Search Results (3)

Since its conceptualization in 2008, blockchain technology has advanced rapidly and been applied in multiple domains. In higher education, blockchain can be applied to develop ICT systems that can revolutionize student accreditation through certificate verification and micro-accreditations, which represent skills and other learning outcomes, in the form of digital/smart badges. While there are multiple studies that highlight the significance of blockchain in higher education and propose digital systems, few of those studies include the evaluation of such proposed systems by real users. As such, the research question of how useful a higher education blockchain system would be for its relevant stakeholders remains largely unanswered. In the research publication at hand, a blockchain-powered higher education platform was applied in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens, where it was used and evaluated by students and professors at the school. The evaluation of the platform was positive, and participants found that the smart badge functionality was among the most useful. Finally, the execution and evaluation of the pilot led to several lessons learned and policy recommendations towards dealing with existing barriers and further promoting blockchain in higher education. Full article

Silicon is a worthy substitute anode material for lithium-ion batteries because it offers high theoretical capacity and low working potentials vs. Li⁺/Li. However, immense volume changes and the low intrinsic conductivity of Si hampers its practical applications. In this study, nano/micro silicon particles are achieved by ball milling silicon mesh powder as a scalable process. Subsequent metal (Cu/Fe/Mn) doping into nano/micro silicon by low-temperature annealing, followed by high-temperature annealing with graphite, gives a metal-doped silicon/graphite composite. The obtained composites were studied as anodes for Li-ion batteries, and they delivered high reversible capacities of more than 1000 mAh g⁻¹ with improved Li⁺ diffusion properties. The full cells from these composite anodes vs. LiCoO₂ cathodes delivered suitable energy densities for Li⁺ storage applications. The enhanced electrochemical properties are accredited to the synergistic effect of metal doping and graphite addition to silicon and exhibit potential for suitable Li⁺ energy storage applications. Full article

Achieving the Saudi Kingdom’s vision 2030 in the higher education sector requires higher education institutions to make a significant simultaneous change in their current practices. This encompasses the transitioning of government-funded educational institutions to be financially independent. Therefore, a prompt, agile transition is required while maintaining a positive socioeconomic impact, entrepreneurship and innovation, and high-quality education. This necessitates the transition to lean processes and the review of current practices. One of the most vital processes in educational institutions is student admission/enrollment capacity planning. This study puts forward a capacity planning decision support system (DSS)-based framework for university student enrollment. The framework was applied to the case of KAU, where current practice and challenges are presented, and from which data were collected. A top-down/bottom-up approach was followed and applied using the goal programming technique and a developed mathematical model, respectively. Results show that the proposed framework effectively affects student admission/enrollment capacity planning on strategic and operational levels. Moreover, it can be used in other planning aspects of higher education in universities, such as human resources planning, teaching load planning, faculty-to-student ratios, accreditation, quality requirements, lab capacity planning, equipment/teaching aids procurement, and financial planning, to mention a few. The implications of this study include assisting decision-makers in higher education institutions in matching their admission/enrollment capacity of student numbers between the macro-strategic and the micro-operational level. Full article