknowledging its limitations, thus ensuring a responsible and effective application in educational contexts. This balanced perspective is crucial for integrating AI tools into the academic fabric without compromising educational integrity or quality.

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.

Higher education equips youth with the requisite knowledge and skills for navigating environmental education and sustainability. The current study aims to test a comprehensive model for integrating environmental education and sustainability principles within the higher education ecosystem. The model emphasizes problem-based and service-learning approaches, technological integration, and behaviour change models to foster environmental education, and community engagement and enhance overall well-being. In this study, researchers examined the impact of curriculum, extracurricular activities, and community engagement as independent variables on dependent variables namely environmental education, sustainability, and well-being while also considering the mediating role of the undergraduates' awareness level. Data was collected from a higher education academic Institute in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using Smart-Partial Least Squares (PLS) software was used to test these hypothesized relationships empirically. The study findings revealed a significant positive impact of curriculum development, extracurricular activities, and community engagement efforts on elevating undergraduates' awareness levels. Awareness levels mediated the effect of environmental education, sustainability, and well-being, highlighting the need to integrate environment-related topics into academic and extracurricular activities. This underscores higher education's potential to shape eco-conscious leaders by infusing environmental education into academic life. These findings have implications for higher education institutions, policymakers, and community organizers, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to environmental education for a sustainable society. By fostering environmental awareness among youth and integrating it into broader societal initiatives, educational institutions can play a crucial role in shaping a generation committed to sustainability and well-being.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Purpose: Now traditional lecture-based teaching and learning have been affected by the COVID-19. The objectives of this article are to design the novel educational technique called ‘dynamic-based learning’ (DBL) that provides the combination of online teaching-learning methods and student’s creativity, to evaluate primary dynamic-based learning function, and to propose dynamic-based learning for higher education. Methods: DBL composes of four steps, including, preparation, homework, classroom, and evaluation, which was designed, and taught in medical and dental schools. Online support materials included mobile phone, email, Facebook Messenger, Line Messenger, Cisco Webex, and Zoom Meetings applications were recruited for this novel method. Results: A total of 32 third-year medical students and 26 sixth-year dental students was treated by DBL similarly. three subjects, including, Innovation in Dentistry, Basic Medical Research, and Principles of Pathology and Forensic Medicine were selected in this article. The results showed students could create their knowledge, ideas, and creativity during the online classes.Conclusion: DBL can be used as an alternative learning mode during the COVID-19 crisis. The benefits of DBL also include high flexibility, dynamic process, active learning, and high creativity. DBL should be tested with other disciplines such as engineering school, laws school, health sciences school, and should be compared with other traditional teaching and learning modes in the future. This method may support the global higher education systems to move forward the COVID-19 pandemic to set a novel standard of a future normal.

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.

This paper presents a brief account and rationale for implementation of competency-based learning in any form of management and leadership development programmes in South Africa. The fact that competency-based learning (CBL), also known as outcomes-based learning has been scrapped from the schooling system in South Africa is unfortunate as this method enhances critical thinking skills and practical problem-solving skills. This paper presents CBL as a model of meta-cognitive approach to learning that integrates both theory and practice into experiential learning through six dimensions, namely, active learning, constructive learning, cumulative learning, goal-oriented learning, learner-centred and curriculum design strategies. In the advent of the fast-paced global economy, managers and leaders need to seek those business schools that value real-time practical approach to curriculum for relevance and to maximize shareholder value through human resource development. This brief presentation ends by recommending an approach through CBL that fosters three critical pillars of leadership development, namely: intellectual, behavioural and emotional agenda.

This study examines Cambodian higher education teachers' readiness for online teaching and learning (OTL) using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The framework centers around three key dimensions: teachers' self-efficacy in technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK), their perceived online teaching presence, and the institutional support they receive. A quantitative survey was administered to 140 teachers at the university level. Teachers' online teaching experience positively influenced their TPACK self-efficacy. Online teaching experience also had a significant positive impact on teachers perceived online teaching presences. Furthermore, teachers' perceptions of institutional support were positively associated with their online teaching experience. These results highlight the critical role of teachers' online teaching experience in shaping their readiness for OTL. The findings suggest that targeted professional development programs and institutional support mechanisms can effectively enhance teachers' self-efficacy, online teaching presence, and perceptions of institutional support in Cambodian higher education.

