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Implementing education for sustainable development (SD) into higher education requires curricular changes, embodying various constraints. Therefore, exploring students' understanding of sustainable development goals (SDGs) is part of the initial steps. In doing this, students' reflections on literary works can yield valuable insights and guide what and how to teach for effective ESD practices. This study investigated university students' understanding of SDGs through their reflections on a literary work. A mixed-methods research design was employed, collecting data from senior English literature students at a Turkish state university. Qualitative data were collected through an open-ended survey and students' term papers, while quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire. The survey and term papers showed divergent results regarding students' understanding of SDGs. Although the survey indicated a restricted understanding, the term papers showed a more nuanced understanding. The quantitative findings also suggested that students had a systems perspective related to SDGs. Moreover, the term paper findings showed that students focused primarily on characters and settings while clarifying and elaborating their associations. Literary texts can be valuable tools to gain more insights into students' understanding of SDGs, as they provide explicit and implicit instances in which essential plot elements construct rich and meaningful contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last two decades, numerous studies have highlighted the significance of integrating sustainability into higher education. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in the literature on engineering education for sustainable development, emphasizing the inclusion of this concept within engineering curricula and recognizing the pivotal role that engineers play in achieving the sustainable development goals. Therefore, sporadic engineering faculties worldwide have begun acknowledging and assessing issues related to sustainability in their curricula. As several methods have been employed to assess its inclusion, the aim of this paper is to review the various methods used to gauge how sustainability is incorporated in their respective engineering curricula. We carried out a systematic review of the literature regarding sustainability as assessed specifically in engineering curricula using the Scopus and ERIC databases. We applied PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology and, as a result, 30 papers were included. The results produced 14 methods with the articles highlighting existing limitations. Therefore, the authors recommend the combination of at least two of the methods to efficiently evaluate sustainability in engineering curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the research associated with higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, offering an overview of papers published in Sustainability by utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). The analysis comprised a total of 17 papers, illuminating a number of common features, thematic foci, and prevailing issues as well as recommendations for rethinking higher education delivery in the future. Briefly, the analysis of common features revealed that most of the papers were published in 2021, researchers were mostly affiliated with higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia, data were mostly collected from undergraduate students, and papers were mostly quantitative. Regarding thematic focus, papers were generally related to teaching, learning, and assessment. As for prevailing issues, results highlighted a lack of practical studies in higher education research in the GCC region and a need for extending the conducted research to further context including other countries and populations. Finally, the key recommendations included improvement in the use of information technology and distance learning tools, as well as the design of policies and regulations to ensure more relevant academic intervention and guidelines for utilizing the tools and technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy initiatives from the United Nations and EU institutions have emphasized the need for higher education institutions (HEIs) to fulfil a significant role in green transitioning. However, 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's research aim is to provide a meta-study that reviews, analyzes, and assesses the state of the art on research on HEI sustainability. The paper also contributes to the state-of-the-art by mapping institutional sustainability self-assessment models, tools, and guidelines in four prominent research areas: (1) sustainability integration in educational activities, pedagogical perspectives, and systemic transformations; (2) benchmarking sustainability of organizational transformation and operational optimization, 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. The paper's final contribution is the presentation of best practices and emerging trends in the literature. These practices were selected on the following qualitative methodological criteria based on the systems-thinking approach to whole-institution assessment: (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 modeling; and (3) the incorporation of qualitative indicators for stakeholder engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the annual panel data of 30 provinces in China, this paper evaluates the green eco-efficiency of each province via factor decomposition and analyzes the impact of higher education on green eco-efficiency using the two-way fixed effect model, considering economic development, urban scale, industrial structure, foreign investment and government regulation as control factors. The results show that the penetration of higher education has a significant positive impact on green eco-efficiency. Heterogeneity analysis suggests that the positive impact of undergraduate and postgraduate education is significant, and this impact increases with the increasing levels of education; however, the influence of junior college education is not significant. Higher education in eastern China significantly affects green eco-efficiency in a positive manner, while the relationship between the two is not significant in the central and western regions. The test of mediating effects further shows that technological innovation has a partial mediating effect, while environmental attention does not show a mediating effect in the influencing path of higher education on green eco-efficiency. Accordingly, this paper proposes certain implications regarding green-related courses, transformation from consciousness to practice, and incorporation of green education in higher education systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social media is a ubiquitous phenomenon that serves as a tool for communication, collaboration, and creativity. In the long term, it has an indispensable place in the field of education. The research paper discusses the use of certain social networking sites where learning management systems are extensively and consistently used in the teaching and learning process at universities. The rapid transition to online platforms had a tremendous impact on the educational process, exposing and promoting the effectiveness of heutagogy. The circumstances made it necessary to emphasize the value of self-directed learning and the capacity to identify educational requirements and strategies for reaching study objectives. This kind of research corresponds to the increased need to develop desired self-study skills in students. Objectives: The goal of the paper is to demonstrate how undergraduate students perceive the trends in acceptance and the degree of appropriateness of social media for academic purposes. Methods: Research on social media use in education was inspired by a review of the literature. The purpose of the questionnaire is to track awareness, use, general satisfaction, communication, testing, and revision. The set of social media examined in the survey (years 2021 and 2022) was modified to reflect the social media landscape at the time. This study compares the findings of four different studies. The outcomes are displayed in graphs. Results: Two areas are analyzed: social media as a means of communication in the process of education and social media as a tool enabling students' revision and testing of study materials. The first two studies, which were conducted in 2014 and 2019, are based on the same set of examined social media and fit the comparison, enabling to define the trend in students' perceived satisfaction with social media for study purposes. The third and fourth studies discussed in this paper were run during the winter semesters of 2021 and 2022. Conclusions: The most significant differences between 2021 and 2022 can be seen in Instagram, Twitch, and other platforms, where a substantial drop in satisfaction in the communication field can be seen. The biggest difference in revision and testing is found in Facebook, Twitch, and Teams, which are abandoning online teaching and