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This article highlights the nascent efforts between College Unbound, Brown University, and Providence College--three very different types of institutions in Providence, Rhode Island--to foster cross-institutional capacity for place-based community engagement. By collectively engaging our institutions, we experimented with what collaboration around community engagement might look like within our local context. In this article, we share our approach and reflections in working to cultivate a place-based collaboration that is community-centric and grounded in students' lived experiences, along with limitations, lessons learned, and next steps related to our collaborative work. Through our efforts, we situate cross-institutional collaborations as an opportunity for more sustained and transformative work within higher education community engagement.

This study explores the academic and social experience of international students in colleges in the United States of America. Specifically, the study focuses on colleges with a high percentage of international students as they represent diverse cultural backgrounds and contribute significantly to the campus environment. Data were collected from 30 participants (undergraduate students) across five focus group interviews and a thematic analysis was performed. For academic experience, four sub-themes emerged: relationship with professors, academic resources, liberal arts requirements; and class participation weightage. For social experience, four sub-themes emerged: role of student clubs and societies; inter-college collaborations; intercultural sensitivity; and religious/cultural events. Findings provide valuable implications on how colleges with a high population of international students can improve the academic and social experience of these students.

Continuing education (CE) plays a crucial role in workforce development and economic growth across Asia, yet the landscape of CE research in the region has not been comprehensively mapped. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of continuing education (CE) research in Asia from 1972 to 2023 was carried out, utilizing data from the Scopus database to map the evolving landscape of CE research in the region. Findings revealed a significant surge in research output since the late 1990s, with East Asian countries, particularly China, Hong Kong (China), and Taiwan (ROC), emerging as leaders in the field. The analysis uncovers several key patterns: institutional collaborations tend to cluster regionally, there's a noticeable generational gap in researcher's networks, and the healthcare sector dominates CE research topics. Recent trends indicate a shift towards digital learning approaches and learner-centered methodologies. The study also highlights the need for increased cross-border collaborations and expansion of CE research beyond the healthcare sector. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of CE research trends in Asia and provides insights for future directions in the field.

Today, an increasing number of higher education institutions are recognizing the importance of preparing students to communicate, live, and work effectively with others from different cultural backgrounds (Appiah-Kubi, 2020; Eliyahy-Levi, 2020; Iuspa, 2019). Providing opportunities for students to travel abroad has been an integral part of the higher education experience for many years. However, with the global pandemic resulting in limited travel, universities are developing new and innovative ways to provide international experiences for students. The purpose of this cross disciplinary project was to explore an international virtual student collaboration between two universities, one in the United States and one in Southeast Asia. Twenty students were matched across universities to examine one of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals: #2 Zero Hunger (https://sdgs.un.org/goals). Fighting hunger is not a new problem in our world, but the focus has been greater in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. Many people have lost jobs or had their income severely impacted. Students from both universities worked collaboratively to explore the issues of fighting hunger during a pandemic and focused on finding solutions that can last long after the end of this current pandemic.

Experiential education, the process of providing students with applied learning opportunities within and outside the classroom, is rife with organizational complexity. This article examines Ontario's Strategic Mandate Agreements using qualitative content analysis to see how conceptions and communications of experiential learning have changed over time, and how universities have responded to government pressure to foster experiential learning. Drawing on frame analysis, findings reveal that universities have developed a considerable amount of institutional infrastructure and initiatives to support the expansion of experiential learning, and these efforts have been framed in relation to current discourse about graduate skill readiness. However, these outward signalling responses are not necessarily aligned with internal organizational processes (i.e., expansion of co-curricular learning). These mandate agreements represent official accounts of institutional priorities, which leave the door open for future research to examine micro-foundations of experiential learning through the perspectives of the faculty and staff inhabiting these institutions.

Globalization and the call for global citizenship education have enabled virtual exchange to prepare healthcare students as emerging healthcare professionals for working in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world. Integrating virtual exchange opportunities into undergraduate curricula in higher education equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to be responsive to global healthcare challenges. This study reports on the perceptions of undergraduate healthcare students from geographically distant locations on how (if any) participating in an international virtual exchange project fostered their intercultural competence. Anchored in social constructivism and adopting a qualitative methodology, data was collected using an online, open-ended reflective questionnaire. Findings from the thematic analysis highlight that integrating virtual exchange into curriculum design can foster intercultural competence, preparing healthcare students as emerging professionals for the world of work that necessitates an appreciation for diverse ways of knowing, being, and doing to ensure optimal healthcare.

