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Researchers have proposed different obfuscation transformations supported by numerous smartphone protection tools (obfuscators and deobfuscators). However, there is a need for a comprehensive study to empirically characterize these tools that belong to different categories of transformations. We propose a property-based framework to systematically classify twenty cutting-edge tools according to their features, analysis type, programming language support, licensing, applied obfuscation transformations, and general technical drawbacks. Our analysis predominantly reveals that very few tools work at the dynamic level, and most tools (which are static-based) work for Java or Java-based ecosystems (e.g., Android). The findings also show that the widespread adoption of renaming transformations is followed by formatting and code injection. In addition, this paper pinpoints the technical shortcomings of each tool; some of these drawbacks are common in static-based analyzers (e.g., resource consumption), and other drawbacks have negative effects on the experiment conducted by students (e.g., a third-party library involved). According to these critical limitations, we provide some timely recommendations for further research. This study can assist not only Android developers and researchers to improve the overall health of their apps but also the managers of computer science and cybersecurity academic programs to embed suitable obfuscation tools in their curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Szociológiai Szemle is the property of Hungarian Sociological Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista FACE is the property of Universidad de Pamplona and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is a significant skill gap, with millions of cybersecurity jobs still needing to be fulfilled due to a lack of a trained workforce. Various academic programs are available that teach students in different aspects of cybersecurity. This paper investigates if the title of an IT program has any impact on the desirability of a program and if this impact differs based on gender, with a focus on cybersecurity majors. Two focus groups were conducted for data collection at two different universities, and participants were asked to rank order a variety of titles for cybersecurity programs. An interpretive thematic analysis technique was used to analyze the data. Our results suggest that cybersecurity is a preferred title for both men and women. Recommendations are provided, and implications are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This research explores the perspectives and attitudes of university students in health sciences towards aging and older adults. Given the intricate interplay of factors influencing attitudes toward aging, coupled with the demographic shift in Turkey from a youthful to an aging population, the study aims to discern how a cohort of university students perceives the aging process. Methods: Employing a mixed-methods research strategy, which enhances the depth of data interpretation, the study utilized a questionnaire for quantitative data collection. Additionally, qualitative insights were gathered through a metaphor stem-completion item appended to the questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with students. The participants were selected from the Health Sciences Faculty and School of Medicine at a Turkish university. Results: The study revealed that participating students generally hold positive attitudes and demonstrate respect towards older adults. However, they also associate old age with negative aspects such as loss of autonomy and a constant need for assistance. Furthermore, older individuals are perceived as emotionally challenging and challenging to work with, irrespective of the nature and duration of interactions during their academic programs. These findings suggest a potential pathologizing perspective towards aging adults among health science students, who are prospective health professionals. Conclusions: This paper discusses the implications of the study and offers insights for program coordinators, curriculum designers, and faculty members in health sciences. The results underscore the necessity for a heightened emphasis on gerontology-related subjects within health science curricula. This emphasis is crucial for cultivating a comprehensive understanding among students of the social, psychological, cognitive, and biological changes associated with aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing demand for a qualified future workforce in the enterprise software (ES) domain, for which students should be prepared. However, due to the complexity of ES, many lecturers lack the skills to practically integrate ES into their teaching activities. ES training must be investigated holistically to address this issue, integrating the perspectives of the involved actors. Therefore, the research field of technology-mediated learning (TML) offers valuable concepts. In this paper, we first identify and present five main concepts of TML performance based on related literature. Second, we present findings from a single-case study conducted within the global academic alliance program of the ES company SAP. The program's objective is to demonstrate the practical application of ES to students through lecturers. Unlike previous research, we consider the students' perspective and incorporate the viewpoints of lecturers and subject matter experts (SMEs) who train the lecturers to create a comprehensive overview. Based on the insights from TML literature and the case study, we present design guidelines for ES training that take into account TML concepts, actors' perspectives, and training aspects. Our findings highlight the universal applicability of TML in the practical context of designing ES training in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External program review is often considered the "gold standard" approach to evaluating academic programs in higher education. Despite the importance of program review, skepticism persists regarding its ability to meaningfully engage faculty and have sustaining impact on program improvement. This paper builds on the academic Program Review Learning Community conceptual model and presents a process for applying a project management facilitation technique that leverages a course structure. The Program Review Course allows for multiple programs to be reviewed concurrently as part of an interdisciplinary cohort. Within