learning after the COVID-19 event. Social media use for studying has significantly decreased, with noteworthy decreases in Wiki, Facebook, and video calls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the results of the study of educational effectiveness at the tertiary level. It contains an overview of the research considering the quality and effectiveness of higher education development, the issues of creating criteria for their assessment and measurement. The four groups of factors ("Man", "Milieu", "Material", "Method") for evaluating educational effectiveness were determined, totally including 65 points. The results of the students' surveys revealed the most significant factors as well as the least crucial ones influencing educational effectiveness in higher educational institutions. The total number of respondents was 279. It was found that the subgroup of factors "Teacher's competence" is the most important from the viewpoint of the respondents, while the subgroup "Infrastructure facilities" is the least valuable one. The priority measures list was given, the implementation of which will make it possible to increase educational effectiveness in higher educational institutions. Methods such as Ishikawa diagram building, brainstorming and the survey of students were used for achieving the objectives of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the major challenges generated in education, thousands of scientific papers have been published, contributing to the establishment of a distinct research line in the field. This study provides a bibliometric overview of the educational publications linked to COVID-19 indexed by the Web of Science Core Collection for the years 2020 and 2021. The findings show a growing interest of researchers in education in this area. The proportion of articles among the types of documents proved to be dominant. Journals dedicated to chemistry and medical education stood out for the high number of pandemic-related papers. Higher education has been an intensively explored area during the pandemic. The USA and its universities were the most productive in publishing studies on COVID-19 in education. Our study indicated research themes that have been explored by the researchers, such as online learning in different educational settings, curriculum and instructional approaches in the online learning setting, and the psychological consequences of COVID-19 on the educational actors. The implications of the pandemic on potential research avenues for education research were also emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging trends such as digitalization, globalization, and the COVID-19 pandemic are forcing higher education institutions to undergo constant organizational and technological changes and to introduce innovative pedagogical approaches suitable for teaching a new generation of students—the so-called digital natives. The goal of this paper is to engage in the ongoing debate in higher education about new teaching methods, i.e., game-based learning methods, which meet the needs of digital natives. They have grown up in a fast-paced, technology-driven society, which has affected how they absorb information, their ability to concentrate for extended periods, and their motivation and engagement in the learning process. Existing research suggests that implementing the game-based learning method can be very difficult and costly, as it often requires adapting the freely available game to the requirements of the particular course and additional investment in purchasing appropriate equipment. In this paper, we develop a comprehensive procedure for introducing a cost-effective game-based learning method in higher education, which includes thirteen steps to help lecturers introduce game-based activities straightforwardly into their teaching processes. In addition, we also present security, cultural, and quality assurance issues that need to be considered when implementing game-based learning in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opportunities and challenges related to sustainability impose not only a societal transformation but also a personal one. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have great potential to promote sustainability and shape future generations' skills, knowledge, thinking, and actions. Addressing environmental, social, and economic pillars, education for sustainable development (ESD), or education for sustainability (EfS), is a catalyst for quality education towards a sustainable future. This paper aims to analyze the state of the art and prevailing trends in the scientific literature pertaining to ESD/EfS. In this regard, specific objectives were established to identify the following: (1) authors' productivity over time; (2) countries' contribution and collaboration; (3) the most relevant keywords; and (4) the most prominent themes—in terms of relevance and degree of development. To fulfill the research objectives, quantitative research employing bibliometric analysis was carried out in April 2023. The research data sample was collected from the Web of Science (WoS) database. By conducting the search using a combined topic ("education for sustainable development" OR "education for sustainability"), a total of 2827 documents in English were identified within a timeframe of 33 years (1989–2023). These documents served as the foundation for subsequent data processing, visualization, and analysis using Biblioshiny/Bibliometrix (version R-4.2.0), as well as Excel (version 2309) software. The visualization and analysis focused on examining the most prolific authors and countries, in addition to generating word clouds based on keywords. Moreover, the thematic map that was delineated into four quadrants—Basic, Motor, Niche, and Emerging or Declining themes—provides an overview of the researched subject. ESD—embracing environmental, social, and economic pillars—implies transformative learning, action-oriented pedagogies, and professional development. As a holistic framework, it requires interdisciplinarity, system thinking, critical and experiential thinking, problem-based learning, and the use of 4IR technologies to enhance the teaching-learning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to assess students' perceptions regarding the extent of integration of the eighth principal Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 8) "promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all" into an undergraduate business school (BS) course. We analyzed students' perceptions with respect to three pedagogical themes: content/curriculum; knowledge and skills; and awareness and attitudes. Based on legitimacy theory, we conducted a survey of 124 students at a globally accredited business school that has been a pioneer in terms of integrating SDGs into business school education in the Middle East and particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which we refer to as Alpha Business School (ABS). A Q-methodology approach was adopted by designing a concourse of 37 statements. Our research findings highlight that in response to institutional governmental pressure to implement the SDGs at all levels in the country, ABS has begun to integrate the SDGs into its practice, including undergraduate courses. However, after a more in-depth analysis, the findings suggest that traditional learning methods and a "business as usual" mentality continue to prevail as a management paradigm among students and that, therefore, ABS has only embedded SDG 8 symbolically without undergoing a full substantive change. In conclusion, further work is needed to incorporate the SDGs into all dimensions of the business school's activities and to promote new methodologies, skills, and competencies. This paper is helpful for accounting educators and curriculum setters in the process of revamping accounting curricula to reflect the importance of sustainability education. The results of this study have professional, academic, and policy-making implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is facing numerous ecological challenges that require urgent attention. Interventions from policymakers and universities are becoming more frequent in order to facilitate the transition of society into a more sustainable world. This paper presents lessons learned from sustainable entrepreneurship education activities developed at the northernmost University of Applied Sciences in Europe that involved important business stakeholders in the local environment. The educational process aims to equip students with the skills necessary to develop new ideas and entrepreneurial projects that provide innovative solutions to pressing social and environmental challenges. It also promotes the sustainable transformation of local businesses and society through partnerships and collaborations. Two main questions guided the presentation of the case: How can students, professors, business managers/workers, and government officials collaborate to develop sustainable entrepreneurial ideas and what are the pros and cons of co-creating in the context of sustainable entrepreneurship education? The teaching–learning experience showed that