The management of a cultural change in higher education is becoming necessary and unavoidable: changes in teaching, changes in research and changes in governance. Digital transformation is an essential part of many countries’ modernisation agendas. The aim of this non-experimental, descriptive, survey-based study was to explore the perceptions of university students toward the digital transformation that took place in university teaching as a consequence of COVID-19. The specific objectives proposed were to: a) analyse the perceptions of students toward digital transformation in university teaching; b) determine the valuation of students about the digital transformation that occurred in university teaching as a result of COVID-19; and c) explore the resources (hardware-software), professional collaboration, digital pedagogy and student empowerment (motivation) with respect to digital education and the recent changes in university teaching due to the pandemic. The results show that a large number of items are positively correlated. In conclusion, further research should delve into motivation, collaboration, reflective experience sharing, self-learning and initiatives that promote the development of competences in future teachers.

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.

Students who had been actively engaged in mediated collaborative activities, were asked for their perceptions about the sustainable peer feedback they had received and provided. Their views were then analyzed and categorized in terms of receiver and provider feedback, cognitive feedback and previously acquired feedback to further knowledge about sustainable education processes. A peer supported feedback questionnaire was created and validated, and its categories were correlated. The questionnaire was then aligned with the activities used to foster peer feedback between the pre-service students from the three bachelor’s degrees. The perceptions the students had of the feedback processes were analyzed using defined peer support feedback categories and the results showed a correlation between cognitive feedback and both provider and receiver self-efficacy feedback. In addition, there was a further correlation between both provider and receiver self-efficacy feedback as well as provider and receiver involvement and feedback structure. However, the results also revealed that neither receiver nor provider autonomy support were significant categories for supportive feedback.

Ensuring equal access to affordable higher education for women and men has become a crucial target of UNESCO’s SDG4-Education 2030. Currently, about one-third of the world's college-age population participates in higher education, while the gender disparity persists in various systems. This study employed GDP per capita, gross enrollment ratio (GER), and the gender parity index (GPI) to demonstrate how the education systems have expanded resulting in the transformation of gender parity. We selected Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the UK as research targets using a cross-correlation function and trend analysis to detect concurrent relationships and future trends with GDP per capita, GER, and GPI. The findings suggest Japan, Korea, and the UK continue to show gender disparity and need to respond to this issue in their policy intervention for SDG4-Education 2030. The results reveal a potential problem in the UK when GPI growth might become unlimited with females dominated. This study suggests the higher education expansion phenomenon and gender diversity in mass and universal systems can be detected by the trend analysis with GDP per capita, GER, and GPI in different settings. The design of the study provides an example to explore the gender diversity patterns in higher education systems for sustainable development.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Allocations of funding for higher education have typically focused on competition in neoliberal mechanisms. Surprisingly, much less attention has been paid to considering the effect of fund allocations for public goods purposes in neoliberal contexts. This study aims to examine specific funding schemes and determine the influential factors impacting the funding for teaching, research, and public goods intention. Taking Taiwan's Higher Education Sprout Project (HESP) as a unique example, we explored the effect of policy initiatives on public goods transformation. The data was collected from the Ministry of Education and Scopus database. First, the t-test and ANOVA were used to detect the differences between the system and sector; Second, regression analysis was used to determine influential factors for funding allocations; Final, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore the causal effects among the selected variables. The study found that only diversity was shown in private technology groups receiving less HESP funding. The findings suggest that the funding allocation may not affect teaching and research based on sectors and systems. In contrast, this study demonstrates that transforming the public good through special funding can play a critical role in policy intention in neoliberal higher education.

COVID-19 pandemic instigated a digital revolution in academia and higher education. Social distancing, months-long quarantine, as economic shutdown will help the majority of people working in academia and higher education not only to complete their personal transition to the fully functional and operational online tuition, but also to understand that online defences, online entrance and final exams, as well as online academic jobs are as effective and meaningful as those conducted “in real life”. Due to the crisis induced by the coronavirus epidemic, innovations in academia and higher education that would have normally taken several years due to the various contradictory administrative regulations are now introduced promptly in a matter of days. This is a clear example of the Schumpeterian ‘creative destruction’ in making that will forever change the status quo in academia and higher education.