the cohort, faculty teams gain access to templates, information sessions, workshops, and discussion forums, with opportunities for engagement both within and across multiple disciplines. Using learning modules, this approach is designed to create efficiency and collaboration in delivering program review tools and customized supports. Utilizing a course structure for program review fits well with a new way to think about program review because successful learning communities are often embedded within institutional structures. Use of this approach is expected to increase clarity and consistency, improve administrative feasibility, provide guidance for those new to program review, promote collegiality within and across programs, and involve team members in the creation of action planning. The authors propose that a course-based approach for conducting program review, with teams of disciplinary faculty joining an interdisciplinary cohort and supported by quality assurance practitioners and educational developers is a novel way to provide structure and academic development while meeting legislative requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of six comprehensive universities in South Africa, the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) combines the best academic credentials from universities and technikons in an effort to effectively meet the socio-economic development needs of the nation, in the Eastern Cape Province, and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Chris Hani Municipality, King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality. An institution of a new generation, the WSU is more than the sum of its parts. Its goal is to improve community potential through quality academic programs, research, and community engagement projects with a strong emphasis on involvement and sustainable development This article considers the different successes and difficulties associated with the WSU rationalization and consolidation of faculties. This theoretical article observes that the government started using rationalization and consolidation as a tool to reconfigure and reform the higher education sector. Rationalization and consolidation are nothing new, and several nations have used them to revamp or reorganize their higher education industries. The article provides literature debates and scholarly background on comparing the South African higher education sector's proposed rationalisation and consolidation to those of other nations' higher education sectors, however, would reveal the most ambitious reform program ever launched in recent memory. The conceptual paper adopts a thematic qualitative approach. The primary wave of the mergers mandated by the government that happened in 2004 and 2005 was preceded by the 2002 merger of Walter Sisulu University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European Mobility Programmes promoted by the European Commission have propelled a significant change in students' mobility across Europe in the last few decades. The European Project Semester (EPS) is one of those programmes. Research has mainly focused on understanding the factors that shape students' decision to engage in mobility experiences but has not tackled the motivation(s) leading them to opt for that programme in a particular country at a specific institution. This paper aims to understand EPS students' motivation to elect this programme for their mobility at a particular country/city/institution and hence contribute to help institutions define policies and practices to attract more students to this specific programme. Carried out at the Polytechnic School of Engineering in Porto, a mixed research methodology was followed, considering qualitative and quantitative data equally, and a theoretical framework was devised based on the push–pull factors model. Seventy-seven students participated in the study by filling in a closed-question questionnaire and engaging in focus group sessions. The findings sustained previous research and highlighted that students' motivation is supported by a combination of factors (personal, professional, academic), among which the personal category was the highest rated. These results show that the motivations for choosing the EPS programme do not differ considerably from those leading students to undertake regular mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to identify the opportunities for improving the employment offers by identifying differences in the requirements as for work on a ship formulated by maritime university students and seafarers. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the goal, the Kano method was applied, to determine the relationship between the level of requirements fulfilled to work on a ship and the students' and seafarers' level of satisfaction. Findings: It was found that there are differences in how students and seafarers perceive the same requirements for working on a ship. As the perception of these requirements depends on the seafaring experience, shipowners should differentiate the terms and conditions of employment formulated in job offers to the targeted group of potential employees. Research limitations/implications: The survey was conducted among students of only one Polish maritime university and, moreover, only seafarers of Polish nationality participated. Hence, future research in this area may include the identification of the requirements for work on board set by students and seafarers of other countries, as well as the identification of differences in the requirements for future work at sea set by students at the beginning and at the end of their education. Practical implications: The study results obtained may prove helpful to shipowners in adjusting the job offers to the target group recruited. Such knowledge can help shipowner companies to effectively prevent the crisis related to the shortage of highly skilled seafarers and the subsequent disruption of the supply chain. In addition, it can also provide guidance for maritime universities to design academic programs customized to the expectations of both shipowners and future seafarers. Originality/value: Research dedicated to assessing the impact of meeting shipboard job requirements on seafarers' satisfaction and dissatisfaction has not yet been conducted. In addition, the paper makes an innovative attempt to confront the requirements for work at sea formulated by seafarers with the requirements of students as future shipboard employees. The survey used the Kano method, a