addressing real, local business problems collaboratively and adopting the principles of the co-creation of knowledge can lead to sustainable solutions and experiential learning and contribute to transforming societies towards sustainability. The lessons learned can illuminate future adaptations and applications in other universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI educators have become a reality. The advancement and increasing applications of AI technology in higher education not only provide more efficient tools for teachers in long-term and focused teaching, but also provide new active and independent spaces for sustainable self-motivated learning for college students. It is of great importance that the effects of AI educator design are understood to ensure the sustainable development and deployment of AI-driven courses at universities. This paper investigates the influences of AI educators' autonomy design on students' usage intentions by delving into how the artificial autonomy of AI educators satisfies students' needs. Drawing on the uses and gratification (U&G) framework, we theoretically elaborate on how AI educator autonomy (i.e., sensing autonomy, thought autonomy, and action autonomy) influences students' intentions to use an AI educator through the mediating effects of U&G benefits (i.e., information-seeking gratification, social interaction gratification, and entertainment gratification). By conducting an online survey (N = 673) on college students, we found that the sensing autonomy of AI educators is positively associated with usage intention due to the mediating effects of social interaction and entertainment gratifications; the thought autonomy of AI educators is positively related to usage intention, mediated by information-seeking and social interaction gratifications, and the action autonomy of AI educators is positively linked with usage intention through the paths of information-seeking and entertainment gratifications. Our findings provide both theoretical contributions and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 the manufacturing industry and optimising poorly or non-digitised 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 a 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, emphasising the importance of resource efficiency and system optimisation in industrial settings. By addressing the challenges posed by under-digitised 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 a local level. A crucial element of the added value is the new channel for obtaining 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has struck educational experience systems around the globe. This paper investigates and evaluates the student participants' perceptions who joined the international exchange seminar on global citizenship and peace held at a University in Hiroshima, Japan. Approximately seventy students and faculty members from nine to ten different universities from around the globe joined this summer program in August 2021 (online) and 2022 (face-to-face). This study is a mixed-method study. The first part consists of a quantitative analysis of BEVI data obtained from the students in the seminar before COVID-19 and after. The research concludes that there are no changes in the effects of what students learn. The second part consists of qualitative data. The data shows the perceptions of students of online teaching versus hybrid teaching. It compares the differences in participants' perceptions reported in students' feedback on the programs during and post-COVID-19. Our results confirm prominent differences exist in the students' perceptions of their learning experience during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. The findings indicate based on lessons learned post-pandemic, universities need to strive and define the meaning and purpose of international seminars, which enable students to experience a high level of intercultural social interaction online and face-to-face. As the world becomes more interconnected, virtual environments, such as the ones presented within the International Seminar in Hiroshima, Japan, are vital to facilitating intercultural teaching environments and the implications within this paper indicate that these virtual mediums can promote inclusion, leading to a more sustainable world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financing education has recently been a big concern since educational expenditure continues to rise. As a result, there will be a gradual shift away from the "unilateral approach" to funding and toward the "diversification of financing resources". The aim of this paper is to propose an innovative strategy plan to optimize universities' investment sources and maintain their financial sustainability. This approach was known as the Green Ocean Strategy for Financial Sustainability (GOSFS). To effectively implement GOSFS in higher education institutions, a roadmap of 18 steps is constructed around three primary key performance areas (resource development, good governance, and regulations and legislation). The GOSFS was applied within four successive stages at King Abdulaziz University as a case study. With 18 pillars found under these three key performance areas, a long-term target for 2045 and an overall goal for 2025 were defined. In addition, the paper created novel versions of the Business Model Canvas to meet the GOSFS plan concept. To effectively employ GOSFS, four recommendations are offered to accelerate business growth and engage the university investment ecosystem, including whether to invest in highly qualified human capital, expand financial resources, or leverage technical resources. Future directions are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the vital role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in accomplishing sustainable development goals, this study examines the ways in which sustainability is integrated into mechanical engineering master's programs in the selected top technical universities in the EU. The content analysis was employed to evaluate the universities' commitment to sustainability and approach to integrating sustainability into mechanical engineering programs. The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating SystemTM (STARS) credit AC1 was used as a reference to categorise the courses into sustainability-focused courses (SF) and courses that include sustainability content (SI). We used the Sustainability Tool for Auditing University Curricula in Higher Education (STAUNCH) to identify the sustainability-related topics integrated into the mechanical engineering programs. The empirical findings indicate that while all three top technical universities in Europe demonstrate a comprehensive commitment to sustainability, their approaches for integrating sustainability into their mechanical engineering master's programs vary, leaving room for further improvements. The paper thoroughly analyses the top technical universities' sustainability efforts, offering valuable insights for educators and institutions seeking to enhance sustainability integration in higher education curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research-to-practice article delves into novel learning experiences for operations management education, involving the circular economy and experiential learning. Higher Education academics are required to develop effective learning that actively and impactfully helps nurture in students the essential competency to face sustainable development demands. In operations management education, one possibility is to integrate real-world circular economy challenges into learning activities that address issues concerning solid waste generation in business processes and operations. This type of innovative learning experience involves both conceptual understanding and practical implementation. Accordingly, experiential learning is considered a suitable pedagogy for this purpose in this work because of its hands-on applications, critical thinking, and active engagement. To illustrate this proposition, this paper presents a case study concerning an operations management undergraduate course at a Mexican university. The case study indicates how to translate a situation of solid waste generation in a business into relevant disciplinary experiential learning. The results show that students regarded the learning experience as motivating, interesting, and relevant while widely accomplishing their learning objectives. However, limitations did exist regarding experiential learning, the methodological approach, data collection, and implementation challenges. Future work points to the need for further learning experiences and to improve research reliability, transferability, and validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strategic plans of universities have an important role in enabling HEIs to contribute to sustainability transitions. To address the current lack of studies in HEIs in Türkiye, this paper aims to determine how universities in Türkiye integrate sustainable development goals (SDGs) into their strategic plans to indicate the extent to which these universities align with the 17 SDGs