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Set against the backdrop of an absence of agricultural extension in the curriculum of agriculture degree programs in Ireland between 1990 and 2010, this paper examines the knowledge exchange skills needed by the next generation of farm advisors and presents the case of a practicebased postgraduate program in Ireland that seeks to address the competency gap created. It reviews an Irish post graduate program that has been designed to equip graduates with the competencies to work effectively in advisory roles. It combines student, graduate, and manager survey results on their experience and assessment of professional development with this program. The evolving role of front-line farm advisors to facilitators of knowledge exchange and innovation is recognised while a range of essential competencies are highlighted. The value of this postgraduate education for early career farm advisors is evidenced through building competencies in a range of areas and gaining a deeper understanding through applied research of the complexities of innovation adoption and the barriers to change for farmers and their families. The paper concludes that greater attention is needed to developing core competencies of farm advisors to build strong relationships of trust and influence with farmer clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International student exchange is integral to internationalization at higher education institutions and global human resource development in Japan. However, border closures and restrictions on physical mobility since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic forced universities to adopt virtual mobility models to deliver international exchange programs. This study explores students’ experiences of taking virtual exchange programs and their pedagogical implications for future virtual exchange programs. In this paper, we present one case of virtual student mobility implemented at one national university in Japan. Analysis of multiple data sets, including student surveys (n=789), reflection papers (n=420), and interviews with a program administrator and a faculty member, revealed that this type of virtual student mobility program has strong merits in promoting internationalization activities. Students were satisfied with the diverse interdisciplinary academic content, flexibility in taking the course, and opportunity to engage with the host university faculty members and international students. Many have expressed their interest in studying at the host university in person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Main Objectives: The number of Indonesian students who study abroad has expanded significantly during the past few decades. Nonetheless, the nation has a lot of variables that would assist in the growth of overseas students leaving the country in the future. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the variables influencing the financial literacy of Indonesian students participating in international exchange programs. This study empirically examines how students' financial behavior could be affected by their financial knowledge, financial attitude, and financial culture. It also tests how financial literacy can be directly influenced by financial behavior. Additionally, the mediating role of financial behavior has been evaluated. Background Problems: Notwithstanding the rise in the number of students enrolled in international programs, and the availability of such programs in educational institutions worldwide, these students will confront numerous obstacles and difficulties. A vital skill for these students to possess is financial literacy, since there is a lot of emphasis on cost-saving when pursuing higher education in a global setting. However, studies into financial literacy are noticeably lacking, particularly in emerging nations such as Indonesia. Novelty: The current paper adds to the limited studies concerning the financial life of international students by developing an integrated framework to examine the most crucial factors impacting the financial literacy of Indonesian students participating in international exchange programs. Research Methods: An online survey was conducted to gather the primary data from the respondents. The acquired data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Finding/Results: The research findings showed that financial literacy was significantly impacted by financial behavior, which in turn was impacted by financial knowledge, financial attitudes, and financial culture. The relationship between financial knowledge, financial attitudes, financial culture, and financial literacy was found to be significantly mediated by financial behavior. Conclusion: The present work provides theoretical and managerial contributions regarding managing the financial life of international students in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether participating in a five-week asynchronous video exchange program would affect the intercultural competence of undergraduate students at a university in Japan. Participants collaborated with Taiwanese university students on the topic of sustainable tourism and exchanged self-introduction videos, presentations on local tourism, and feedback. A mixed-methods approach was employed in this study. The Intercultural Competence Scale for University EFL Learners was used to gather quantitative data, and participants' scores were significantly higher in the post-test in four out of five dimensions. As for qualitative data, a survey with open-ended questions was administered to explore how participants perceived the virtual exchange experience. Several themes emerged including communication, culture, and interpersonal interaction, and participants demonstrated traits related to intercultural competence. Findings in this study have provided evidence to support the positive effects of asynchronous video virtual exchange on cultivating intercultural competence among undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the logistic planning, the important focus of international student mobility programmes in social work is on the field supervision process and measuring its outcome. Without a social work council in India for setting uniform standards in field education, this paper proposes a framework for field supervision to support inbound mobility students in India. The study predominantly explores the qualitative experiences of field supervisors from India, Israel, and Australia on fieldwork supervision. The themes evolved from the study are focused on the supervision process, strategies followed, challenges faced, and outcome measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As countries transition from external assistance while pursuing ambitious plans to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), there is increasing need to facilitate knowledge sharing and learning among them. Country-led and country-owned knowledge management is foundational to sustainable, more equitable external assistance for health and is a useful complement to more conventional capacity-building modalities provided under external assistance. In the context of external assistance, few initiatives use country-to-country sharing of practitioner experiences, and link learning to receiving guidance on how to adapt, apply and sustain policy changes. Dominant knowledge exchange processes are didactic, implicitly assuming static technical needs, and that practitioners in low- and middle-income