management-specific method not previously used in the maritime industry. The addressees of the results of the survey can be maritime universities, shipowners and maritime industry employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to present demographic characteristics and postgraduate employment trends of business doctoral graduates, especially the proportion that are underrepresented minorities (URMs) over time. Design/methodology/approach: The authors analyze the near census of individuals receiving doctoral degrees in a wide range of business disciplines from US-accredited universities from 1973 to 2018 (n = 50,091) contained with the National Science Foundation Survey of Earned Doctorates. The authors analyze how the proportion of URM graduates, by discipline, has changed over time both in terms of receiving a doctoral degree and entering an academic position. Findings: The proportion of URM graduates fluctuated between approximately 5% and 15% annually, steadily increasing across decades. Overall, 64.4% of all graduates entered an academic position, with notably higher rates among whites (72.1%) compared to Blacks (51.8%), Hispanics (60.4%) and other URMs (56.4%) (p < 0.001). In adjusted models, the proportion of URMs that entered academic positions significantly increased overtime, beginning in the 1990s and peaked in the 2000s. Although the few institutions that graduated the highest number of URMs do not currently have an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited business school, the authors identify several exemplar institutions where URM graduates entered academic jobs at the highest rates. Originality/value: The authors provide demographic trends that shed light on ways to influence an increase in URM doctoral graduates from business disciplines into academic careers. This discussion is of interest to university administrators and other stakeholders interested in diversity issues in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the need for data analytics skills in the workforce continues to grow, colleges and universities are creating new undergraduate and graduate academic programs to cover the scarcity of these competencies. While many professionals in the data analytics and data science fields agree on the important skills necessary to be data fluent, it can be difficult for an institution to curate and navigate the optimal curriculum for their student body. Decisions such as course content, software platforms, data sets, and rigor can seem overwhelming to faculty who have been tasked with the responsibility of creating these data analytics programs. This paper explores the experiences of two institutions who partnered with SAS Academic Programs to form and shape their curriculums with a Tier 3 Academic Specialization--one to create a master's degree in Data Analytics, and the other to create undergraduate certificates in Data Mining to meet the latest industry trends. The benefits of this unique partnership with SAS will be discussed, including access to free pedagogical materials and a suite of industry-standard software packages, enhancement of a program's visibility, and the encouragement of program growth and evolution over time. Solutions to potential tradeoffs will also be explored, such as supporting students' exposure to other programming languages and the reinforcement of conceptual understanding in SAS's task-based curriculum. The paper covers their journeys from the decision to partner with SAS, applying for Academic Specialization, crafting pedagogy around the partnership requirements, teaching and classroom experiences, and assessment of the academic programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a writing program to support academic staff to publish in peer-refereed journals. Nine participants completed a 12-week program, which involved regular meetings, set writing tasks, and peer feedback on drafts. A pre- and post-survey and follow-up interviews were used to gather feedback. Participants especially valued the discipline of weekly sessions and peer feedback. They reported increased skills and confidence in their writing, greater knowledge of the publication process, and intention to continue writing. Although five papers were published, a 12-month follow-up revealed that original writing intentions were not sustained. Thus, while a structured writing program can be effective, the pressures academic staff experience trying to meet conflicting requirements of teaching, administration, and research, must also be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework to understand and reflect upon issues, which can help in producing better industry-ready students graduating from business schools.Design/methodology/approach The paper examines research conducted in the area of knowledge management (KM) and proposes a conceptual framework that can be used by academic institutions to engage students and prepare them for industry needs so that they are better industry-ready graduates. A case study based approach has been adopted in this study.Findings In line with the literature-based analysis, a framework for better industry ready students has been proposed, illustrating the linkage between KM, learning from organization-based projects, industry feedback and inputs from international accreditation bodies in higher education.Originality/value This paper has provided a comprehensive framework that contributes to the understanding and refining the academic processes in a business school setting with the help of learning from academic KM process. Such a framework has not been previously developed by previous researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an attempt to extract and illuminate some of the structural enablements and constraints of articulation and articulation arrangements and agreements in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, the paper used a qualitative research design and document analysis technique. To this effect, three university documents--namely, the University Articulation Guidelines, the admissions policy, and the general prospectus--were purposively and conveniently chosen. Qualitative content analysis was employed in this regard. Archer's concepts of analytic dualism, which recognize causal efficacy and independence of structural properties, were used to frame the objectives of the whole paper. It was found that while the university has documents that are tilted towards the promotion of articulation in general and articulation agreements in particular, there