and to discuss the visibility of SDGs in strategies. The research has been designed as a qualitative study involving document analysis. QS World University Rankings or being a research university are the two criteria for the sampling. The scope of the study consists of 27 universities, representing 13.4% of the universities in Türkiye. The most striking result was that, apparently, none of the strategic plans mentioned Goals 1 (no poverty), 6 (clean water), and 13 (climate action). The sampled universities in Turkey have established a restricted set of strategic objectives linked to SD Goals 2, 5, 10, and 11. These remarkable findings prompt inquiries into the underlying reasons for this constrained scope, warranting further investigation. A potential factor contributing to the limited objectives regarding these goals could be traced to a lack of awareness and understanding of the intricate connections between these goals and the overarching mission of higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the global climate change debate, the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in higher education institutions (HEIs) has been identified as one of the top priorities. This paper presents the CoDesignS ESD Framework (hereafter "Framework") focused on HEIs, though the Framework is applicable to other types of educational institutions. The Framework introduces transformative pedagogies and teaching methods that extend beyond typical ESD competencies, encompassing cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral domains for a holistic design and delivery. It was evaluated using a focus group and interviews among sustainability practitioners and academics, learning and curriculum designers, students, and government officials involved in ESD. The evaluation demonstrates key stakeholders' engagement with the Framework and appreciation of its potential to integrate sustainability into university curricula across different disciplines. The findings suggest that the Framework is easy to use, making sustainability explicit in the curriculum and actively developing the competencies students require to bring about change beyond the classroom. The feedback received has helped the further development of the Framework, including the CoDesignS ESD Toolkit Planner and Dashboard, which provide a more effective way of integrating the learning design and ESD components embedded as part of the CoDesignS ESD pillars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to learn about Chilean teachers and students' experiences and positions to understand how they coped with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article focuses on student engagement, virtual professional practices, and the difficulties teachers perceive. A review of articles published in Web of Science, Scopus, and SciELO is carried out to meet the objective. The results show different levels of behavioral, cognitive, and affective engagement of students. Different complications were also identified in the realization of professional practices in virtual modality. The profound impacts that this area had on teacher training were mainly highlighted. Finally, university professors raised difficulties in five aspects: acceptance and use, domestic, technological, organizational, and with students. These findings provide several recommendations for the post-COVID-19 era, which can serve as a guide for policymakers, university managers, and academics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global higher education landscape is significantly impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the majority of the universities now follow an online or hybrid mode of delivery. This presents substantial challenges for universities, particularly to conduct examinations, as traditionally most exams were conducted physically on campus. During the first wave of the pandemic, many universities had no option and were forced to move online in a very short period of time, causing universities also to conduct exams online without transforming pedagogy and the structure/s of closed-book exams. Inevitably, in non-proctored and unregulated examinations, this allowed room for students to collaborate and share material during online exams without being noticed by an invigilator as in the case of physical exams. Online exams, also leave room for students to find information online which made preventing plagiarism a significant challenge. This paper investigates the practices used in both closed-book and open-book exams and identifies the challenges associated with the transition to online exams. It also identifies potential ways forward for future online exams, while minimizing opportunities for students to collaborate, plagiarise and use online material. The findings of this study reveal that online examinations affect teachers and students differently: while teachers have mixed feelings about online exams, students are anxious about their grades and the technical hassle they experience in online exams. While viva has emerged as a popular form of alternative assessment, students still feel the need of returning to physical exams. None of the teachers who participated in this study discussed a psychosocial approach to education and exams in this pandemic. We conclude this study on the note that there is a need for the collaboration of social scientists, psychologists, psychosocial specialists, educationists, and humanities scholars/humanists for better educational policy and pedagogical practices during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the concept of the Energy Internet was proposed in the last century, it has become a topic of great interest in recent years with the development of related technologies and the growing environmental problems. At the same time, the new technology brought by it also poses new challenges for the electrical engineering specialty, which is inseparable from power plants, power grids and other power facilities. How to reform the electrical engineering specialty to better meet the challenges it brings has become a problem that cannot be ignored. This paper comprehensively analyzes the current development status of the Energy Internet, key technologies involved in the concept of the Energy Internet, and problems in current talent training. This paper proposes to carry out curriculum reform through two main lines and to further optimize the curriculum structure, thus forming a more reasonable training program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it existed in a few different forms earlier, digital education is essentially a modern invention. It is the digitalization of a segment of the educational system. This article attempts to offer insightful thoughts on the future potential and difficulties of information and communication technology (ICT) and digital education as they relate to adopting the most recent technological advancements in the digital era and extensive online open courses. With the development of internet technology, we have observed a significant shift in how we communicate and collaborate among academics. The digital revolution encouraged unrestricted access to information on a global scale. Today's classrooms are equipped with a wealth of ICT tools, and almost all instructors have made significant progress in integrating digital technology to improve students' access to information and cooperative learning opportunities. The higher education system must seek to utilize the power of ICT to be competitive and provide high-quality education as a consequence of digital transformation, disruptive technological innovations, and accelerated change. To accomplish these ambitions, this paper describes some challenges that higher education encounters, as well as technological resources and methodologies they have used in the current scenario to transform higher education to adopt digital transformation. The paper aims to synthesize considerable insights that can be applied to the digitalization of higher education in the current and near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is a global problem that invites researchers and teachers to integrate sustainability concerns into curricula. The analysis discussed in this paper is grounded in a synthesis of research papers and documents that analyzes the current status of the initiatives taken to achieve sustainability in education in the context of Pakistan. Through content analyses of 26 studies made in higher education, this study discusses the progress and challenges in achieving Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Pakistani Higher Education Institutions. Most of the studies reviewed were open access and published by HEC (Higher Education Commission) Pakistan in recognized national and international journals. This review shows how education contributes to transformation by highlighting the contribution of different stakeholders, i.e., administrators and leaders (eight studies) and teachers and students (fifteen studies). It also highlights governance, communication and coordination among stakeholders (eleven studies), campus outreach (five studies), and significant challenges in