Search Results (188)

This study, based on engineering education accreditation standards, addresses the supply–demand imbalance in China’s cybersecurity talent cultivation by constructing a sustainable “education-industry-society” collaborative model. Through case studies at Huaihua University and other institutions, employing methods such as literature analysis, field research, and empirical investigation, we systematically explore reform pathways for an innovative cybersecurity talent development system. The research proposes a “three-platform, four-module” practical teaching framework, where the coordinated operation of the basic skills training platform, comprehensive ability development platform, and innovation enhancement platform significantly improves students’ engineering competencies (practical courses account for 41.6% of the curriculum). Findings demonstrate that eight industry-academia practice bases established through deep collaboration effectively align teaching content with industry needs, substantially enhancing students’ innovative and practical abilities (172 national awards, 649 provincial awards). Additionally, the multi-dimensional evaluation mechanism developed in this study enables a comprehensive assessment of students’ professional skills, practical capabilities, and innovative thinking. These reforms have increased the employment rate of cybersecurity graduates to over 90%, providing a replicable solution to China’s talent shortage. The research outcomes offer valuable insights for discipline development under engineering education accreditation and contribute to implementing sustainable development concepts in higher education. Full article

Mental health difficulties in university students are an increasing concern, especially after the COVID-19 global crisis. This study used a cross-sectional design to analyze the effect of psychological factors on students’ psychological well-being. Participants were 190 university students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs at a public university. Based on previous research and grounded theoretical models, a conceptual model was proposed to analyze the influence of affect states/experiences (emotion regulation difficulties, anxiety and depression, perceived stress, self-compassion, gratitude, and satisfaction with life) on psychological well-being, including the indirect effect of emotions (negative emotions, positive activation emotions, self-efficacy emotions, prosocial emotions, and serenity emotions), using a path analysis. Multigroup analyses were also performed to test the moderating effect of gender and education level. Findings indicated that self-efficacy emotions had an indirect effect on the relationship between anxiety and depression, self-compassion, and psychological well-being. Both prosocial and self-efficacy emotions indirectly impacted the relationship between gratitude, satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being. Being a female and a bachelor student played a moderating role in the final model. The findings suggest that psychological interventions focused on self-efficacy and prosocial emotions are needed to increase psychological well-being in university students. Full article

As the wood and furniture industry moves towards the vision of Industry 5.0, a major challenge remains addressing the lack of competencies. This study examines the self-perceived digital and sustainability competencies of 433 final year students at different levels of wood science and technology education in Slovenia and compares them with the expectations of 28 industry stakeholders. Using the established competency frameworks of DigComp and GreenComp, which represent generic competencies, as well as 24 profession-specific competencies related to digitalization and sustainability, the study uses survey data analysis to identify possible discrepancies. The results suggest that students’ self-assessment increases only slightly with increasing educational level, while the expectations of industry stakeholders increase significantly more, leading to notable discrepancies. At the secondary level, stakeholders place greater emphasis on developing students’ generic digital and sustainability competencies, while at the tertiary level, they place increasing importance on profession-specific competencies. It is worth noting that some stakeholders assessed certain competencies as not required for graduates on certain level of education. The study highlights the need for coherent and vertically aligned curriculum structures that reflect evolving competency expectations at all qualification levels. The study shows several areas in which the discrepancy between students’ self-assessments and the expectations of industry stakeholders is particularly pronounced. It highlights the need to better align educational content with the needs identified by industry stakeholders, while recognizing the role of wider social partnership in curriculum development. Such alignment and collaboration is essential to equip graduates with the competencies they need to make a meaningful contribution to the digital and sustainable transformation of the wood and furniture sector. Full article

The increasing flexibility and rapid, profound changes in the labor market require employability skills from graduates, dem1anding greater attention from higher education institutions to training opportunities that foster the development of these skills among their students. Using a sample of 373 first-year engineering students, this study analyzed, through regression analysis, the impact of sociodemographic (gender, age), academic (work, program choice, average grade), and psychological (life satisfaction, perseverance of effort, consistency of interests) variables on students’ confidence in achieving their professional career project after completing their degree. The results indicate that women and younger students show lower levels of confidence in achieving their future vocational projects, as do students with lower academic performance and those with less consistency in their interests. These findings suggest the need for specialized support services for students, starting from the first year, in career development provided by higher education institutions. Full article