are costly discrepancies in its admissions policy, important absences in the articulation guidelines it has promulgated, and contradictions and unfairness in the application of Credit Accumulation and Transfer in dealing with college transfer. To help overcome these, an establishment of a university articulation office, a review of admissions policy, and reconsideration of the Credit Accumulation and Transfer processes are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Collected Essays on Learning & Teaching is the property of Society for Teaching & Learning in Higher Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Conceptualizing branding as ongoing strategic efforts formulated by transnational English medium instruction EMI)-oriented universities in today's competitive Higher Education (HE) market in order to create uniqueness for their academic programs as branded commodities, this paper (a) examines the forms of branding crafted by universities in the Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates) in order to claim uniqueness for their academic programs, and (b) inquires into whose interests (i.e., students, teachers, universities, investors or governments) are thus best served. Data were collected from policy documents, promotional materials (e.g., slogans) and official speeches on recent major branding initiatives undertaken by universities across the region. These data were treated as a research site which has its own history, players and nuances. The findings reveal that because of the different branding efforts intertwined with neoliberal language policy agendas undertaken by universities, with generous logistic, legal, and financial supports from their governments, a collision of conflicting interests and objectives among different players has arisen. This undesirable outcome leads governments and universities to represent and imagine each other as rivals instead of as collaborators aiming to secure various regional interests, including joint educational work. The implication of this phenomenon is that transnational English medium instruction-oriented policies have brought about apparent educational inequalities and social class in HE sectors of the region. This paper closes with recommendations to align the branding efforts with the regional interests stipulated in the Arab Bureau of Education for the Arabian Gulf countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sinergia Académica is the property of Editorial Tecnocientifica Americana (ETECAM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents findings from a study of pedagogical beliefs and practices amongst early career academics attending an extensive professional development program. The research questions of this study were as follows: how do early career academics define their pedagogical beliefs in relation to a pedagogical development program, and how do their beliefs manifest in their pedagogical practice? This study was based on a qualitative document analysis of 145 project reports written as the finalizing part of the early career academics' participation in the program. Reports were collected with the consent of participants, coded, and analyzed to search for emerging pedagogical beliefs and subsequent practices. The findings indicate that while almost all participants express beliefs that are aligned with the core values of the university, their reported practices are quite diverse. Based on this, we propose a framework for understanding teaching development amongst early career academics centered on their individual development and their interaction with students. This framework provides a contribution to our understanding of the teaching trajectories of early career academics and the intricate interplay between pedagogical beliefs and pedagogical practice. This framework may be of use for educational developers when planning and conducting pedagogical development activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a changing media landscape in mind, this article takes a closer look at academic training standards for journalists. Focusing on multimedia production and innovative science, it analyses the impact on business models, resources and working conditions. As an interventionist appeal, it argues in favour of practice-based research and new training methods. Key demands include a greater awareness of the democratic role of journalism, ethical sensitivity and sustainable funding. By interweaving theory, practice and politics, this Manifesto-like paper aims to strengthen the profession of journalism and build a bridge between academia and practical training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Teoría y Praxis is the property of Editorial Universidad Don Bosco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of GMS Journal for Medical Education is the property of German Medical Science Publishing House gGmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Concept maps are a valid assessment tool to explore student understanding of diverse topics. Many types of academic programs have integrated concept mapping into their courses, resulting in various activities and scoring methods to understand student perceptions. Purpose: Few prior reviews of concept mapping have addressed their use within engineering education. This systematic literature review examines articles that use concept mapping as an assessment tool in engineering education contexts and provides suggestions for future research. Scope/Method: We conducted a literature search using terms related to concept map and engineering education. Articles were screened by their title, abstract, section, and then full paper, resulting in 53 articles for the final review. Two researchers examined the topic, activity type, and scoring method of the maps. Results: Concept mapping topics fit into three categories, and the activity structures fit into four types. Of seven scoring methods, "Traditional" was the most used. Studies that compared multiple scoring methods showed that the "Holistic" and "Categorical" methods were better able to capture the content of the maps. All types of scoring demonstrated positive outcomes, suggesting that concept maps can demonstrate understanding of the topic and can assess learning. Conclusions: Concept maps have been applied in a number of ways. All types of concept mapping scores were shown to be useful and can lead to a better understanding of the students' learning outcomes. However, more research is needed to determine which scoring methods are recommended for specific applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autologous breast reconstruction is an increasingly popular method of reconstruction for breast cancer survivors. While deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps are the gold standard, not all patients are ideal candidates for DIEP flaps due to low BMI, body habitus, or previous abdominal surgery. In these patients, complex autologous breast reconstruction can be performed, but there is a limited number of programs around the world due to high technical demand. Given the increased demand and need for complex autologous flaps, it is critical to build programs to increase patient access and teach future microsurgeons. In this paper, we discuss the steps, pearls, and preliminary experience of building a complex autologous breast reconstruction program in a tertiary academic center. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent starting the year prior to the creation of our program. Since the start of our program, a total of 74 breast mounds have been reconstructed in 46 patients using 87 flaps. Over 23 months, there was a decrease in median surgical time for bilateral reconstruction by 124 min (p = 0.03), an increase in the number of co-surgeon cases by 66% (p < 0.01), and an increase in the number of complex autologous breast reconstruction by 42% (p < 0.01). Our study shows that a complex autologous breast reconstruction program can be successfully established using a multi-phase approach, including the development of a robust co-surgeon model. In addition, we found that a dedicated program leads to increased patient access, decreased operative time, and enhancement of trainee education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales is the property of Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Quality assurance (QA) is becoming more critical in higher education (HE) worldwide. Quality in HE can be managed by QA, quality improvement, and quality control. This systematic review demonstrates the benefits of QA and academic accreditation in HE by examining the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA) accreditation standards and two accredited academic programs at Qassim University (QU) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: Elton B. Stephens Company (EBSCO) e-library was used to collect and retrieve literature from December 2022 to January 2023. Only English-language fulltext papers were reviewed and cited. Results: To assure medical education quality and encourage healthcare workforce confidence, medical educational institutions must be overseen by a QA system, such as a formal accreditation system. The World Federation of Medical Education set "Trilogy" global standards for quality improvement in medical education. The ambitious "Vision 2030" of KSA invests a large percentage of its Gross Domestic Product in education to address the significant challenges of educational quality management. The sole statutory organization in KSA that evaluates and accredits all public and private HE institutions and programs is the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA). The NCAAA's accreditation standards are generally acknowledged as good practice in HE worldwide and have been adapted to KSA higher education's special circumstances. NCAAA has recently granted accreditation to two academic programs offered by College of Applied Medical Sciences, QU. Conclusion: Accreditation promotes "added value" under the win-win-win "WWW" paradigm, where stakeholders win first, then the program, and finally the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the involvement of sixteen undergraduate students across four disciplines in a practice-led research project to create the "Once Upon a Time in Palestine" XR documentary by exploring how they performed when given complex challenges, to create this novel and complex practice-led research project. The students were trained and mentored but also were trusted to work under minimal supervision. This created a high level of engagement with the expectation of high-quality output and presented the students with opportunities not afforded to them within the rigid structure of their academic programs. This paper examines the engagement of the students, and their willingness to learn new technologies and apply this learning to produce high quality output under tight deadlines with minimal supervision and the value of interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple fields of study. The paper concludes that while there was a steep learning curve, the students were able to achieve high-level engagement and produce professional results within the specified deadlines, using the latest technological advances in the field, while learning new skills outside their academic program and also enhancing the outcome of the successful project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business Information Systems (BIS) is a professional discipline that combines Computer Science, Management, and Business Administration. In this article the researchers evaluate the evolution of BIS curriculum in terms of its past, present and future, considering its historical background, the existing strengths and weaknesses, and how it can be developed to meet market needs. The study reveals the skills required by a BIS graduate and highlights how the existing/existed BIS curricula have made their graduates weaker when compared with Computer Science and Business Administration specialists. The research further compares the existential crisis of BIS with Library and Information Science (LIS) discipline, which have also faced a similar controversial crisis concerning their disciplinary boundaries, whether it belong to Social and Behavioral Sciences or Computer Science and Engineering and yet succeeded in its growth and contributions. This research concludes that the BIS curriculum is still budding and needs to be re-evaluated and updated regularly to meet the changing demands of the market highlighting the need for collaboration between academia and industry to ensure that BIS graduates are equipped with the skills that employers require. The paper finally proposes a balanced model of BIS curriculum that incorporates the latest technology updates. The proposed curriculum model aims to address the current gaps in BIS education and meets the changing demands of the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper leverages the training and education-related research outputs developed under the ECHO