achieving sustainability (seven studies). The analysis provides a basis for the consideration of logistical support and quality education (SDG #4) to progress toward the SDGs. This analysis will help educators and managers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to reflect on their practices, leading to Sustainable Development (SD). In addition to this, this study will help policy makers and curriculum developers to identify key challenges in meeting sustainable development goals. Also, this will enable researchers to identify gaps in the literature when framing their research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a microeconomic analysis of the occupational choices that individuals make after graduating from higher education. Specifically, a binomial logit model of the self-employment decision, which can be seen as a special case of a model of utility maximization, is estimated for a large, nationally representative sample of Spanish bachelor's degree holders. The estimation of the logit model allows one to analyze the influence of the university degree and individual sociodemographic characteristics on the probability of becoming self-employed five years after graduation. Results show that graduates in Odontology, Physiotherapy, Architecture, Law, Fine Arts, Pharmacy, and Psychology are the most likely to become self-employed. Surprisingly, financially literate individuals (economics and finance-related undergraduate degree holders) are less likely to start their own businesses. The paper also shows that women are less likely to be self-employed than men, but those graduates whose mothers obtained a university degree have an increased likelihood of being self-employed. The paper highlights the need for career guidance for undergraduates contemplating a career in self-employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By 11 March 2020, the phrase "COVID-19" had officially entered everyday life across most of the word. Each level of education suddenly faced new changes and new challenges. Emergency remote teaching became widespread, and new methodologies to deliver classes and courses were adopted by educational institutions. In this paper, we focus on the impact of the remote learning experience of engineering students enrolled at the Politecnico di Milano. The subjects were recruited from all engineering courses from the first to the fifth year and were asked to complete a multidimensional survey. The survey featured 66 items regarding the participants' perceptions of the challenges of emergency remote teaching compared with pre-COVID-19 in-person teaching. The questionnaire addressed six dimensions: the organization of emergency remote teaching, subjective well-being, metacognition, self-efficacy, identity, and socio-demographic information. In this paper, we describe the entire survey and discuss a preliminary analysis. Using Cronbach's alpha test, a confirmatory factor analysis, and the t-test, we performed a more in-depth analysis concerning the outcomes of metacognition and self-efficacy. The data analysis suggested a small, unexpected change in the metacognition strategies. The students, in some regards, improved their learning strategies. Some other answers underlined their appreciation of the courses' organization and the lack of relationships with their peers and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify the relationship between IT self-efficacy and personal knowledge and information management (PKIM) practices. It also intends to investigate trending tools and approaches being applied for PKIM for sustainable lifelong learning and organizational performance. It also reveals challenges for the development of an effective PKIM system. To meet the study's objectives, a systematic literature review was carried out. Fifty research papers published in peer-reviewed journals were included to conduct a comprehensive systematic review. The findings of the study revealed that a significant positive relationship exists between IT self-efficacy and personal knowledge and information management for sustainable lifelong learning and innovative organizational performance. Social media tools, the adoption of emerging technologies, and artificial intelligence were trending techniques for the successful implementation of PKIM practices in academia and the field. This research has significant theoretical, practical, social, academic, and managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational institutes always explore new ways and trends to improve teaching and ensure learning in the classroom, especially at the higher educational level. In this fast-growing, dynamic world, the field of information technology (IT) has made huge progress in different sectors, including the education sector. Initially, the educational process and stakeholders' resistance made it challenging to implement new information-technology-based solutions in this key sector, but the recent pandemic made it easier at different stages. Universities must allow students to play an active role in developing pedagogy and share their ideas in order to meet the 21st century learning needs of today's students. This paper investigates the key challenges in a 21st century education. An extensive literature review was carried out for this research, followed by targeted expert feedback. The paper concludes that universities must cope with enrollment, finance and student support concerns in addition to transitioning their on-campus programs to virtual settings. Faculty must be interactive, captivating, collaborative and thought-provoking. Students should have a choice in how they learn knowledge and display it in accordance with their requirements and preferences. Technology usage should be interesting, efficient and responsible to improve the learner's experience. Students should also be taught how their education will affect their future and global impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The linkage between teaching and research—also labelled the Teaching Research Nexus (TRN)—is the object of a recurrent debate in higher education. The debate centres on the nature of the interrelation, TRN benefits and challenges, concrete TRN strategies, and its impact on students and academics. Methods: Based on a systematic search of papers published between 2012 and 2022, a systematic review of review studies was conducted, building on articles from the Web of Science and Scopus. Results: From an initial 151 records, 14 fit the review inclusion/exclusion criteria. Goal and review questions: To provide researchers, teachers, and policy decision-makers with an overview of TRN in higher education based on available peer-reviewed review studies, this systematic review was driven by the following guiding questions: What are the conceptual developments in TRN definitions? What are the outcomes of experimental TRN interventions? What are the implementation challenges of TRN in higher education? What TRN implementation strategies have been adopted? Finally, what do the reviews stress as future directions for TRN? Brief conclusion: The review results helped identify patterns in TRN studies, practices, and directions for future TRN research in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diplomas are of particular importance in society, as they serve as official proof of education. Therefore, it is not surprising that counterfeits of such documents have become common. Thus, employers usually have to verify diplomas manually with the issuer. In line with the principles of social responsibility (accountability, transparence, ethical behavior, respect of stakeholders' interest), ensure inclusive and equitable quality education (SDG 4) become a priority for universities. Blockchain technology creates opportunities to surmount these obstacles because it has revolutionized the way people interact with each other. For that purpose, a total of 147 students from a technical university in Romania answered questionnaires to determine how familiar they are with blockchain concepts and what they think about the implementation of this technology. Further, structured interviews were conducted with education and ICT experts to determine the main advantages and disadvantages, applications, and needs for adopting blockchain technology. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to explore the influence of blockchain on education through the assessment of 69 variables. The final part contains the consequences of the analysis's findings and potential future advancements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Innovation and entrepreneurship education is the fundamental way to apply talent training in colleges and universities. The improvement of innovation and entrepreneurship ability is the embodiment of the success of innovation and entrepreneurship education. This paper discusses the influence mechanisms of entrepreneurial consciousness, entrepreneurial motivation, and entrepreneurial cognition on innovation and entrepreneurship ability. It analyzes the effect of the entrepreneurial atmosphere on the relationship between entrepreneurial consciousness, entrepreneurial motivation, and innovation and entrepreneurship ability. Methods: Based on the data from 1944 questionnaires, we used SPSS24.0 and AMOS22.0 software to analyze the composition and influencing factors of college students' innovation and entrepreneurship ability. We constructed a structural equation model for empirical research. Results: The results showed that the scale of innovation and entrepreneurship ability had good reliability and validity. Entrepreneurial consciousness, entrepreneurial motivation, and entrepreneurial cognition had significant positive effects on innovation and entrepreneurship ability. Entrepreneurial atmosphere plays a moderating effect in the process that entrepreneurial consciousness affects innovation and entrepreneurship ability and entrepreneurial motivation affects innovation and entrepreneurship ability. Finally, based on China's national conditions, we proposed suggestions to improve college students' innovation and entrepreneurship ability from the two aspects of education and base construction to provide a reference for colleges and universities to transport entrepreneurial talents to society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability reports are regarded as important tools in offering information about the environmental, social, economic, and institutional performance of an institution, and in demonstrating a commitment to matters related to sustainable development. But even though sustainability reporting has been used by a variety of higher education institutions to date, it is not as widely practiced as it should be. To further investigate this topic, a twofold approach was used: a study focusing on sustainability reporting approaches deployed in a sample of 30 universities across a set of countries; and a survey with a sample of 72 universities from different global regions to assess the extent to which they are deploying sustainability reporting as part of their activities. The scientific value of the paper resides in the fact that it offers a comprehensive overview of the subject matter of sustainability reporting, and how higher education institutions handle it. It also outlines the efforts in developing these documents which may catalyse further progress in this key area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development principles are being increasingly incorporated into university planning and design education. This paper evaluates how university planning and design programs teach sustainability and how these various approaches may influence future planners and designers. This systematic review quantitatively analyzes 5639 empirical research documents published from 2011 to 2020, including peer-reviewed papers and reports related to planning and design disciplines in higher education institutions. Key findings include differences in how planning and design curricula include and emphasize sustainability topics, as well as how various modes and teaching approaches correlate with sustainability values. This research offers a comprehensive understanding of how sustainable development approaches and teaching methods may influence how students and emerging professionals approach complex planning and design problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities started to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve the quality of higher education services. However, the rapid adoption of AI tools in higher education (HE) may lead to sustainability issues. On the one hand, there are prerequisites for using AI tools to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). On the other hand, as consumers of educational services (stakeholders), students have their own opinions about using AI in the educational process. The purpose of this study was to explore students' opinions on the use of artificial intelligence tools in higher education. The authors analyzed student responses to the question: "Do you think AI threatens higher education in the next five years?" The authors formulated this question based on the definition of "a safe learning environment", which is associated with a "safe" learning environment (SDG 4.3). The authors made use of a literature review, a bibliometric analysis of 5000 sources, a survey of 1104 students from eight universities in Eastern Europe through cloud technologies to host a special electronic questionnaire, statistical processing of questionnaires, and testing of statistical hypotheses. The authors formulated and tested two pairs of competing statistical hypotheses. Finally, the authors obtained three new scientific facts based on the respondents' answers. New scientific facts were obtained using a standard level of statistical hypothesis testing (α = 0.05). The main scientific fact is that 10.17% to 35.42% of students think that Artificial Intelligence threatens higher education. According to student opinions, AI may hurt the sustainability of higher education (SDG 4.3). The authors are confident that new scientific facts help conceptualize and promote didactic theory and practice. The study results are needed to predict, plan, and implement organizational, pedagogical, and methodological measures aimed at SDG 4.3 through a "safe" learning environment while further expanding the use of AI in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the intensely debated topic of the impact of entrepreneurship education on students' entrepreneurial intentions, the current paper presents findings of the entrepreneurial intentions of a group of doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers from different fields of study enrolled in the SmartDoct project—an entrepreneurship education project co-financed through the European Social Fund and implemented by the University of Oradea, Romania, between 2019 and 2022. Our paper investigates individual-level determinants of the intention to become an entrepreneur, grounding in the social-cognitive, planned behaviour, and human capital theories. Using content analysis of semi-structured interviews, the paper offers insights into the narratives related to the entrepreneurial intentions of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, including relevant suggestions regarding the impact of gender, field of study, perceived influence of behavioural control, social norms concerning social support, and of the role models. Our results document the capacity of entrepreneurial programmes to encourage business initiation via stimulating entrepreneurial self-efficacy, the importance of perceived behavioural control on explaining entrepreneurial intention, and the value of social support and of role models, as well as the salience of the gender and field of study in explaining the net effect of entrepreneurial training in the case of students enrolled in advanced research programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, inclusion is a main concern whoever and wherever. Higher education and business schools have been criticized for their non-inclusion for many years. In this context, higher education has a model role to play concerning inclusion. However, there is a lack of tools to measure the inclusivity levels of institutions. Thus, it is difficult to really know if higher education is inclusive or not and in case it is needed, where they must be more inclusive. This paper proposes a new tool. This paper created an inclusivity index that provides an operational answer to assess inclusivity. This tool does not rank institutions as ranking was highly criticized. It rates the levels of inclusivity of all the stakeholders of higher education for different dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable consumption (SC) is the concept surrounding the use of products and services with minimal impact on environmental safeguarding resources for current and future generations. Since its implementation in 2015, SC is an expanding area of research as the increased occurrence of environmental impacts is observed globally. In this article, a literature review of sustainable consumption and education is presented as an in-depth review of relevant literature over the last 25 years. The review provides an understanding of the relationship, effect, and current concepts of sustainability education and consumption behavior. An analysis of the historical, geographical, and thematic characteristics of the relevant literature provided the scholarly context of the literature. An exploration into consumer behaviors on an individual and contextual level is presented, highlighting key factors for achieving sustainable consumption on the consumer level. A further review on the effect of education in general, and higher education on consumer behavior, is provided, noting the key findings for the support of sustainable education, as well as the anticipated barriers. In the conclusion, the effect of education on consumption is found to be positive and significant for pro-environmental consumption behaviors, and it is the main approach for implementing the ideals of sustainable consumption in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As more higher education institutions strive to embed sustainable development principles