The aim of this study is to examine the views of preschool teachers in Turkey and Europe on eTwinning projects comparatively and to determine the extent to which teachers' experiences are similar and different. It is expected that the findings will motivate preschool teachers and administrators to develop eTwinning projects. In this study, case study method was used as a qualitative research design. Thirty-two preschool teachers from Turkey and Europe were reached through convenience sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. The first part of the interview form included general information questions about the teachers and the second part included questions about the teachers' views on eTwinning projects. From the data obtained, it was determined that Turkish teachers created more codes than their European colleagues, however, teachers in both groups generally had positive views about eTwinning projects and took part in these projects voluntarily.

Interdisciplinary service-learning (IDSL) has become a staple of healthcare education over the last two decades as a mechanism of training students to provide cohesive, team-based health care in a complicated and sometimes fragmented health care system. This case study describes the perceived learning of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students from [Blinded] University who attended a week-long interdisciplinary, interuniversity service-learning trip in rural [Blinded]. Qualitative data from two consecutive year teams (n = 26) were collected via surveys and focus groups and thematically analyzed for motivation to attend the trip and perceived learning. Intrinsic motivation to "give back" and desire to hone professional skills were the primary drivers for desiring to attend the trip. Three themes of perceived learning that emerged were: 1) impact on core values, 2) perceived improvement in para-clinical (soft) skills including interdisciplinary fluency and cultural competence, and 3) improvement of clinical (hard) skills. The dominant theme was the impact the trip had on students' core values. The learning occurred predominantly in Bloom's affective domain and aligned with the physical therapy profession's Core Values and Code of Ethics.

This paper outlines how four community colleges, and a large public university, collaborated to support over 80 paraprofessionals who sought to finish their bachelor's degree and earn licensure. Funding from a statewide "Grow Your Own" initiative allowed the teacher educators at the community colleges and university to put in place structures to support non-traditional students, and each other, during the first year of this program. Lessons learned and next steps are highlighted.

As cross-border education continues to evolve, a comprehensive understanding of the latest trends requires an awareness of the behaviours of partner universities and host governments. This case study examines two joint-venture universities in China and compares their institutional approaches to resource acquisition. It compares their strategies in four dimensions: initial launch, choice of name, capacity building, and strategy in leveraging resources from the local government. The divergent strategies show that both universities use their particular advantages to obtain different resources to sustain their development. This study presents a portrait of a dynamic organisational environment for cross-border in China. While the government plays a key role in the establishment of the universities, their resource acquisition effectiveness depends on how successfully they integrate their agendas with local needs.

Local special education administrators (LSEAs) are integral in facilitating career development services for students with disabilities alongside their peers, particularly in rural school districts. This qualitative study explored the perceptions of 12 LSEAs regarding their contributions related to career development for students with disabilities in their southeastern U.S. rural districts and the factors they perceive to shape their own ability in this area. The emergent grounded theory indicated that LSEAs viewed their own roles in career development to vary widely and compete with other priorities as well as to be contextualized by their knowledge and awareness of opportunities within their districts and communities. Furthermore, LSEAs perceived these roles to be shaped by their collaborations within their districts, their partnerships in the community, the involvement of students' families, and training and supports available to them. Recommendations for research, practice, and policy with respect to extending the contributions of LSEAs are provided.

The aim of this study was to explore the results of and conditions for systemic large-scale school improvement. Through a multi-level analysis and a theoretical framework inspired by organization- and sensemaking-oriented theories, the study examines how a Swedish large-scale school improvement program, "Collaboration for the Best School Possible," played out in two Swedish municipalities. School actors at four organizational levels (at the National Education Agency, Local Education Authority, school leader, and teacher levels) in the two municipalities were interviewed. Because these school actors' sensemaking is linked to different aspects of the national largescale improvement program, the analysis shows a variation in the strengthening of the couplings between these organizational levels. The different nature of the couplings affected the implementation process and the results of the program. While the national large-scale program seemed to have contributed to an improvement in the schools' quality assurance systems and leadership practices, there were difficulties in maintaining general and sustainable changes in schools' instructional practices. The conclusion of the study was that, even if a national large-scale school improvement program is well designed and backed up with many resources, it must be perceived as legitimate among the local school actors at the different organizational levels. This points to the importance of managing the balance between top-down efforts and visions and local professional knowledge and experience.

This qualitative study explores the early implementation of a university school leadership preparation program and school district collaborative effort to develop school leaders and sustain leadership capacity in nine rural school districts. Emerging findings drawn from survey, focus-group, and participant observation data include (a) the development of a strong leadership network of professional relationships that included peers and district mentors, (b) a sense of individual leadership growth and targeted professional development preparing participants for their next leadership role, and (c) an emerging statewide rural school leadership development network.