Background and Objective: Despite growing emphasis on quality and safety in healthcare, there remains a limited understanding of how Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QI/PS) training for health workers has evolved in response to global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan. This rapid scoping review aimed to not only identify existing curricula but also uncover trends, innovation gaps, and global inequities in QI/PS education—providing timely insights for reshaping future training strategies. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Scopus for English-language studies published between January 2020 and April 2024, describing QI and/or PS curricula across graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education levels. All healthcare worker groups were eligible, with no geographic limitations. Two reviewers conducted independent screening and data extraction; a third verified the results. Results: Among 3290 records, 74 curricula met inclusion criteria, with a majority originating from the US (58, 78.4%) and targeting physicians—especially residents and fellows (43/46, 93.5%). Only 27% of curricula were multidisciplinary. While traditional didactic (66.2%) and interactive (73%) approaches remained prevalent, curricula launched after 2020 introduced novel formats such as Massive Open Online Courses and gamification, with long-term programs uniformly leveraging web-based platforms. Common thematic content included Root Cause Analysis, Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, QI tools, communication skills, and incident reporting. English-language peer-reviewed published literature indicated a marked lack of structured QI/PS training in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Conclusions: This review reveals both an uneven development and fragmentation in global QI/PS training efforts, alongside emerging opportunities catalyzed by digital transformation and pandemic-era innovation. The findings highlight a critical gap: while interest in QI/PS is growing, scalable, inclusive, and evidence-based curricula remain largely concentrated in a few high-income countries. By mapping these disparities and innovations, this review provides actionable direction for advancing more equitable and modern QI/PS education worldwide, whilst showcasing the need to systematically delve into QI/PS training in underrepresented regions. Full article

Background: Healthcare is a dynamic environment for nurses, with early career nurses (ECNs) needing to adapt and learn while also meeting care demands. Effective support systems, mentorship, and continuous professional development are vital in facilitating their transition while navigating competing demands. The aim of this study is to interpret and understand the meaning of ECNs’ professional experiences four years after completing their bachelor’s degree in Australia. Method: A qualitative descriptive design using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used as part of a longitudinal study. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted among twenty-five ECNs between 2022 and 2024 using purposive sampling to recruit ECNs who had graduated four years ago. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data while adhering to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines. Results: Four themes emerged among participants, which encompassed professional growth and unwavering commitment, ongoing professional adaptability, feeling stuck with limited choices, and continual learning amid career challenges and personal life demands. Conclusions: Change is needed to ensure professional learning becomes a shared responsibility among policy makers and healthcare leaders and to ensure that professional learning leads to more nurses taking up further study, thus increasing the safety and quality of care delivered in the healthcare environment. Full article

Knowledge and problem-solving approaches that span disciplinary boundaries and involve diverse communities are foundational aspects of transdisciplinarity. Transdisciplinary approaches in research efforts are needed to address complex problems of global importance. At the same time education systems should be preparing graduates to enter the workforce with complex problem-solving skills. Students need to have learning experiences that allow for the acquisition of cross-disciplinary systematic reasoning if they are expected to engage in addressing these complex problems. Recent reports have underscored the need to create university structures and incentives that allow for dynamic and responsive approaches to this global need for transdisciplinary discovery and learning efforts; however, little is known about the efficacy of the approaches and models that have been implemented to create large-scale change in higher education and how they help in achieving transdisciplinary goals. Through an ethnographic case study analysis, this paper examines how a faculty-led community of practice model is being used to build transdisciplinary research capacity and transdisciplinary curricula at a Research I university. Given the unique nature of this transdisciplinary community of practice model, this qualitative and descriptive study sought to examine what elements of the model facilitated faculty participation in transdisciplinary research and curricular efforts. More specifically, this study intended to respond to recent calls to better understand the systematic approach that would need to be employed by higher education institutions if they are adequately engaging faculty in addressing complex problems in their research efforts, as well as engaging faculty in the adequate development of the future workforce through pedagogical transdisciplinary approaches. The findings indicate that the transdisciplinary community of practice model is useful for initially motivating and incentivizing faculty participation. The results also indicate that the inclusive internal support networks that were part of the model facilitated faculty engagement. Full article