project. They are compared to the progress of the workgroups in ENISA (European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) and ECSO (European Cybersecurity Organization) that classify, structure and define the competencies, skills, and knowledge and risk factors. The approach digested by the ECHO project explores the methods for achieving a more vital balance between the market demands and talent supply. The scope of the research activities covers four main and interconnected components - i) Contextualization; ii) Competences; iii) Generic Curriculum; iv) Assessment methodology. The proposed approach explores and gradually builds upon the generic definitions of the skills and knowledge toward specific requirements on what an ICT or cybersecurity professional must know and be able to do in order to implement initial and further cyber-incident response actions. The paper considers mainly the design methods for building cybersecurity training programs for professionals. Still, it could be applied in academic settings as well, enriching the academic programs with practical learning experiences. Several examples are provided to demonstrate the relevance and applicability of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the journal's call on for the submission of papers that help bridge the gap between academics and the business community, as well as, applied research with an emphasis on implications for international business practitioners.

Did the liberal art disciplines at American universities have the highest failure rate between the 1970s and the early 2000s? Important theoretical traditions indeed believe that the liberal arts are the most threatened disciplines in the academy, while other theories have differing views. This paper reexamines the vulnerability of academic disciplines by assessing new data. It focuses on the closing of academic departments and programs, and it uses event history analysis to show that practical arts departments and programs failed at a much higher rate than liberal arts departments and programs. In doing so, this paper raises important questions about how American universities are changing during a time of budget cuts and retrenchment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a decision support model for optimizing the composition of portfolios of market-driven academic programs, primarily in schools offering market-driven academic programs. This model seeks to maximize financial performance during a desired planning time period while also achieving targets for other non-financial dimensions of the portfolio (e.g. mission alignment, student demographics and faculty characteristics) by deciding the types of programs to be added, redesigned and/or removed for each year of the planning period. Design/methodology/approach: This paper introduces an integer linear program (i.e. mathematical optimization) to describe the portfolio optimization problem. Integer linear programs are widely used for optimizing portfolios of financial and non-financial products and services in non-educational settings. Additionally, in order to use an integer linear program for the model, qualitative data must be incorporated into the quantitative model. To do so, this paper first discusses two methods of quantifying qualitative information related to market-driven program dimensions in the following section. Findings: The paper provides empirical insights related to the impact of this model through an illustrative case from a school offering market-driven academic programs at a prestigious private university in the USA. The results of the case highlight the potential positive impact of utilizing a similar model for planning purposes. Financially, the model results in almost double financial surplus than without the model while also achieving higher scores for all non-financial dimensions measured for the portfolio analyzed. Originality/value: This paper provides a unique and impactful model for decision support in strategic planning for market-driven academic programs, an area of intense discussion and focus in higher education today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EdTech, which includes computer-assisted learning (CAL), online education, and remote instruction, was expanding rapidly even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies of CAL interventions often find positive effects; however, these "CAL programs" often include non-technology-based inputs such as more time spent on learning and additional instructional support by facilitators. In this paper, we discuss the possible channels by which CAL programs affect academic outcomes among schoolchildren. We isolate the technology-based effects of CAL from the total program effects by designing and performing a novel multitreatment field experiment in rural China. For the full sample, we find null effects for both the total CAL program and the technology-based effects of CAL on math test scores. For boys, however, we find a positive and statistically significant effect of the CAL program but do not find evidence of a positive effect for the technology-based effect of CAL. When focusing on grades, we find evidence of positive CAL program effects but find null effects when we isolate the technology-based effects of CAL. Our empirical results suggest that the "Tech" in EdTech may have relatively small additional effects on academic outcomes, yet tech programs can substitute at least to a certain extent for traditional learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School districts serving newcomer English Learners (ELs) generally offer short‐term intensive English programs designed to teach foundational language skills and guide students' integration into the U.S. school system. Despite the growing popularity of newcomer programs, however, there is limited rigorous evidence of their efficacy. In this paper, we present evidence on the causal effect of an intensive English program on the academic achievement of newcomer EL students. Access to the program is determined by a test score cutoff which we leverage to employ a regression discontinuity design. On average, students who are eligible for the program in elementary grades experience a boost in their academic achievement for up to 3 years following initial eligibility. Conversely, newcomer EL students who are marginally eligible for intensive English language instruction in middle school grades see a decline in achievement that tends to exacerbate over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]