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.

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.

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.

The management of a cultural change in higher education is becoming necessary and unavoidable: changes in teaching, changes in research and changes in governance. Digital transformation is an essential part of many countries’ modernisation agendas. The aim of this non-experimental, descriptive, survey-based study was to explore the perceptions of university students toward the digital transformation that took place in university teaching as a consequence of COVID-19. The specific objectives proposed were to: a) analyse the perceptions of students toward digital transformation in university teaching; b) determine the valuation of students about the digital transformation that occurred in university teaching as a result of COVID-19; and c) explore the resources (hardware-software), professional collaboration, digital pedagogy and student empowerment (motivation) with respect to digital education and the recent changes in university teaching due to the pandemic. The results show that a large number of items are positively correlated. In conclusion, further research should delve into motivation, collaboration, reflective experience sharing, self-learning and initiatives that promote the development of competences in future teachers.

Teaching through English Medium Instruction (EMI) has been a strategic move in some European and Asian countries as part of their educational internationalisation. A large number of studies on EMI teaching have appeared in the last decade. The majority of these report on issues and concerns at macro-level including: the lack of structured policy guidance, EMI lecturers and students’ low level of English proficiency, and a shortfall of research informed training programs for EMI lecturers. Up to date, there is little research into EMI in-class teaching and learning. Lived experience in EMI in-class practice has been largely ignored. To fill this gap, this research explored a group of academics’ in-class EMI practice in a Chinese university. Their teaching process through EMI was observed and recorded, with data analysed through a multiple theoretical lens. Data reveal that EMI teaching is a complicated issue and can be neither standardised nor prescribed. It needs to be addressed as a pedagogy responding to and influenced by local context, driven by language, culture and education systems. This research is expected to provide insight for the development of localised institutional guidelines for EMI teaching and lecturers’ professional development in EMI teaching.

Student mobility is one of the most important indicators to reflect institutional internationalization in a sustainable higher education system. While student mobility issues have been addressed persistently, the phenomenon is rarely discussed in association with higher education expansion. Since higher education sustainable development has received much scholarly attention, monitoring student mobility flows to adjust international strategies is necessary. This study explored practical approaches to detect student mobility flows in the process of higher education expansion. Targeting Taiwan’s higher education system as an example, we addressed the topic of system expansion and the core issues of student mobility. Target series data were collected from 1950 to 2021, including higher education enrollment, gross enrollment ratio (GER), and number of inbound and outbound students. The data were transformed with index formats, for example enrollment increasing ratio (IR) and net flow ratio. The cross-correlation function (CCF) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) were used to determine the correlations of the series data and their future trends. The findings suggested that the effect of system expansion, with GER and IR, might influence the mobility ratios significantly in the process of higher education expansion. This study confirmed that the time series approaches work well in detecting the phenomena of higher education expansion and their effects on student mobility flows in the future.

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.

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, the shift to hybrid teaching approaches has introduced novel challenges and opportunities for both educators and students. This qualitative study, grounded in a robust theoretical framework, combines in-depth literature reviews, informal interviews, observations, and thematic analysis to explore the multifaceted dynamics of hybrid language learning within a College of Arts and Sciences. By investigating the experiences of twenty students (referred to as 'S-Part 1' to 'S-Part 20'), the research delves into the core theme of 'Teacher-Student Interaction in Higher Education Institutions' and unpacks nine additional themes: 'Adaptability and Resilience,' 'Flexibility and Autonomy,' 'Connectivity Challenges,' 'Feelings of Isolation,' 'Technology Competence,' 'Personalized Learning,' 'Resource Accessibility,' 'Support Mechanisms,' and 'Positive Learning Experiences.' In this study, these themes encapsulate the diverse experiences and challenges encountered by teachers and college students as they navigate the evolving educational landscape. The insights derived from the study are underpinned by a robust theoretical framework and complemented by existing scholarly literature. As we delve into these themes, it becomes evident that they shed light on not only the intricacies of hybrid language learning but also the broader educational context, offering valuable guidance for educators, institutions, students, and researchers. Based on the ample results, recommendations are presented for school administrators, teachers, students, and future researchers to enhance the quality of hybrid teaching and learning, aligning it with the demands of the post-academic era. Overall, this study contributes to the ongoing dialogue on innovative pedagogical strategies and responsive educational environments, underlining the significance of teacher-student interaction in the new normal of higher education.