countries require problem-specific, time-bound solutions. In reality, the technical challenges of achieving UHC and the group of policymakers involved continuously evolve. This paper aims to explore factors which are supportive of experience-based knowledge exchange between practitioners from diverse settings, drawing from the experience of the Joint Learning Network (JLN) for UHC—a global network of practitioners and policymakers sharing experiences about common challenges to develop and implement knowledge products supporting reforms for UHC—as an illustration of a peer-to-peer learning approach. This paper considers: (1) an analysis of JLN monitoring and evaluation data between 2020 and 2023 and (2) a qualitative inquiry to explore policymakers' engagement with the JLN using semi-structured interviews (n = 14) with stakeholders from 10 countries. The JLN's experience provides insights to factors that contribute to successful peer-to-peer learning approaches. JLN relies on engaging a network of practitioners with diverse experiences who organically identify and pursue a common learning agenda. Meaningful peer-to-peer learning requires dynamic, structured interactions, and alignment with windows of opportunity for implementation that enable rapid response to emerging and timely issues. Peer-to-peer learning can facilitate in-country knowledge sharing, learning and catalyse action at the institutional and health system levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationalisation is a broad term that has been used to encompass a range of activities including international student recruitment, student mobility and exchange, international teaching and research collaborations, institutional partnerships, and embedding international and/or intercultural perspectives within curricula. There are numerous drivers for institutions to develop an internationalisation strategy including building global reputation and influence, having a positive influence on communities, income generation, and helping their students gain a global perspective or develop intercultural competencies. Health students benefit from internationalisation activities as they will enter a workforce that increasingly engages with global diseases and works within multicultural societies. However, there are risks associated with internationalisation that stem from disjointed institutional decision making, power imbalances, and neo-colonial attitudes. There are also multiple barriers to effectively engaging in internationalisation including individual student circumstances, staff and institutional preparedness, and geopolitical factors. Within this broader context, internationalisation of the curriculum (IoC) is aimed at incorporating international, intercultural, and global dimensions into the curriculum, including consideration of content, teaching methods, learning outcomes, and how these are supported at a program and institutional level. This is a major undertaking requiring alignment of philosophy between teaching academics, senior university leadership, and the relevant professional body. Examples of IoC within health programs, and the significant challenges involved, are critically discussed in this paper, and strategies to overcome these challenges highlighted. Whilst recognising the challenges, this paper concludes that undertaking purposeful IoC is a critical step towards ensuring that the future health workforce is adequately prepared for the 21st Century environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine impact of undertaking an international educational program during a nurse's or midwife's pre-registration program on subsequent practice, focusing on how nurses and midwives were transformed personally through participation in such programs. Background: Participation in international educational programs has been reported to enhance nursing and midwifery students' personal and professional development, however long-term impacts remain unclear. This paper presents findings drawn from a larger grounded theory study. Study design and Methods: Charmaz's grounded theory methodology was used to elicit experiences from 13 general nurses, two mental health nurses, three midwives and four dual qualified nurse/midwives across eight different countries. Data analysis led to the creation of three categories, with this paper reporting on the category of Developing as a Person. Findings: Participation in international educational programs can be transformative for nurses and midwives with long-lasting impacts, contributing positively to their personal growth and development. Discussion: The study findings underscore significant long-term impacts of international educational programs for nurses and midwives. These outcomes highlight the importance of incorporating international experiences into healthcare education. Conclusion: By providing opportunities for healthcare professionals to engage with diverse settings and populations, organisations and educational institutions can foster the development of well-rounded and globally competent practitioners. Implications for research, policy, and practice: The study's findings hold significant implications for research, policy, and practice in healthcare education. To deepen our understandings, additional longitudinal research across diverse countries is warranted. Policymakers have an opportunity to acknowledge the positive impact of these programs on the personal growth and development of nurses and midwives, potentially leading to the integration of global competency requirements into licensure programs. In order to provide comprehensive education, educational institutions should consider the inclusion of study abroad opportunities, cultural exchanges, and global clinical placements within nursing and midwifery curricula. What is already known about the topic? • International educational programs are widely used as a way of developing nursing and midwifery students' cultural understandings. • Previous studies have reported on short-term impacts of international educational programs. What this paper adds: • Long-term impacts of participation in an international educational program on nurses and midwives are described. • Personal development and subsequent transformations occur for nurses and midwives as a result of participation in international educational programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Internationalization is viewed as an important strategy in the context of a country in transition from central planning to market orientation. Efforts to internationalize universities are being carried out at both national and institutional levels. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there has been no study to investigate how individual institutions approach internationalization and what they gain from that process. This paper aims to investigate the enhancement of teachers' and students' knowledge and skills using internationalization in Vietnam universities as a strategy. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews with leaders from 12 universities were conducted to investigate their perceptions, strategies and perceived outcomes of the internationalization process of their universities. Data analysis involved coding the transcripts of interviews into themes. Findings: Results show that current approaches to internationalized activities in Vietnamese universities are ad hoc in nature, while resources and language incompetence of staff and students are limited. In line with other previous studies, limited resources and lack of English competence among educators and students were found to be the key obstacles and challenges for internationalized activities. The authors also note an issue that apparently has not been raised elsewhere in the relevant research literature, which is the challenge for the sustainability of knowledge production via research and publications. Originality/value: Findings from this study not only contribute to Vietnamese universities but also to other developing institutions which do not have strong international exchange programs or have not experienced strong benefits from international exchange programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiple studies focus on the experiences of visiting students from high resource regions that participated in clinical placements in lower resource countries but less focus on the experiences of the educators accompanying students. Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of educators during an international clinical placement of nursing students in a country in West Africa. Methods: We implemented a focussed ethnographic design. We purposively sampled educators who accompanied students on an international clinical placement. Data collection from 2018 to 2019 consisted of in‐depth individual interviews. We utilized Roper and Shapira's (2000, 10.4135/9781483328294.) data analysis process, which includes coding keywords, identifying patterns and theorizing. Findings Three themes emerged from the data: rewards in accompanying students, challenges experienced and the need for mentoring and continuous support. Educators found it rewarding to see growth in students, how students developed as global citizens, how students developed critical thinking and problem‐solving skills and create lifelong friendships. Conclusion: Educators who accompany nursing students to international clinical placement experience valuable learning and challenging issues. Educators must navigate, support and advance student learning when on an international placement. It is crucial to have adequate institutional support from both the home and host country. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Multiple research studies focus on the experiences of visiting students from high resource regions that participated in clinical placements in lower resource countries but less focus on the experiences of the educators accompanying students.Multiple rewards exist for educators who accompanying students on an international clinical placement.Nurse educators are expected to mentor students and provide continuous support. What this paper adds? The need for continuous contact between the educators and the home faculty is highlighted.Mentoring topics to 'soften' the impact of the challenges experiences by educators are identified; this includes regular debriefing with senior educators at the home and host university.The importance of working with the host during the predeparture period, as well as report on arrival and have regular meetings during the placement to ensure that both the needs of the visiting student group and the host are met, is highlighted. The implications of this paper: (how findings influence or can be used to change policy/practice/research/education) A well‐developed support system and debriefing sessions are necessary for the accompanying faculty member.Research is needed to develop the content of a mentorship model/framework for junior academics that plan to accompany students on international clinical placements to low and middle‐income countries.Additional research is needed on the value of pairing a junior academic with an experienced mentor to answer questions as they arise related to day‐to‐day challenges and student related questions during the international clinical placements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tele‐collaborative projects serve as invaluable platforms for students from diverse countries to engage in cross‐cultural communication and exchange cultural knowledge. These projects offer immense benefits in terms of fostering intercultural competence among participants. However, one challenge arises when participants engage in spoken communication rather than written. Those who may not share a common first language often rely on a lingua franca such as English for intercultural communication. In such spoken exchanges, varying levels of language proficiency can lead to communication errors that hinder the intercultural learning process and impede the development of intercultural competence in their fellow participants. Objectives: In the present trial study, our primary objective was to tackle the language‐related challenge associated with spoken communication head‐on. Our focus centred on addressing the discrepancies arising in spoken communication, and we aimed to mitigate these discrepancies by utilizing speech‐enabled corrective feedback technology. Methods: In a tele‐collaborative project involving 28 graduate students from the People's Republic of China and Republic of Kazakhstan, the participants engaged in spoken communication and cultural exchange in English via the internet. Given the emphasis on spoken communication and the recognition that English was not their first language, we implemented a speech‐enabled corrective feedback (SECF) technology to ensure effective communication in terms of pronunciation, grammar, and word choice. The SECF technology detected and provided instant feedback on any speech mistakes, enabling participants to make corrections accordingly. The main aim of our study was to explore the potential benefits of integrating SECF technology into a tele‐collaborative project for the development of participants' intercultural competence. Additionally, we sought to gather insights into the students' perceptions of the SECF support. Results and Conclusions: The results of our study revealed significant improvements in the participants' intercultural competence across dimensions such as knowledge, skills, attitude, and awareness. Furthermore, the participants expressed positive perceptions of the SECF technology. Drawing from our findings, we offer valuable implications and recommendations for educators and researchers in the field, enhancing their understanding of the role of SECF technology in supporting intercultural competence development in tele‐collaborative settings. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Tele‐collaborative projects are widely utilized to enhance intercultural competence.Low language proficiency of participants often poses a significant challenge in tele‐collaborative projects. What this paper adds: The present study addressed the language barrier by incorporating speech‐enabled corrective feedback (SECF) technology to support our tele‐collaborative project.The study explored how our tele‐collaborative project, supported by SECF, facilitated the development of intercultural competence. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Scholars and practitioners should consider implementing SECF technology to address language‐related barriers in tele‐collaborative projects.Guidelines based on our study can be utilized to design tele‐collaborative projects with SECF support.Training on technology and constant support needs to be provided to participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of O Social em Questão is the property of Faculdades Catolicas - Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro 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.)