(1) Objective: This study aims to investigate how transitional housing and the FCBP programme function as infrastructure for improving mental health and building family capacity among low-income households in Hong Kong, introducing the Urban Graduation Approach, adapted from the rural Graduation Approach, as an adaptation of proven poverty-alleviation strategies to urban contexts. (2) Methods: We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 residents of transitional housing participating in the Family Capacity Building Planner (FCBP) programme, an important component of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Trust-Initiated Project—JC PROJECT LIFT in uplifting residents and enhancing their overall well-being, analysing their experiences through thematic analysis focused on housing transitions, service utilisation, and well-being outcomes. (3) Results: Transitional housing provides essential infrastructure for improving residents’ well-being through both physical improvements and integrated support services. Participants reported significant mental health benefits, with reductions in stress and anxiety directly attributed to increased living space, improved privacy, and better environmental conditions. The FCBP programme functions as soft infrastructure that enables residents to access support networks, enhance family relationships, develop employment skills, and build self-efficacy. Together, these interventions address the multidimensional challenges of urban poverty while fostering sustainable improvements in residents’ capacity to achieve housing security and economic stability. (4) Conclusions: The integration of transitional housing with capacity-building services demonstrates the effectiveness of the Urban Graduation Approach in addressing urban poverty. This model highlights the importance of viewing housing not merely as a physical shelter but as a comprehensive infrastructure for well-being that combines spatial improvements with targeted social support. Policy implications include the need for the continued development of integrated housing models and the scaling of successful elements to broader social housing programmes. Full article

Structural competency (SC) is a framework that assists clinicians in naming and analyzing the structural drivers that fundamentally contribute to morbidity and mortality. Undergraduate and graduate medical education is grounded in the experiential learning model where trainees learn through supervised, hands-on, real-world training and caring for patients within hospital and clinic settings. However, our present-day clinical settings fail to create a learning environment in which SC skills can be effectively taught and operationalized. The SC framework is designed to engender praxis, but to make this move upstream, healthcare institutions and medical education leaders need to do more to adapt their learning environment. We posit five elements and associated key actions that are essential to an SC learning environment: (1) the structural analysis of institutional policies and practices; (2) academic freedom and interdisciplinary discourse; (3) redefining medical education standards and metrics; (4) collective action to drive effect change; and (5) community integration and accountability. Full article

With the appearance of Industry 4.0, the need for highly competent professionals in disruptive technologies and emerging intelligent computing is undeniable. In this way, education plays a crucial role in the success of sustainable development initiatives, as it must effectively integrate innovative practices, knowledge assurance, and new technologies. Thus, educational institutions must adjust the contents of their study plans to ensure that their graduates can successfully integrate into this constantly evolving work environment. In this paper, we present a study that identified how students at a computing research center perceived the relevance of the competencies and skills acquired during their studies to face the challenges of Industry 4.0. A survey was designed with 29 questions applied to a sample of 112 students of the Centro de Investigación en Computación, IPN. The results were analyzed statistically, and an inferential analysis concluded that the research hypothesis must be accepted. This study contributes to the global discussion on sustainable educational systems (SDG 4), demonstrating that student perception of their competencies for Industry 4.0 is mediated by integrating ethical and environmental principles in the curricula, a critical factor in Latin American contexts. Full article

Students who enter higher education as independent students do not bring with them the financial and familial support that their dependent counterparts experience. When these needs are not met, their likelihood of graduating is decreased. One method that has shown promise for addressing support that promotes belonging and well-being is peer mentorship. The following study presents data collected from students at a western, urban, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) who participated in a program designed for supporting financial, academic, and emotional needs of independent students. A community based participatory research (CBPR) framework was implemented to design the peer mentorship model, develop the evaluation plan, complete data collection and analysis, and guide dissemination. We used a mixed methods design collecting both survey and listening tour data simultaneously regarding students’ support networks, sense of belonging, and perspectives of the peer mentoring model. While the evidence for the efficacy of peer mentorship is abundant, the inclusion of a CBPR framework in higher education has not been well explored. Key findings demonstrated that the use of a CBPR framework for development and evaluation of peer mentoring increased the mentor’s sense of belonging and increased engagement with their community. Similarly, mentees identified that peer mentorship increased their sense of belonging, particularly when their mentor had a shared identity, beyond that of student, that allowed for an unspoken understanding of lived experience. Recommendations for higher education to support the emotional well-being and sense of belonging among independent students will be presented. Full article

This study presents a needs analysis for creating a PhD in Sciences concatenated with the Professional Master’s in Landscape and Rural Tourism at the Colegio de Postgraduados, Mexico. Using a qualitative approach based on documentary analysis and the mapping of 24 PhD programs across Mexico (8), Ibero-America (8), and North America/Europe (8), the research identified a gap in postgraduate education. The comparative analysis revealed that existing programs focus primarily on either conservation or territorial planning, rarely integrating rural tourism perspectives. Key findings show that Ibero-American programs emphasize natural resource management and flexible curricula, while North American and European programs offer approaches in landscape governance but lack rural tourism integration. Based on these findings, five fundamental training axes were defined: (1) research methodology, (2) conservation and management of natural resources, (3) territorial planning and rural development, (4) rural landscape economy, and (5) interdisciplinary approaches. The proposed program seeks to strengthen applied scientific training while responding to Mexico’s educational system transformations. This concatenated PhD will contribute to generating innovative knowledge for sustainable rural landscape development, consolidating CP as a reference institution in this emerging field. Full article