This qualitative study unveils the intricate interplay between blended learning, language and literature learning, internationalization, and the development of 21st century skills within the realm of higher education. Set against the backdrop of the environment of St. Michael's College in Iligan City, this exploration seeks to unravel the profound significance and transformative implications of these educational dimensions. By delving into the rich perspectives and experiences of 30 college students, this study addresses critical gaps in the literature and sheds light on the potential of these integrated elements. Guided by a robust theoretical framework that amalgamates renowned scholars' insights on blended learning, language acquisition, internationalization, and 21st century skills, the study employs a qualitative research design, employing interviews, observations, and document analysis. The findings illuminate the dynamic nature of blended learning, empowering students with enhanced engagement, flexibility, and accessibility in language and literature education. The incorporation of diverse literary texts and cultural perspectives fosters intercultural competence and global awareness. Moreover, the study underscores the cultivation of critical 21st century skills through immersive learning experiences. Drawing upon the insights gained, the study provides practical recommendations for educators and curriculum designers to harness the potential of blended learning, foster diversity in literary texts, and facilitate the application of 21st century skills. Recognizing the inherent limitations, including the specific context of St. Michael's College and the modest sample size, this study encourages future research to explore broader contexts and diverse participant cohorts. Overall, this illuminating study contributes to the scholarly discourse on integrating blended learning, language and literature learning, internationalization, and 21st century skills in college education. It beckons educators and policymakers to embark on a transformative journey, nurturing an enlightened future where students are equipped with the competencies to navigate the complexities of the 21st century.

The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education area require the application of new active methodologies in the classroom that place the student at the center of his or her learning process. In the present work we analyze the application of a Service-Learning methodology in the context of a Final Degree Dissertation (FDD) in the degree in Environmental Sciences at the University of Extremadura (Spain). The project deals with an isolated Kichwa community in Ecuador and involves the development of alternative science education materials for the capacitation of in-service science teachers. This paper evaluates how an FDD carried out according to self-learning (SL) principles can help in the acquisition of so-called soft skills and how these can be focused in the promotion of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) knowledge and achievement. To this end, a qualitative study of the experience and a deep evaluation, followed by a final reflection, were carried out. According to the preliminary results, we can conclude that Higher Education should include SDGs in its teaching praxis and could do this successfully using the SL methodology.

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 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.

With limited state budget, developed nation public higher education have increased their fees making education expensive for most developing nation students. Some developing nations have set up regional low-cost education hubs to attract developed nation universities to offer their reputable degree programs. However, the intense competition for student enrolment in both has led to the marketisation of education. Students as paying customers need to experience satisfying stress-free teaching and learning to sustain enrolment. With employers increasingly unhappy with the quality of human capital, has the marketisation of higher education led to nominal human capital development? Can substantive human capital be developed in the new normal of marketisation of higher education? An adaptation of randomised control trials was used to measure learning outcomes desired by future employers for two teaching and learning approaches namely students as customers (n=497) and employers as customers (n=355). Findings show both approaches have good learning outcomes with the latter generally more superior. However, the former leads to nominal learning outcomes. This research extends the literature on achieving substantive learning outcomes conducive to employability. Implications for student satisfaction, lecturer professionalism, employability and quality assurance are discussed.

Pedagogic Conversational Agents (PCAs) are interactive systems that engage the student in a dialogue to teach some domain. They can have the role of teacher, student, or companion, and adopt several shapes. In our previous work, a significant increase of students’ performance when learning programming was found when using PCAs in the teacher role. However, it is not common to find PCAs used in the classrooms. In this paper, it is explored whether teachers would accept PCAs to teach programming better if co-designed with them. An experiment with 35 pre-service Primary Education teachers was carried out during the 2021/2022 academic year to co-design a robotic PCA to teach programming. The experience validates the idea that involving the teachers in the design of the PCA facilitates that they integrate this technology in their classrooms. 97% of the pre-service teachers answered in a survey that they believed that the robot PCA could help children to learn programming and 80% answered that they would like to use them in their classrooms.