In this paper, we propose a primal-dual path following method for nonlinear semi-infinite semi-definite programs with infinitely many convex inequality constraints, called SISDP for short. A straightforward approach to the SISDP is to use classical methods for semi-infinite programs such as discretization and exchange methods and solve a sequence of (nonlinear) semi-definite programs (SDPs). However, it is often too demanding to find exact solutions of SDPs. In contrast, our approach does not rely on solving SDPs accurately but approximately following a path leading to a solution, which is formed on the intersection of the semi-infinite feasible region and the interior of the semi-definite feasible region. Specifically, we first present a prototype path-following method and show its global weak* convergence to a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker point of the SISDP under some mild assumptions. Next, to achieve fast local convergence, we integrate a two-step sequential quadratic programming method equipped with the Monteiro-Zhang scaling technique into the prototype method. We prove two-step superlinear convergence of the resulting algorithm using Alizadeh-Hareberly-Overton-like, Nesterov-Todd, and Helmberg-Rendle-Vanderbei-Wolkowicz/Kojima-Shindoh-Hara/Monteiro scaling directions. Finally, we conduct some numerical experiments to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method through comparison with a discretization method that solves SDPs obtained by finite relaxation of the SISDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program (IOPEP) encompasses university (outside) students and incarcerated (inside) students undertaking a university course alongside each other behind the walls of a prison. In the Australian IOPEP, students are taught Comparative Criminal Justice Systems. In 2020, the IOPEP was moved online halfway through the course delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the potential of transmission in prisons. In 2021, in adherence to COVID-19 safety regulations and restrictions in prisons, the IOPEP delivery was also modified by reducing the number of outside students coming into prison. This paper presents Haozhou Sun’s reflection of his 2021 IOPEP’s learning experience. Although Sun was not able to have the same level of interaction traditionally obtained by IOPEP students, it is clear that the majority of the program’s aims were still achieved despite changes in delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual milieus are becoming a setting for a great deal of intercultural contact. Learners engaged in virtual exchanges are likely to encounter users from different nationalities who bring with them their culturally-grounded behaviors, beliefs and expectations as to what is most appropriate for intercultural interactions. Against this background, learners need specific skills, attitudes and knowledge to establish working relationships and collaborate with distant partners, namely intercultural competence. The present paper explores the effectiveness and relevance of participating in virtual intercultural exchanges to develop Algerian University learners' intercultural competence(or lack thereof). The particular significance of this study lies in shedding light on the importance of scaling up virtual intercultural exchanges to become an expected activity in Algerian Higher education. We opted for the quasi-experimental design as an appropriate research strategy for the present study. Data were gathered from attitudinal surveys administered to 38 students enrolled at the department of English language of Abou Bakr Belkaid University, Algeria. Participants were not selected randomly. They were grouped into two groups: a focus group entailing 19 students who participated in a telecollaborative partnership offered in the fall of 2020, and a control group of 19 students who were not involved in intercultural exchange programs. This initiative attempts to present some preliminary findings to show that virtual intercultural exchanges can assist Algerian learners in developing their intercultural competence under the guidance of their instructor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of OPUS - International Journal of Society Researches is the property of OPUS - International Journal of Society Research 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.)

Kidney exchange programs (KEPs) increase kidney transplantation by facilitating the exchange of incompatible donors. Increasing the scale of KEPs leads to more opportunities for transplants. Collaboration between transplant organizations (agents) is thus desirable. As agents are primarily interested in providing transplants for their own patients, collaboration requires balancing individual and common objectives. In this paper, we consider ex-post strategic behavior, where agents can modify a proposed set of kidney exchanges. We introduce the class of rejection-proof mechanisms, which propose a set of exchanges such that agents have no incentive to reject them. We provide an exact mechanism and establish that the underlying optimization problem is Σ 2 P -hard; we also describe computationally less demanding heuristic mechanisms. We show rejection-proofness can be achieved at a limited cost for typical instances. Furthermore, our experiments show that the proposed rejection-proof mechanisms also remove incentives for strategic behavior in the ex-ante setting, where agents withhold information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service-learning is used by universities to promote community engagement thatbenefits both the students and the recipient community; however, evidence largely demonstrates only the shortterm effects of such experiences. This paper presents ananalysis of the transformational learning of a group of Australian students who travelled to Fiji in an organised service-learing project. Using Kiely's model oftransformational learning, this case study describes the dissonance felt by a sub-groupof three (n = 3) students, from a cohort of thirteen (n = 13), who subsequently used this transformational learning to make major changes in their career and life goals. Rather than being adversely affected by the dissonance they experienced, these students used this learning as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. These findings support the notion that service-learning has the potential to provide students with challenging, life-changing opportunities that can have long-lasting effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper examines the impact of the COVID 19-pandemic on school exchanges between Germany and France. Furthermore, it investigates teachers’ and students’ experiences with distance learning during this period. We highlight that the pandemic has generated many exceptional challenges, especially for vulnerable students. However, the pandemic-induced constraints have also stimulated the development of new didactic approaches, tools and methods. Therefore, we can speak about the new opportunities in the domain of education, and most precisely, for school exchanges. [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.)