in their teaching, it becomes increasingly important to identify indicators that can measure institutional contribution in a meaningful and internationally comparable manner. This paper shows that existing sustainability rankings, such as the UI Green Metric and THE Impact ranking, have paid relatively little attention to indicators on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). In a quest to develop such indicators for U-Multirank—the multi-dimensional transparency and ranking tool—we reviewed the literature, consulted experts, and ran a survey amongst practitioners. This article summarises opportunities and challenges for developing internationally comparable ESD indicators in the higher education sector, discussing indicator relevance, validity, and feasibility. The results suggest that (i) ESD indicators are considered highly relevant by diverse stakeholders; (ii) the majority of HEIs surveyed are planning to collect ESD data within 3 years, signalling good prospects for data feasibility; (iii) the ESD indicators proposed so far still lack criteria that would allow one to sufficiently identify and compare these indicators across countries, inhibiting indicator validity. At least three potential definitions are used by HEIs. The results of this paper can contribute to the discussion on identifying appropriate criteria for the development of ESD indicators and their use in international rankings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is opening up new opportunities and challenges for all industries, professions, and fields, aiming to bring humanity more optimal tools and services. During the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation has been one of the most critical problems. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are two technologies that have the potential to cause the biggest breakout to evolve in the educational domain. In recent years, digital transformation has seen implementation across all sectors, including education, healthcare, agriculture, transportation, and other smart ecosystems. Among those areas, education, especially higher education, is among the most challenging due to the diversity in training programs, duration, and subjects. The Internet of Things makes it possible to create smart and ubiquitous learning environments, while artificial intelligence can completely transform the way we learn and teach. In this paper, we present the digital transformation process in higher education in Vietnam and internationally and analyze some characteristics of Vietnamese higher education in the digital transformation process. Moreover, we present the vision, approach, and challenges to digital transformation at universities of low- and middle-income countries from the perspective of the Hung Yen University of Technology and Education in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) plays a significant role in the environmental, economic, social and cultural spheres and is a key element in achieving sustainable development goals. Higher education institutions, as the main producers of future leaders, are essential to the practice of ESD. However, Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) is still in its infancy in many higher education institutions. This study adopts corpus-based text analysis and case study methods. Starting from the features of ESD and examining the case of the "Global Engagement Program", this paper aims to explore how higher education can better promote sustainable development within the framework of ESD and proposes the model of HESD. Specifically, this study focuses on the following questions: (1) what are the features of ESD based on UNESCO's official documents; (2) how does the Global Engagement Program seek to achieve HESD and (3) what is the proposed model of HESD? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to provide researchers with the support they need to improve the Person–Organization (PO) fit in order to manage the negative impact of COVID-19 on work performance. Underpinned by the PO fit theory, drawing upon the survey data of 2321 researchers from ten countries initiated by Nature in 2021, this paper discusses how the independent variables of person–organization fit and organizational resources impact work performance, a dependent variable, moderated by career stages via a factor and path analysis. The results show that organizational resources and PO fit have significantly assisted researchers in managing the negative impacts of COVID-19 on work performance. In terms of national heterogeneity, for developing countries, it is more important to provide more organizational support to researchers than PO fit. However, for developed countries, personal demands would be focused on improving PO fit, which would be helpful for researchers' work performance more effectively than providing organizational support blindly. Therefore, in order to improve the efficiency of organizational support, those that fit less but had more helpful aspects should be increased appropriately, while those that fit more but were less helpful should be reduced accordingly. It implies that it would be significant to emphasize differentiated and career-stage-sensitive support to researchers in different countries to improve researchers' wellbeing and organizational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to develop climate leaders who can inspire and support mitigation and adaptation actions. This exploratory study assessed the experiences of two student populations: (1) remote learners who participated in, and (2) student co-creators who co-designed, the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community and Political Action (AoC). It examines the extent to which participation and involvement in the course facilitated the development of climate leadership practices of both populations. MOOC remote learners' answers to discussion prompts (2099 responses from 705 learners) and student co-creators' interview responses (n = 10, r = 83%) were qualitatively analyzed, informed by Kouzes and Posner's (2018) five key practices of effective leaders. Findings suggest that remote learners and student co-creators engaged in these key leadership practices to varying degrees. For example, both groups "modeled the way" by taking climate change action consistent with their values and "inspired a shared vision" by conveying desired futures for the planet. Both remote learners and student co-creators attributed these practices to a range of features embedded in the MOOC (e.g., being prompted to research and take mitigation and adaptation actions) and the process of co-creation (e.g., having the agency to creatively and collaboratively produce course content). Given the positive potential for both populations, this paper argues for more research, including experimental studies, to learn how MOOCs and co-creation processes can best be designed to support participants' climate leadership development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities play a significant role in the economic development of society as they provide knowledge and skills that are essential for social sustainability. In recent years, universities shifted their focus towards student-centered education and need to reconsider their sustainable strategies to become more competitive by encouraging student co-creation behaviors. To create a unique experience, universities aim to involve students in creating and delivering their educational experiences. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the perceived quality of educational service and the institutional image of a university influence students' value co-creation behavior, and the role of loyalty in this process. The study is based on two complementary studies conducted in an Italian public university. The first study involved 720 undergraduate students with one business management bachelor's degree who completed a questionnaire to collect primary data. The second study used six focus groups to identify which specific students' experiences and university activities stimulated co-creation behaviors. The results show that student loyalty plays an important mediating role between university image, students' quality perception, and co-creation behavior. Additionally, only three dimensions of quality, namely quality non-academy aspects, quality reputation, and quality access have an impact on students' loyalty. Therefore, only two dimensions of brand image, university brand knowledge (UK), and university brand prestige (UPR) have a direct effect on value co-creation behavior. These findings have important implications for higher education institutions (HEIs) to develop managerial strategies that increase students' co-creation behavior. The co-creation process should be considered as part of HEIs' image-building and quality policy-enhancing strategy. Despite the value co-creation approach being overlooked in studies on HEIs governance, this study highlights its potential as a strategic approach for improving service quality and university image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported by a literature review, the present article looks to