(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.

Attracting and retaining international students has been widely discussed in higher education settings. Increasing the number of international students has become an indispensable strategy for national and global competition. This study focuses on effective strategies and international students' issues regarding satisfaction in the most popular STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs. We designed a structural equation modeling (SEM) method to determine the effect of institutional mediation between push factors and satisfaction factors for the development of better strategies by which to attract and retain international students. Taking Taiwan as an example, this study employed a self-designed questionnaire to collect data: 485 degree-seeking international students in STEM programs were invited and successfully participated in this study during spring 2021. IBM SPSS 26 and AMOS 26 (Analysis of Moment Structure) were used to carry out the data analysis. We employed reliability, factor, and SEM analyses. This study assumed that the impact of push factors can be modified by institutional situations and result in international students’ satisfaction with their learning and environment and regarding migration policy. The results revealed that the predictors, mediation, and criteria were significant at the 0.05 or 0.01 levels. The findings suggest that push factors impact international students’ satisfaction when using institutional leadership and international strategy. The results of the bootstrap with a generalized least square method showed that the SEM model fit in 2000 bootstrap samples. The effect of institutional mediation can provide useful information for STEM programs to boost their future recruitment and retention strategies. This study provides an innovative approach to the detection of issues among international students in specific programs. These findings can enrich our knowledge regarding attracting and retaining global students in higher education settings.

(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.

Keywords: Academic Trends; Energy Consumption; Higher Education Institutions; Systematic Literature Review; Scholarly output; University buildings

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.

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.

This paper examines the learning experience of an inter-faculty higher education course conducted in an expanded remote format, using digital space as facilitator. The study focuses on the implementation of personalized education, a pedagogical approach that emphasizes the diversification of resources, strategies, and actions to empower learners in assigning personal value and meaning to their learning journey. By presenting an action research project, this study highlights the pivotal role of personalized education in guiding the course design. To foster an engaging learning environment, the course incorporated open activities and leveraged tools and platforms of the social web. Through these means, the participants, forming a community of practice, were able to collaboratively generate knowledge before, during, and after synchronous sessions. Furthermore, the participants effectively disseminated this knowledge through networks and engaged in discussions with external stakeholders. The study underscores how personalized education facilitates situated and meaningful learning by fostering expanded, flexible, and distributed experiences. These experiences revolve around a transmedia narrative that seamlessly integrates digital culture into learning opportunities and processes, effectively naturalizing its presence. The results highlight the value of personalized education approaches in adapting to the complexities of the digital age and establishing meaningful learning experiences for students.

Providing safely-managed sanitation/hygiene requires key competencies for education, training, service delivery, enterprise development and management, product and infrastructure design and development, construction and installation, governance, financing, research, etc. These strategic sanitation capacities will have to be built from higher education’s academic and professional programmes structured and designed to produce skilled and knowledgeable professionals and practitioners. This study aims to investigate the quality of the sanitation/hygiene management content of Environmental Health programmes; the adequacy of the existing central curricula; and the perception of environmental health sanitation/hygiene-trained professionals to determine the next phase for building knowledge and capacity of sanitation professionals in Nigeria through higher education institutions. A multilevel mixed method concurrent study was used for sampling and data collection with a multilevel perception analysis to examine the perceptions of students, lecturers and graduate alumni as well as employers/supervisors and clients/service-users of sanitation/hygiene related graduates. The main findings of this paper show limited understanding of the concepts of contemporary issues of sanitation/hygiene management; the central/national teaching and curricula were found to be seriously out of date; and clients/service-users were dissatisfied with the skills and knowledge levels of the graduates. The study concludes by recommending a national sanitation management higher education pathway to guide the provision of integrated sanitation/hygiene management education at higher education institutions (HEIs), to build effective, efficient, competent, and sufficient workforce for the country.

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.

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.