The purpose of the present paper is to review the importance of study abroad programs within the larger framework of internationalization of higher education and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon student mobility in Japan. Furthermore, it will examine a few reports of the students who completed virtual study abroad programs in Canada, Netherlands and Taiwan and will offer a few comments regarding the future of study abroad in times of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching is an important profession in a society because it is closely related to the development of a nation's civilization. Teachers must employ professionalism in their work to prepare the young generation of the nation to be better prepared to face the future. Improving the quality and professionalism of teachers should always be a major concern of the government. One potential program to improve the quality and professionalism of teachers is through an overseas teacher exchange program. This paper discusses the prospect of a teacher exchange cooperation program between the Indonesian Government and the Chinese Government, based on the perspectives of Indonesian teachers. An internet-based survey was carried out to find out whether and why Indonesian teachers are interested in participating in this collaboration program. An interesting finding from this study was that factors related to the teachers' interest in the program included the school's background: teachers who came from religious-based schools tended to not accept the teacher exchange program, and have opinions that educational cooperation with the Chinese Government is not necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Erzincan University Journal of Education Faculty / Erzincan Üniversitesi Egitim Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Erzincan University Faculty of Education Journal 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.)

We introduce the problem of selecting patient-donor pairs in a kidney exchange program to undergo a crossmatch test, and we model this selection problem as a two-stage stochastic integer programming problem. The optimal solutions of this new formulation yield a larger expected number of realized transplants than previous approaches based on internal recourse or subset recourse. We settle the computational complexity of the selection problem by showing that it remains NP-hard even for maximum cycle length equal to two. Furthermore, we investigate to what extent different algorithmic approaches, including one based on Benders decomposition, are able to solve instances of the model. We empirically investigate the computational efficiency of this approach by solving randomly generated instances and study the corresponding running times as a function of maximum cycle length, and of the presence of nondirected donors. Summary of Contribution: This paper deals with an important and very complex issue linked to the optimization of transplant matchings in kidney exchange programs, namely, the inherent uncertainty in the assessment of compatibility between donors and recipients of transplants. Although this issue has previously received some attention in the optimization literature, most attempts to date have focused on applying recourse to solutions selected within restricted spaces. The present paper explicitly formulates the maximization of the expected number of transplants as a two-stage stochastic integer programming problem. The formulation turns out to be computationally difficulty, both from a theoretical and from a numerical perspective. Different algorithmic approaches are proposed and tested experimentally for its solution. The quality of the kidney exchanges produced by these algorithms compares favorably with that of earlier models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use Critical Reflective Practice to give voice to the experience of a Kenyan teacher who travelled to Australia to undertake advanced coursework in leadership and inclusive education studies. It also reflects upon an Australian academic as she tries to be more culturally responsive in her andragogy when teaching, supervising and mentoring postgraduate international students. We use reflective practices over an extended period to lessen the power imbalance between them as academic supervisor and postgraduate student. This eventually allowed for the student to teach and the academic to learn; and together we here shed light on what it is like to study and teach within an Australian university that annually enrols 6000 students from more than 100 countries around the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many patients in need of a kidney transplant have a willing but incompatible (or poorly matched) living donor. Kidney exchange programs arrange exchanges among such patient-donor pairs, in cycles and chains of exchange, so that each patient receives a compatible kidney. Kidney exchange has become a standard form of transplantation in the United States and a few other countries, in large part because of continued attention to the operational details that arose as obstacles were overcome and new obstacles became relevant. We review some of the key operational issues in the design of successful kidney exchange programs. Kidney exchange has yet to reach its full potential, and the paper further describes some open questions that we hope will continue to attract attention from researchers interested in the operational aspects of dynamic exchange. This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, Special Section of Management Science: 65th Anniversary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to outline the "Hybrid" "International" Emergency Medicine (HIEM) programme, which is an ethical pathway for the recruitment, employment and training of Emergency Medicine doctors; with a rotation through the NHS on a two-year medical training initiative with a Tier 5 visa, "earn, learn and return" programme. The HIEM programme offers an advantage to the Tier 2 visa by combining training, education and employment resulting in new learning to help improve the health system in Nepal and provide continued cultural support, clinical and leadership development experience in the UK NHS. Finally, this programme also provides a Return on Investment to the NHS. Design/methodology/approach: A shortage of doctors in the UK, combined with a need to develop Emergency Medicine doctors in Nepal, led to a UK Emergency Medicine Physician (PS) to facilitate collaboration between UK/Nepal partners. A mapping exercise of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine curriculum with the competencies for the health system and quality improvement leaders and partners with patients produced a "HIEM programme". The HIEM programme aims to develop first-class doctors to study in Emergency Departments in the UK NHS while also building trainee capability to improve the health system in Nepal with a research thesis. Findings: The HIEM programme has 12 doctors on its programme across years one and two, with the first six doctors working in the UK NHS and progressing well. There are reports of high levels of satisfaction with the trainees in their transition from Nepal to the UK and the hospital is due to save £720,000 (after costs) over two years. Each trainee will earn £79,200 over two years which is enough to pay back the £16,000 cost for the course fees. Nepal as a country will benefit from the HIEM programme as each trainee will submit a health system improvement Thesis. Research limitations/implications: The HIEM programme is in its infancy as it is two years through a four-year programme. Further evaluation data are required to assess the full impact of this programme. In addition, the HIEM programme has only focussed on the development of one medical speciality which is Emergency Medicine. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of this model across other medical and surgical specialties. Practical implications: The HIEM programme has exciting potential to support International Medical Graduates undertake a planned programme of development while they study in the UK with a Tier 5 visa. IMGs require continuous support while in the UK and are required to demonstrate continued learning through continuous professional development (CPD). The HIEM programme offers an opportunity for this CPD learning to be structured, meaningful and progressive to enable new learning. There is also specific support to develop academic and research skills to undertake a thesis in an area that requires health system improvement in Nepal. Originality/value: This is the first time an integrated clinical, leadership, quality improvement and patient partnership model curriculum has been developed. The integrated nature of the curriculum saves precious time, money and resources. The integrated nature of this "hybrid" curriculum supports the development of an evidence-based approach to generating attitudes of collaboration, partnership and facilitation and team building in medical leadership with patient engagement. This "hybrid" model gives hope for the increased added value of the programme at a time of global austerity and challenges in healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-cultural experiences can offer unique opportunities to examine our assumptions that underlie our worldviews. This paper discusses a cross-cultural action research program in which US and Japanese university students mutually presented and discussed their action research projects in Tokyo. Planning and organizing the program involved a series of dialogues with the Japanese partner that had led to mutual agreement to frame the cross-cultural exchange as ba, a Japanese cultural concept that implies intersubjective and open communicative arena to co-develop a new understanding. This paper discusses what the US students and faculty group experienced and learned in the cross-cultural program. Through the program, the students encountered different styles of communicating meanings and epistemology and made sense of new ways of viewing the world. During the program, the US faculty group experienced an unanticipated disconnect with the Japanese partner about restructuring the discussion format to elicit more participations of the Japanese students, but it was eventually overcome though a series of reflective dialogues regarding the nature of silece and voicing one’s opinions. This paper discusses how encountering different modes of communications and social dynamics in cross-cultural dialogues can help us become aware of various assumptions that underlie our action research endeavers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney exchange programs (KEP) allow an incompatible patient–donor pair, whose donor cannot provide a kidney to the respective patient, to have a transplant exchange with another in a similar situation if there is compatibility. Exchanges can be performed via cycles or chains initiated by non-directed donors (NDD), i.e., donors that do not have an associated patient. The objective for optimization in KEP is generally to maximize the number of possible transplants. Following the course of recent approaches that consider a dynamic matching (exchanges are decided every time a pair or a NDD joins the pool), in this paper we explore two matching policies to find feasible exchanges: periodic, where the algorithm runs within some period (e.g each 3 month); and greedy, in which a matching run is done as soon as the pool is updated with a new pair or NDD. For each policy, we propose a matching algorithm that addresses the waiting times of pairs in a pool. We conduct computational experiments with the proposed algorithms and compare the results with those obtained when periodic and greedy matching aim at maximizing the number of transplants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Future of Medical Education Journal is the property of Mashhad University of Medical Science 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.)

Objectives: Group singing has been reported to enhance quality of life (QoL) and mental health in older people. This paper explored whether there are differences in the effects of group singing intervention on people with Parkinson's (PwPs) in Australia, UK and South Korea. Methods: The study included PwPs (N = 95; mean age = 70.26; male 45%) who participated in a standardised 6-month weekly group singing programme. Parkinson's health-related QoL measure (PDQ39) and mental health assessment (DASS) were administered at baseline and follow-up. ANOVAs were performed with significance set as p <.05. Results: ANOVAs revealed main effects of Time on the Stigma and Social Support subscales of PDQ39; both showed a small but significant improvement over time. However, the social support reduction was moderated by country; social support was improved only in South Korean participants. The reduction in stigma was greater than previously reported minimal clinically important differences, as was the social support reduction in South Korean participants. In terms of mental health, ANOVAs revealed that the scores of Anxiety and Stress domains of DASS significantly decreased from pre-test to post-test with small effect sizes. Conclusion: This first international singing study with PwPs demonstrated that group singing can reduce stigma, anxiety and stress and enhance social support in older adults living with Parkinson's. The findings are encouraging and warrant further research using more robust designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tourism Review is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited 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.)