address the issue of sustainability in the modernization of higher education. Education for sustainability and the encouragement of a sustainable lifestyle are increasingly present in the academic and professional training of individuals. Progressively more responsible for the environment in which they operate, individuals, in order to preserve their quality of life and, above all, ensure quality of life for future generations, begin to assume new behaviors, such as the rationalization of energy and water consumption, reducing the use of paper, recycling products, and eliminating the use of plastics, among other behavioral changes. In this context, considering higher education institutions as a vital source for the development of sustainability and, consequently, a key lever in the definition and implementation of strategies conducive to sustainable development, it is through the teaching, training, research, and development carried out by them that these behavioral changes occur. Aware of this issue's relevance, the present article, consisting of a critical review of the literature, seeks to answer a set of questions, such as "What role do academic managers, teachers and students assume in the search for sustainability?"; "What measures/actions have been developed by the HEIs in terms of curricula reform and the promotion of a sustainable campus?"; "What sustainability metrics are used in higher education?". Giving particular emphasis to some studies about sustainability in different HEIs, the results of the research allow us to conclude that education for sustainability is seen as a tool of crucial importance in the current decade of the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital transformation is a rapidly growing trend that has captured the attention of institutions and stakeholders worldwide. This phenomenon has become a top priority for higher education institutions, as universities play a critical role in the development and empowerment of societies. To address this pressing need, this paper proposes the establishment of a sustainable digital transformation environment based on the best national and international practices and recommendations. The goal of this proposal is to overcome the challenges faced by universities and provide the most convenient mechanisms to achieve their duties. Furthermore, this proposal aims to be a successful part of achieving Saudi Arabia Kingdom's Vision 2030, which seeks to revolutionize the education and scientific research system. By adopting this proposed approach, universities in Saudi Arabia can proactively anticipate and address emerging trends and thereby ensure that they are offering the highest quality education to their students. Digital transformation is a crucial trend that cannot be ignored. By embracing this trend and implementing sustainable digital transformation environments, universities can ensure that they are providing the best possible education to their students and contributing to the development and empowerment of societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contemporary academia, accreditation stands as a vital process for universities to uphold their reputation and deliver quality education to students. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) significantly contribute to this process by enabling institutions to assess their performance in crucial areas, such as student outcomes, faculty engagement, and research effectiveness. To achieve sustainable accreditation, universities necessitate a comprehensive data management system capable of handling extensive data and generating pertinent insights. High-quality education remains paramount for academic institutions to equip students with essential professional skills, thereby enabling societal economic advancement. A sustainable quality management system is an innovative approach emphasizing continuous improvement and long-term planning to enhance an organization's overall performance and maintain a competitive edge within the sector. This paper presents a case study on sustainable quality assurance in higher education, underscoring the importance of KPIs in accreditation and the need for a robust data management system to ensure sustainability. Additionally, it highlights the significance of delivering high-quality education and the role of a sustainable quality management system in realizing this objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid advances in Information Technology (IT), the focus on engaging computing students to gain practical experience in the IT industry before graduation is becoming increasingly complex without incorporating pedagogical strategies of success in curricula. The goal is to enable computing major students to gain in-depth knowledge and practical understanding of the IT working environment before graduating through essential industry-driven practical skills based on international standards and best practices. Unfortunately, tracking and analyzing students' practical skills performance during their IT field training programs, which are conducted primarily off-campus at various public and private organizations, before, during, and after the training period, is a daunting task for both the college instructors and the industry trainers. To overcome these challenges, this paper introduces a Sustainable University Field Training (SUNFIT) framework, which is a pedagogical approach towards mining the educational data using machine learning to integrate and measure the field training programs against the internationally recognized accreditation standards such as Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The study employs machine learning models aimed at continuously measuring and monitoring international ABET accreditation requirements on computing major courses' academic data, elucidating student performance across various semesters, integrating best practices, and producing an evidence-based rationale approach for evaluating weak learning outcomes (LOs) with minimal manual intervention, as well as preventing faculty-specific portfolio errors. The proposed approach could be easily developed by academics, researchers, or even students, and for a variety of purposes, including enhancing poor student outcomes (SOs). In addition, various data mining and machine learning approaches have been investigated over field training assessment data for successful prediction in subsequent cycles. The results are promising, with Naïve Bayes obtaining the highest accuracy of 90.54% followed by J48 and PART algorithms at 87.83%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to present the results of the implementation process of the Lab-Tec@Home kit, an educational innovation that allows students to set up home laboratories to test and validate basic control engineering concepts. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to measure the acquisition and development of students' perceived achievement of complex thinking competency during this educational practice, considering how valuable it is to improve their perception of additional skills while fulfilling the objectives of the innovation. We implemented a validated instrument to measure this competency before and after using the Lab-Tec@Home kit and in a control group where this educational innovation practice was not carried out. Although the results did not show a statistically significant difference in the level of perception or the improvement achieved between the groups, they indicated an impact on the homogeneity of the students' perceived skills, which is a value of this educational tool and its greatest finding and contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid technological evolution defines the first two decades of the millennium. This phenomenon has increased the digital gap, disparities, and inequalities in global and local contexts. This paper reports a systematic literature mapping of 180 articles published from 2000 to 2021 discussing the digital gap. The documents were retrieved using boolean operations in two databases, adding terms related to gender, age, ethnicity, and disabilities, focusing on population groups that are especially vulnerable to the effects of this phenomenon. The method included categorizing the retrieved documents to provide a general view of the most concerning topics in the academic and research community. This analysis concludes (a) the approaches to address this topic are diverse, as this is a multilayered, complex, and interconnected issue; (b) many studies refer to developed countries; however, fewer are those who observe or analyze the underdeveloped regions; (c) the majority of published papers in the last decade report information and communication technologies (ICT) and their role in bridging the gap, showing an opportunity area for designing these technologies considering more accessible approaches through flexible technology approaches; (d) this study's results are a valuable source of information to identify the design requirements for accessible products and service systems. The last section provides a detailed explanation of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]