The emotional dimension in education has become increasingly important in recent decades. Enhancing the emotional dimension of prospective teachers in science subjects is higher education stuff responsibility. The implementation of active methodologies could modify the traditional student-teacher roles that are encouraged by the educational policies implemented in the Bologna Process. The principal aim of this work is to describe a Project Based Learning methodology and to introduce it as potential resource for the emotional and cognitive improvement of 19 prospective primary teachers enrolled in a scientific subject. This is a qualitative study with a transversal sustainability approach in the context of a research line focused on Higher Education for Sustainable Development. A questionnaire was designed and filled by the students at two different times, before and after implementation of the activity. The initial feedback from students was surprisingly enthusiastic by the fact that they were working with rockets, despite of this is not a common emotion in the science field. The results show the emotional improvement of prospective teachers after the implementation. It is concluded that a correct science education is necessary during the training of teachers taking into account their emotional dimension and the social repercussion due to the future transmission.

The sustainable development of our world has gain particular attention of a wide range of decisional factors, civil society, business sector, and scientific community, seeing that the prosperity of people and society is possible with the aid of sustained and inclusive economic growth of all countries and regions. Educational environment has a decisive impact on changes in the way that societies are coping with national, regional, and global challenges and opportunities brought by sustainable development. Looking at the implications of HE on the progress of society, the paper addressed the lack of HE institutional capacity to integrate the principles and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. The scope of research problem was bounded on the capability of HEI as organization and school to act as entrepreneurial university by combining the scope of its responsibility within the value chain through a practical and effective mechanism needed to align the strategy with sustainable development goals (SDGs). Embarking on the path of SDGs requires HEI to design, launch, implement, and customize specific processes architectures to govern the advance of sustainability approach. The authors applied the process scoping diagram to capture and conceptualize the educational model needed to guide the HEI through the process of change to embrace sustainability into organizational culture and daily operations. It has been used the SIPOC method (Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer) with Visio software tool to articulate processes relationships embedded in the educational model of HEI. The benefits relied on the organized view of the work processes needed to be performed to incorporate SDGs into the strategy of any entrepreneurial HEI. Finally, the authors shared their views on the scalability of the model which may be customized and harmonized in accordance with different HE circumstances and priorities. Implementing the proposed educational model requires long-term institutional commitment, transparency, continuous performance improvement, and communicating the strategy for SDGs and its achievements to wider stakeholders.

In the context of the Education-2030 Framework for Action, an important goal for initial STEM teacher education is to provide professional development on equality and gender awareness. This study explored whether STEM prospective secondary teachers are prepared to implement a sustainable gender-sensitive practice upon graduation. To this end, we cross-culturally validated the TEGEP (Teacher Self-Efficacy for Gender Equality practice) scale and compared STEM student teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy by country and sex. Participants were 205 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) secondary school student teachers (136 Greek and 69 Spanish) drawn from seven public universities (six Greek, one Spanish). Statistical analysis confirmed the structure and factor invariance of the TEGEP across country and between sexes showing evidence that gender equality self-efficacy level is only moderate and that perceived competence in gender knowledge was significantly higher in Greek than in Spanish STEM student teachers, while the latter felt more competent than the Greek in developing values and attitudes in regards to gender. The study provides a cross-validated instrument to measure gender equality self-efficacy in STEM teacher education and evaluate sustainable changes after planned interventions.

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the worst catastrophes that we have faced globally in recent years. It has not only taken its toll on the economic sector but also on the education sector. The social distancing norms that are in place as a direct response to the pandemic have turned conventional classroom teaching into a problematic minefield; as such, students all over the world have been forced into unprecedented situations that have served only to worsen the situation. The current pandemic has given rise to one of the worst crises the 21^st Century has ever seen, resulting in a surge of unemployment. Many companies have taken the route of firing employees or making redundancies, as they cannot afford the monthly reimbursement for staff. While this issue primarily concerns full-time workers, it also carries significant consequences for students – a considerable number of students are required to earn their daily living costs, and, without a job, they cannot pay their educational fees, accommodation costs, or living expenses. This comprehensive study briefly discusses the multitude of problems faced by students in the UK regarding higher education, as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic. It contains six individual sections: a detailed introduction; the methodological procedures employed; educational disruptions, covering issues from hindrances in field research to examinations and student evaluations; personal problems experienced by students, such as accommodation and loss of income; concerns arising from the global pandemic; and finally, a conclusion and summary of the study’s findings.