The US engages in extensive training and education of foreign militaries, often through exchange programs carried out at the different military services' staff and war colleges. Researchers have recently explored the way in which military training can affect civil-military relations in the host country, but not much work has studied whether military training actually leads to increased US influence in these states. This paper proposes a soft-power theoretical framework to argue that foreign military training can create affinity for the U.S. that can in turn result in more pro-U.S. voting behavior in the UN General Assembly. It further expands on the military training literature by distinguishing between different military training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for setting international social work education standards are on the rise. The increased prospects of global exchange in teaching learning process initiated by different international universities, as a part of their agenda for international collaboration and cross cultural immersion in the profession are major impetuses for the same. Social work interns who participated in international exchanges appreciated the need for knowledge of global priorities and strategies to advance social work education, research and skill development for practice which also has lead to future collaboration between the institutions in these areas. But there are many challenges for the intern as well as the institutions involved, which should be integrated during different phases of the exchange process. This requires meticulous planning from the part of host institution. This paper focus on the need for international social work, the challenges involved in international internship and the process and content of field education provided to the international students based on experience of the author. The intention of the paper is to propose a general model of international field education, which may be mutually shared and agreed by the home institution as well as the host institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the globalization of Business Schools and present different strategies, issues and perspectives on how and why business schools are going global. The paper explores various models for globalization, contrasts and integrates them, and then presents an approach to globalization that is within the reach of these smaller and less endowed schools. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews relevant literature and an analysis of exchange programs amongst the world's leading business schools. Different aspects of the globalization of management education are discussed including internationalizing the curriculum, globalizing research agendas, and the impact of globalized competition. Findings – A framework has been developed that can be employed by business schools – especially in emerging economies – to internationalize themselves through their education and research programs. Recommendations are made for how business schools with limited resources can meet the challenge of offering the internationally-oriented education experience increasingly demanded by employers and students alike. Research limitations/implications – Limitations to this paper result from the use of Financial Times top 100 ranked business schools. Aside from weaknesses inherent the rankings methodology, the choice of these business schools excluded hundreds of high quality business schools around the world – many of which are internationally recognized for quality. Furthermore, the methodology of the scanning of web sites of schools for types of collaboration agreements across borders might not give the full picture of agreements betweens schools. Originality/value – Although a considerable amount has been written about the globalization imperative facing business schools (with many illustrations of what could be considered best practice), there is a significant lack of information when it comes to the articulation of strategies and implementation challenges facing smaller and less well endowed business schools that want to globalize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of the effectiveness of students' out-of-class experiences is subject to difficulties including the complexity and uniqueness of self-access systems, difficulties with data collection and analysis, and the purpose of evaluation (Gardner, 1999, cited in Cotterall & Reinders, 2001). To evaluate these demands we ask how the interaction with native speakers of the target language impacts upon specific aspects of the students' academic achievements. The primary aim of this paper is to explore this question in the case of the Language Exchange Program (LEP) at Curtin University in Western Australia. This paper reports data that was collected over a period of seven years on the effectiveness of the LEP on second/foreign language students' performance. The particular focus is to validate the role of the LEP in the following three major interrelated aspects: LEP and students' class attendance, LEP and end-of-semester oral examination performance, and LEP and overall academic results [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge 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.)

Universities around the world seek to increase their students' learning abroad in forms like international co-op and exchange. The authors build on findings in a 2016 publication by Behrisch in this journal to focus on the correlation of perceived risk with students' completion of a learning abroad experience. Using binary logistic regression analysis, findings suggest that students' perceived risk is negatively correlated with their likelihood of completing a learning abroad experience. Drawing on approach/inhibition theory and sensation seeking literature, the authors form a picture of how risk perception interacts with other factors to influence students' completion of learning abroad. Risk is typically regarded at the institutional and student levels as something negative to avoid. Reframing risk within the university as a conversation about learning, opportunity, and cognitive processing is recommended, since learning and teaching are essential elements of universities. The goal is to increase student engagement in learning abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As long as migration is recognized as a public health concern, policies exist to address migrants' health, and provide comprehensive information on how public and private health care system operates, health rights and what their health care plan does or does not cover. Thereby, responding to patients' expectations significantly affects overall satisfaction with health care services because this dimension is most strongly associated with patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to constitute the first quantitative large-scale study (n=1,512) in Cyprus and Greece exploring the level of satisfaction among third-country nationals (TCN) in relation to their health care needs. Design/methodology/approach: The questionnaire used in this study has been developed and measured (Cronbach α =0.7) in a similar study in Greece (Galanis et al., 2013) and it has been used by other studies too (Vozikis, 2015). Findings: The authors can conclude that participants' knowledge of the health system is not good as 70.2 percent that they do not have a good knowledge. The findings suggest that nearly one in two TCN faced problems in accessing clinics or communicating due to various factors. Practical implications: The findings of this study provide the context for further exploration of different means to improve cultural awareness amongst health and social care professionals, including multicultural training of health and social service providers and medical pluralist approaches that may be closer to migrants' cultural and health background. Overall, types of interventions to improve cultural competency included training/workshops/programs for health practitioners (e.g. doctors, nurses and community health workers), culturally specific/tailored education or programs for patients/clients, interpreter services, peer education, patient navigators and exchange programs (Truong, 2014). To the above, practices can also be added as multicultural education to all health professionals in order to develop enthusiasm and be able to acknowledge immigrants' difficulties. Adding to the above recommendation, interdisciplinary education with allied health professionals (psychologists, social workers and nurses) may lead to a more holistic approach of this group's needs, especially in the forthcoming health system where