Background/Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, emphasizing the critical need for the accurate classification of precancerous polyps. This research presents an extensive analysis of the multiclassification framework leveraging various deep learning (DL) architectures for the automated classification of colorectal polyps from colonoscopy images. Methods: The proposed methodology integrates real-time data for training and utilizes a publicly available dataset for testing, ensuring generalizability. The real-time images were cautiously annotated and verified by a panel of experts, including post-graduate medical doctors and gastroenterology specialists. The DL models were designed to categorize the preprocessed colonoscopy images into four clinically significant classes: hyperplastic, serrated, adenoma, and normal. A suite of state-of-the-art models, including VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, DenseNet121, EfficientNetV2, InceptionNetV3, Vision Transformer (ViT), and the custom-developed CRP-ViT, were trained and rigorously evaluated for this task. Results: Notably, the CRP-ViT model exhibited superior capability in capturing intricate features, achieving an impressive accuracy of 97.28% during training and 96.02% during validation with real-time images. Furthermore, the model demonstrated remarkable performance during testing on the public dataset, attaining an accuracy of 95.69%. To facilitate real-time interaction and clinical applicability, a user-friendly interface was developed using Gradio, allowing healthcare professionals to upload colonoscopy images and receive instant classification results. Conclusions: The CRP-ViT model effectively predicts and categorizes colonoscopy images into clinically relevant classes, aiding gastroenterologists in decision-making. This study highlights the potential of integrating AI-driven models into routine clinical practice to improve colorectal cancer screening outcomes and reduce diagnostic variability. Full article

This study explores the impact of educational technology on student success within higher education institutions (HEIs). Faced with pressures to improve enrollment, retention, and graduation rates, HEIs have increasingly turned to technology solutions. This article examines a pilot initiative at a large midwestern university, which implemented a collaborative studying software platform across multiple campuses. The research employed a Strategic Academic Research and Development (SARD) framework, triangulating data sources, methods, and interpreters to assess the effectiveness of the technology in improving student outcomes. This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Quantitative data included pass rates, grade-point averages, instructor fidelity, and software usage metrics, analyzed using Chi-square tests, analysis of variance, and linear mixed-effects models. Qualitative data were gathered from instructor reflections and student surveys, providing insights into changes in student engagement and performance. Pass rates and average GPAs increased following the intervention, but gains were similar across usage levels. Instructor fidelity was significantly associated with student performance, and results varied by discipline and campus, emphasizing the importance of context. This study also revealed challenges related to student adoption and instructor engagement with the technology. Overall, the findings suggest that while educational technology can enhance student success, its effectiveness depends on thoughtful integration and continuous assessment. The SARD framework proved valuable in guiding the evaluation process, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and collaborative approaches to educational technology assessment. Full article

There is 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 a responsibility to support and promote these goals and to prepare students for the complex challenges they will face as future leaders. The SDG framework helps students understand SDGs, but special competencies are necessary to address them effectively. Sustainability competencies (SCs) impart the personal/emotional development missing from current programming, but higher education institutions (HEIs) have been reluctant to introduce them into their curricula. Meanwhile, graduating students are ill-prepared for the complex problems, such as sustainability, that they will face as new managers and leaders. Our research question focused on identifying essential evidence that would support the implementation of SCs in HEIs. Our purpose was to raise awareness of the need for action in improving sustainability education and to assist in moving the issue forward. To enhance reading, we purposefully included multiple sections that capture and highlight the essential information. We employed a scoping review (SR) to scope out the relevant literature that supported a credible model for SCs and determine whether consensus was evident among scholars for such a model. Contrary to a commonly expressed theme in the literature, the results revealed that scholarly opinion had converged around a framework proposed by Wiek, Withycombe and Redman in 2011 and their 2021 update. A thematic analysis identified the key barriers preventing integration in HEIs, including the absence of a comprehensive policy to direct the implementation and sustain the change. We discuss these barriers and how they may be addressed. Integrating SCs into ME responds to SDG 4 (quality education). The results are intended to generate action regarding the need to integrate SCs in ME—sooner rather than later. The conclusions drawn respond to SDG 4 (quality education). The study serves to increase awareness of the issues and barriers preventing the much-needed transformation of ME in HEIs and stimulate discussion and potential action. Further research may involve a systematic review to inform much-needed policy and implementation. Full article