Open Education, Open Educational Practices (OEP), and Open Educational Resources (OER) have emerged as significant opportunities for enhancing global sustainability information sharing. However, the creation and sharing of OER, as well as the usage of OEP in Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD), remain limited. This study explores the implementation of OEP in HESD, aiming to empower students to co-produce OER on Sustainable Development (SD). This study, drawing on the theoretical approach of the principle of constructive alignment, proposes the development of students’ digital competence in OER production. A two-group pre-test post-test analysis of 409 students (Psychology, Economics, Education, Geography) reveals a significant increase in digital competence over time among students who produced OER on SD, compared to their peers enrolled in courses unrelated to OER content development. We delve into the practical implications for designing OEP in HESD and strategize to support students in their OER production processes.

Abstract Universities have the potential, and the responsibility, to take on more ecological and relational approaches to facilitating learning-based change in times of interconnected socio-ecological crises. Signs for a transition towards these more regenerative approaches of higher education (RHE) that include more place-based, ecological, and relational, ways of educating can already be found in niches across Europe (see for example the proliferation of education-based living labs, field labs, challenge labs). In this paper, the results of a podcast-based inquiry into the design practices and barriers of enacting such forms of RHE are shown. This study revealed seven educational practices that occurred across the innovation niches. It is important to note these practices are enacted in different ways, or are locally nested in unique expressions, For example, while the ‘practice’ of Cultivating Personal Transformations was represented across the included cases, the way these transformations were cultivated were unique expressions of each context. These RHE-design practices are derived from twenty-six narrative-based podcasts as interviews recorded in the April through June 2021 period. The resulting podcast (The Regenerative Education Podcast) was published on all major streaming platforms from October 2021 and included 21 participants active in Dutch Universities, 1 in Sweden, 1 in Germany, 1 in France, and 3 primarily online. Each episode engages with a leading practitioner, professor, teacher, and/or activist that is trying to connect their educational practice to making the world a more equitable, sustainable, and regenerative place. The episodes ranged from 30 to 70 minutes in total length and included both English (14) and Dutch (12) interviews. These episodes were analyzed through transition mapping a method based on story analysis and transition design. The results include seven design practices such as Cultivating Personal Transformations, Nurturing Ecosystems of Support, and Tackling Relevant and Urgent Transition Challenges, as well as a preliminary design tool that educational teams can use together with students and local agents in (re)designing their own RHE to connect their educational praxis with transition challenges.

Chatbots have gained widespread popularity for their task automation capabilities and consistent availability in various domains, including education. However, their ability to adapt to the continuously evolving and dynamic nature of knowledge is limited. This research investigates the implementation of an internet wizard to enhance the knowledge base of an open-domain question-answering chatbot. The proposed approach leverages search engines, particularly Google, and its features, including feature snippets, knowledge graph, and organic search, in conjunction with data science and natural language models. This mechanism empowers the chatbot to dynamically access the extensive and up-to-date knowledge available on the web, enabling the provision of real-time and pertinent answers to user queries sourced from web documents. A pilot study in a higher education context evaluated the chatbot's mechanism and features, confirming its proficiency in generating responses across a broad range of educational and non-educational topics. Positive feedback and high user satisfaction validate these findings. Notably, the chatbot's dynamic feature of retrieving related or follow-up questions from search engines significantly enhances student engagement and facilitates exploration of supplementary information beyond the curriculum.