primary care will play a vital role. Social implications: Access to the health system may lead to social inclusion of TCN in the local society and improve their quality of life. It is also important for TCN to feel that the current health system is aware of issues related to their social and cultural background; thus, it will make the health system and those who work look more friendly and approachable. Originality/value: In an era of crisis and of great debate around a forthcoming National Health System, these findings indicate that healthcare providers in Cyprus will need to address several challenges in managing care for migrants. In order for that to happen, assessing patient satisfaction is thereby important in the process of quality evaluation, especially when dealing with population subgroups at higher risk of inequalities such as immigrants or ethnic minorities. Such studies help systems to develop by measuring their weaknesses and enhancing their strengths. Voicing clients/patients feedback is always helpful to minimize risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers global diversity management in relation to migration from Africa, specifically Nigeria, of doctors to the UK and the USA. It seeks to demonstrate the importance of global diversity strategies for African countries, often driven by ethnic tensions. It argues that these tensions play their part in the decisions to migrate. It also brings in the triadic relationships to global diversity analysis and demonstrates that diasporic professional groups play often hidden roles in the diversity structures of the destination country and provide important means of connecting with their country of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Salud Uninorte is the property of Fundacion Universidad del Norte 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 suggests news coverage of a proposed prisoner exchange program (the Acuerdo Humanitario / AH) systematically affected FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) operations in the early 2000s. We propose AH news raised the value of political kidnappees through an agenda-setting-type mechanism. Our identification strategy draws on disaster deaths in countries favored by Colombian emigrants as an instrumental variable for AH news. Findings suggest AH coverage increased the number of political kidnappings, while decreasing the number of financial kidnappings. Overall, a simple back-of-the-envelope calculation implies AH news de-escalated the conflict in the short run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new alternative, mediation is integrated in the legislation of both developed and developing countries in Europe. Various researchers in member states of the Council of Europe revealed obstacles, particularly related to the implementation of mediation in criminal matters. They are addressed through several recommendations and non-binding guidelines. However, there is limited empirical research on how mediation in criminal matters is being implemented in the contexts of developing countries in south-eastern Europe. Hence, the purpose of this qualitative study is to assess mediation in criminal matters in Kosovo by exploring how the main stakeholders describe the legal basis and implementation process and what it indicates for future practices. The data were gathered through 11 semi-structured interviews with judges, prosecutors, mediation clerks, and mediators. Results show that laws and other guidelines that have been introduced since 2008 constitute a solid legal ground that facilitates mediation in criminal matters. The stakeholders are well aware of the benefits mediation brings and express their willingness to advance its application to criminal matters. Results also indicate uncertainty among judges and prosecutors regarding the assessment and referral of certain criminal offences to mediation. To address it, specialized trainings, exchange programs, and continuous monitoring and evaluation of the process could be supportive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review assesses the factors that influence the quality of life of migrant women in the diasporic with the goal of improving their quality of life and creating more supportive social adjustment in the public health field. Methods: The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched the databases of Scopus, PubMed, SAGE journal, Springer, and Google Scholar for scientific articles on the quality of life of diasporic and migrant women. We screened and removed duplicates, analyzed the full text of the articles to identify potentially relevant studies, and extracted data from matched articles. Results: The literature search yielded 34 articles. Only 10 articles that met all inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review after peer review. Conclusion: The literature shows that the quality of life of diasporic women is influenced by four main factors: sociodemographic predictors, social adjustment predictors, health-related predictors, and psychological predictors. Identifying them is important to improve quality of life and find the right solutions to improve the quality of life of marginalized groups in society. To improve the quality of life for diasporic women, I suggest implementing government policies such as language education, vocational training, stronger protection laws, and better healthcare access. Additionally, establishing cultural exchange and networking programs is crucial for fostering cultural understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the complex Sino-Myanmar connection and how local policies might promote cultural diversity. The mixed-methods research combines qualitative community, cultural, and policymaker interviews with quantitative policy data analysis. The comprehensive approach provides a deep understanding of cultural diversity, local regulations, and Sino-Myanmar relations. Based on this research, municipal policies can empower communities to freely and inclusively display their cultures. By valuing cultural diversity, genuine cultural interaction and contact between diverse groups can improve Sino-Myanmar relations. This study investigates cultural diversity through local policies and lived experiences to shed light on Sino-Myanmar relations and suggest strategies to improve cooperation. The research's practical implication affects policymakers, diplomats, and practitioners who manage international relations, especially between neighbors. Culture-oriented thinking considers cultural exchange programs diplomatic tools. Geographic closeness affects cultural contact; hence community is addressed. This highlights cultural exchange programs' diplomatic relevance. According to research, diplomatic endeavors should adapt to cultural changes during political and social change. Policymakers can stabilize domestic politics using cultural diplomacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A short-term study abroad course (one-week) was conducted in Cuba with 21 students and two professors during spring break 2017. We had the opportunity to observe and participate in a variety of physical activity opportunities, experience the Cuban culture (including food, physical activity, and sports), and interact with remarkable athletes in Santa Clara and Havana, Cuba. We visited historical and cultural landmarks in Havana and Santa Clara, spending the nights in Casas Particulares (accommodations in a private home). This paper provides suggested steps for implementing a successful short-term study abroad program with a focus on physical activity and culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the nature of managing hazards and disasters grows increasingly complex, educating the next generation of emergency management practitioners and scholars requires innovative strategies. This article describes the utilization of a collaborative teaching approach when offering a study abroad course examining hazards, emergency management, and crisis communication in Central and South America. Co-taught cross-disciplinary courses provide opportunities for students to gain exposure to the different perspectives inherent in the study and management of hazards and disasters. This, coupled with the study abroad experience, offers students a unique viewpoint on how hazards, risks, and communication are managed and perceived in other countries. This paper highlights the recent research about benefits of co-teaching and study abroad courses, provides a description of our study abroad programs, and offers tips and suggestions for developing similar courses at other higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]