Abstract:

The recent pandemic driven by COVID‐19 has not only rewritten the way the world operates but also significantly reshaped higher education, driving a pre‐existing process of digital transformation while encouraging, in totality, a comprehensive review of the traditional model of teaching, learning, and operations in institutions. During this period, access issues on one hand and problems of engagement and resource on the other have persistently raised questions for all institutions that transitioned to remote and hybrid learning systems. This paper reviews, within the context of these changes, how the shift might determine the future of higher education in terms of online learning theoretical perspectives and adaptability in institutions. This paper examines core areas of change from digital learning platforms to support and develop students and faculty, then assesses the potential for more flexible, more accessible, more skills‐focused approaches to higher education.

Abstract: : The architectural artefacts, materials, and techniques for building shelters may have some common properties from the architectural culture that evolved during the human species. This article studied the material features and settlement organisations used by the first human species’ nest-building activities and shelter forms belonging to indigenous people living in sub-Saharan Africa. The article questioned that early modern human species’ unsubstantiated notions of architectural heritage may have been carried out across the nest construction, typological differentiation, material use, and transfer to new generations and habitats. The focus was on the home-based spatial organisation and structure building. We were aware we needed to point out some fundamental misunderstandings regarding the nature of cultural and archaeological taxonomies and the misuse of analogical reasoning when comparing recent hunter-gatherer populations with some hominin groups. The paper aimed to discuss whether that early Homo ‘architecture’ in Africa may have some resemblance features to that of recent or current Africans. The discussion may imply that architectural products used in the settlement remains of early Homo species may have similar characteristics to the huts of the San people living as hunter-gatherers in Sub-Saharan Africa. We thought discussing different human species’ architectural activities was productive as early human species’ architectural understanding and principles may be adapted to current placemaking scenarios, urban design attitudes, and housing models. We think that with further evidence, the basis of the idea may be developed.

Abstract: This paper explores the intersection between Advaita Vedanta's non-dualistic conception of consciousness and the evolving field of quantum physics, offering a dialogue between ancient metaphysical insights and modern scientific thought. Advaita Vedanta, an Indian philosophical tradition, posits that consciousness is the fundamental reality, transcending the material world, which it views as an illusion, or Maya. Similarly, contemporary developments in quantum physics challenge the classical materialistic worldview by revealing that reality, at its most fundamental level, is interconnected, probabilistic, and observer-dependent. This philosophical dialogue aims to bridge these two domains by examining how quantum phenomena, such as wave-particle duality, non-locality, and the observer effect, resonate with Advaita’s concept of Brahman as the ultimate, non-dual consciousness. By exploring parallels between these seemingly disparate fields, this paper questions the limitations of materialistic interpretations of consciousness and proposes that quantum physics could offer a scientific framework to support Advaita’s assertion that consciousness is the substratum of reality. The discussion further investigates how the observer effect in quantum mechanics might align with the Advaitic principle that reality is shaped by consciousness. This study contributes to contemporary debates in the philosophy of mind and philosophy of science by proposing a unified model of consciousness that transcends dualistic divisions between mind and matter, advancing the possibility of a deeper metaphysical understanding of the universe.

Abstract: This article champions a decolonial praxis that seeks to fundamentally reconfigure the moral, organizational, and institutional foundations of the academic research enterprise. Departing from the Eurocentric rationalities and technocratic orientations that have long defined the modern university, this transformative framework centers the marginalized epistemologies and subaltern knowledge systems of the Global South and Indigenous communities. By excavating the complex histories and ongoing legacies of colonial science, the article lays bare the entrenched power hierarchies and epistemic injustices that have systematically suppressed non-Western ways of knowing. In response, it champions a radical pluralism that empowers diverse epistemes as vital sources of insight, resilience, and emancipatory potential essential for navigating our cascading global crises. Beyond the mere valorization of marginalized knowledge systems, the article also catalyzes a profound reconfiguration of the research enterprise's modalities and organizational structures. By championing collaborative, place-based, and community-embedded modes of knowledge co-production, it directly challenges the extractive, exclusionary, and technocratic tendencies of the traditional university model. Ultimately, this decolonial praxis holds the power to catalyze a radical renewal of the social contract linking academic inquiry and societal transformation - unleashing the emancipatory potential of knowledge in service of global justice, ecological regeneration, and collective flourishing.