This paper used the decolonial theory to analyse provision of Assistive Technology and assistive devices at an institution of higher education in South African. It was an empirical study, in which data were collected through interviews with students with disabilities and the Disability Rights Centre staff members. The paper sought to understand the invisible hidden implications of provision of Assistive Technology and assistive devices. The finding was that it is students with disabilities who were provided with Assistive Technology and assistive devices at the institution. The institution provided them through the Centre, to support their learning. However, this way of provision was found to be stigmatising and segregative. Furthermore, while the provision on one hand enabled students with disabilities’ learning, on the other, it constrained it. The argument of the paper is that when provision of Assistive Technology and assistive devices is for a particular group of students it defeats the whole purpose for it is intended, and could hinder rather than promote learning. It is hoped that the paper will contribute to contemporary debate on provision of Assistive Technology and support services for people with disabilities in low resource settings, from a South African context specifically, and in higher education broadly.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created big challenges and opportunities in Higher Education (HE). In this situation, several universities worldwide have responded with digital methods and hybrid classes in a short period of time. The aim of this paper is to show how the universities have adapted teaching methods to digital platforms in the academic year 2020–21. This case study is based on the experience of 37 postgraduate communication students in the course Business and Communication from a Communication Programme. The objective of this course was to promote the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) in business and following the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) of the United Nations. To do this, the students provided different solutions related to the SDGs and developed a communication strategy to inform and engage the stakeholders in the companies analyzed in a hybrid class. The results show that using this methodology and working in digital platforms, students have learned the importance of SDGs through implementing specific solutions linked to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Based on this analysis, they also developed a communication strategy showing how companies can improve society with specific actions through the lens of the SDG perspective.

This work aims to integrate the circular economy (CE) into learning experiences to enhance learning outcome development in Higher Education (HE). Building on existing active learning research, this work aligns CE initiatives—particularly waste reduction and elimination— with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study proposes an experiential learning framework to cultivate citizenship commitment, sustainability impact, and engineering learning outcomes through realistic problem-solving in the supply chains of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Using the ADDIE instructional design model and Kolb’s experiential learning cycle, the approach is illustrated in a case study within an undergraduate industrial engineering module. Based on student opinion surveys and achievement metrics, results indicate that the experience significantly enhanced student engagement and motivation. This research contributes to the broader dissem-ination of CE concepts in HE and supports the advancement of SDG #4 Quality Education and #12 Sustainable Consumption and Production. Future research will explore the application of this learning experience across diverse industries and assess its impact on student learning outcomes in various educational contexts.

The quality of education in Bangladeshi universities has long been a topic of concern, yet comprehensive studies on its statistical impact remain limited. This research aims to assess the current state of education quality in Bangladeshi higher education institutions using secondary data from national surveys, academic reports, and global rankings. A variety of statistical methods are employed to identify key factors influencing educational outcomes, including faculty-to-student ratios, infrastructure, research output, and employability of graduates. The findings reveal significant disparities in academic standards across public and private universities, highlighting challenges such as inadequate funding, lack of modern teaching practices, and low research productivity. This study provides data-driven insights and recommendations for policymakers and educators to enhance the quality of university education in Bangladesh, with the ultimate goal of aligning it with global standards.

In this digital era, online learning and teaching is an important platform for college and university learners which required many technical facilities and in depth knowledge to have learning process effectively. Students and teachers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were forced to grapple with the inevitability of shifting to online classes due to the advantages of effective distance learning or for large learning group. In the case of Oman, there have been some efforts to integrate alternative learning mechanisms such as online and mobile education in the past but not followed the scale in the post pandemic world. This study seeks to utilize the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) through the implementation of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as a way to better understand the experiences of Omani teachers and students from HEIs. A voice of customer from teachers and students have been collected and recorded. In this regard, 165 staff and 355 students from HEIs of Engineering participated in the survey. After the survey, a house of quality analysis was done to analyze the requirements based on how strongly they are related to the standard learning outcomes expected from HEIs in Oman. The results show that more attention is required in online education in the Sultanate of Oman before it is implemented as a major part in learning and teaching.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In recent years, the use of gamified systems in education has increased due to the growing empirical evidence of their usefulness in improving motivation and participation in learning processes. In order to take advantage of the opportunities for improvement in education presented by gamification, plus the decision to create gamified systems in higher education, this article investigates the willingness of student teachers to learn with gamified systems. The research method is quantitative with validated instruments to measure: 1) student perception of gamification; 2) player profile; and 3) screen time, with an n=569 student teachers from the fifteen regions of Chile. The results show that students prefer to learn with gamified systems than in a traditional way with a significant difference (Wilcoxon z= -18.86, p < 0.01). There are significant positive and negative relationships in correspondence with the Gamer Profile. However, as a finding, a negative relationship was found between the number of hours spent playing video games and the perception of learning through gamified systems. In conclusion, Chilean student teachers present a favorable disposition to teacher training with gamified systems. However, the disposition varies in relation to the number of hours spent playing video games.

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.

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.

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.