Abstract: This study explores the impact and significance of implementing a comprehensive education system for children with special needs. The research aims to understand how inclusive practices influence the academic, social, and emotional development of these students. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes case study analysis, reviews of global education models, and theoretical frameworks, the study identifies key strategies for fostering inclusivity. The findings reveal that inclusive education not only enhances academic performance but also promotes social integration and emotional well-being. The analysis compares inclusive practices with traditional special education models and highlights the advantages of equity-driven, accessible learning environments. The study also addresses the challenges faced, such as inadequate resources and the need for continuous teacher training. Recommendations include policy reforms, increased funding, and the adoption of assistive technologies to support diverse learning needs. The research underscores the importance of a collaborative approach involving educators, parents, policymakers, and the community in creating an education system where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Abstract: At a time when George Gallup described public opinion polls as “just out of their swaddling clothes”, Geoffrey Pyke’s 1939 attempt to gauge what ordinary Germans thought about the Nazis – and the prospect of war with Britain, France and Russia – was unprecedented. Without the support or backing of officials in Whitehall, Pyke concocted an ambitious yet breathtakingly simple scheme to dissuade Germany’s leaders that they lacked the popular support required for war. Pyke set out to recruit German-speaking ‘conversationalists’ who would be willing to visit Germany and record the views of ordinary Germans whilst posing as tourists. Paying close attention to the technical innovations pioneered by Gallup’s American Institute of Public Opinion, Pyke carefully crafted the wording and sequence of the questions his pollsters would ask; and gave considerable thought to the range of respondents required to ensure their views would accurately reflect those of the population as a whole. Recognising that evidencing his survey’s validity would be critical to its utility in the subsequent influence operations he had in mind, Pyke even arranged for five of his ‘conversationalists’ to operate independently in the same city for several days (and unbeknownst to one another) to demonstrate the consistency of their findings. Meanwhile, the suitability of potential pollsters was rigorously assessed by a recent German refugee (Rolfe Rünkel) – who ensured that successful applicants could accurately recall not only the questions (which they were required to slip into the conversations they struck up with ordinary Germans), but also the answers to these questions (which could only to be written down afterwards, and in private). Instructed by Pyke to conform to the popular and affectionate German caricature of the eccentric and comfort-obsessed English tourist abroad, Pyke’s amateur pollsters had an unforeseen advantage over their professional counterparts. The necessity of concealing their true identities and intentions gave them licence to contrive a level of rapport that substantially attenuated any recourse to response bias or the vagaries of self-censorship. Indeed, when sharing their views and opinions with these amiable foreigners, it is clear that Pyke’s instructions had a disarming effect on a good many of the Germans they approached – making them much more willing to share what they actually thought. Although Pyke’s 10 amateur pollsters managed to complete 232 interviews in 14 cities during their first 2 weeks in Germany, the success of the scheme was overtaken by events when – on 21^st August 1939 – they witnessed first-hand the dramatic shift in public opinion that took place when news leaked of the impending Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Forced to abandon any further survey work, they were lucky to escape home before the outbreak of war 10 days later. Drawing on the detailed accounts provided by David Lampe (1959) and Henry Hemming (2014) – and on archive material held by the University of Cambridge – this presentation assesses the success of Pyke’s unique experiment in covert sentiment analysis and what this might tell us about: the prospects for peace in 1939; and how we might strengthen contemporary approaches to influence operations.

Abstract: The main objective of this study was to analyze the sustainability orientation of research models in four public higher education institutions (HEIs) located in the border area between Ecuador and Colombia. Using a previously validated instrument based on the Delphi methodology, data were collected from the heads of the research units of these HEIs. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between the research models of the four institutions and the principles of sustainability in general. However, one institution showed significantly superior performance in the environmental and economic dimensions, suggesting a better integration of sustainability criteria into its research model. The main methodological contribution of this study lies in the comprehensive characterization of HEI research models by assessing multiple indicators in four key dimensions: environmental, social, economic and institutional. This pioneering analysis contributes to the understanding of the integration of sustainability in public HEI research models in a frontier context, a topic scarcely addressed in the specialized literature. The findings have practical implications, providing HEIs with empirical evidence to critically evaluate and improve their research models, aligning their priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Abstract: This paper is a phenomenological qualitative study whose aim is to explore the emotions and experiences to Chat GPT-based integrated control of voice for the English language learning experience of twenty-threeKorean doctoral students. We intend to demonstrate the ways in which three doctoral students were exposed to artificial intelligence-assisted language learning technologies, the ways in which they engaged with it between exposure and emotional attachment, and thus the ways in which they became emotionally tethered to it. These findings show the transition of emotions from uncertainty and hope toward confidence towards the use of AI based technologies in language learning and they stress the significance of appropriate affective design of AI based language technology. The findings make contributions to the L2 writing literature in three significant ways by and large in the ways innovative AI tools modulate the language learning emotions of post-proficient L2 speakers and writers in a university context.

Abstract:

Artificial intelligence is one of the fast-growing fields of science and technology. Exponential growth in AI has increased the number of AI content developers and users significantly, thereby impacting society and its functioning. This research is an attempt to delve deep into the multifaceted nature of AI content and its impact on society. The review aims to shed light on the most critical research articles and papers in the area of ethics of artificial intelligence, machine ethics, and AI-generated content. The authors mean to underline the essential creation of ethical frameworks about AI content production at different levels: journalism, art, and marketing. This also comprises the appeal for transparency during the development and deployment of AI and the requirement of ethics frames that would foster responsible use. Finally, case studies are conducted to illustrate how the formulated guidelines and mechanisms work in real life. It points out, however, that the transference of these high-level AI ethics principles into practice, with a view to their implementation for AI-generated journalism, is not without noteworthy challenges.

Abstract: This article forges an unprecedented synthesis between the realms of spirituality, sustainability, and systems thinking, unveiling a transformative framework for an "integral ecology of innovation." By bridging insights from world wisdom traditions, ecological sciences, and complexity theory, the author presents a radically integrative understanding of the interconnected, sacred nature of human and natural systems. Transcending the fragmented, mechanistic worldviews that have long dominated innovation paradigms, this groundbreaking work illuminates innovative design principles, technological solutions, and collaborative processes that embody reverence for the sacredness of life and the regenerative patterns of the biosphere. The visionary ideas explored here represent a watershed moment in redefining the purpose and practice of innovation to align with humanity's highest spiritual and ecological aspirations.