As the complex responsibilities of principals and teachers expand, the need for effective professional development (PD) is greater than ever. This quantitative study examines the PD needs of schools and the relationship between PK-12 and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), as perceived by principals, identifying areas for collaboration. Thirty-nine variables were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, bivariate correlation analysis, and linear regression analysis. Findings reveal that principals report the potential of partnership benefits, between PK-12 and IHE's for PD needs, as a predictor of all need variables ranging from improved communication with teachers to increased teacher proficiency in curriculum and instruction, disciplinary expertise in mathematics, whole child development, diversity, and technology. Furthermore, results provide evidence that schools have PD needs beyond academics and there is a potentially powerful role for IHEs to collaborate with PK-12 schools.

Bolman and Deal (2017) presented four traditional frames of reference through which the complexity of an organization and its issues can be discerned. They identified the (a) structural, (b) human resources, (c) political, and (d) symbolic frames as the classifications for understanding the challenges in the body of an organization. For the purposes of this article, we, the authors, have defined, summarized, and provided examples of each of the four frames. Furthermore, we developed the idea for and assessed the use of a new frame that accounts for a less tangible but critical element of an organization's essence. We discuss the eudemonia frame as one that people use to understand the perceived harmonious synergy of an organization and its relation to many critical components. The proposed new frame serves as a grounding force enabling anyone utilizing the four frames to recenter and refocus their interpretation of a complex issue in an organization's core. It serves as an additional lens through which organization members may calibrate thoughts and analysis to ensure a greater level of synergy between the perception of the individuals and the overall well-being of the organization as its own entity. Much like a tuning fork can be struck against a variety of objects to align sound frequencies, we believe through our experiences that the fifth frame can be applied to all frames of thinking to gauge alignment of strategic thinking, decision making, problem solving, collaboration, and success in any organizational context.

The global research system is pluralising as more researchers and institutions around the world contribute to knowledge creation. However, global research remains highly unequal because of the hegemonic influence yielded by Global North/West. The unequal dynamics impact the dynamics of international research collaboration (IRC). Through in-depth qualitative interviews, this study investigates the dynamics of epistemic injustice, positional good and hegemony in IRC. The data are collected from the Turkish higher education system because its unique position at the Global North/West and South/East borders can make the distinctions and inequalities more visible. Findings indicate that Fricker's (2007) epistemic injustice and Hirsch's (1976) positional competition are crucial factors in creating or reinforcing hegemony in IRC. A strong value is attached to collaborating with Global Northern/Western scholars or institutions. IRC with the West seems to procure a higher epistemic value. The higher epistemic value increases positional competition to collaborate with those in the Global North/West. Also, funding obtained from the Global North/West is seen as more credible and valuable, reinforcing the main argument for the higher epistemic value and positional good ascribed to IRC with the Global West/North.

This study examines cooperative collection development (CCD) for area studies and foreign language collections at Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries, based on a 2020 survey. Respondents provided details about cooperative collection initiatives (CCIs) at their libraries and their attitudes toward CCD. Most respondents had a favorable opinion of CCD, citing access to a broader collection of materials and cost savings as primary reasons. Challenges include the work and time involved in managing CCIs. This composite picture of how libraries build collaborative collections and the perceived benefits and challenges of CCD will inform librarians and administrators alike as they consider how best to build area studies and foreign language collections.

We explore the role of organizational factors in research collaboration networks among European universities. The study of organizational drivers in shaping collaboration patterns is crucial for policy design aimed at reducing research fragmentation and fostering knowledge creation and diffusion. By using Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) and controlling for spatial factors, we investigate the role of two main mechanisms guiding the partners' selection process: organizational attributes and homophily. We investigate two distinct scientific collaboration networks (i.e., projects and publications) and two research domains (Physical Sciences and Engineering, and Life Sciences) over the 2011-2016 time period. Our empirical evidence reveals that, among the main dimensions indicated by the literature, research capability (measured by the dimension of doctoral programs) has the clearest and most stable impact either on the tendency to establish collaboration ties or as homophily effect. In terms of policy implications, it emerges that organizational similarity in research capability matters and policy makers should consider doctoral programs as a strategic variable to promote successful collaborations in scientific research.

Background: The main goal of a health system is to maintain or improve people's health. The COVID-19 pandemic showed the fragility of health systems worldwide. In Mexico, the pandemic affected the performance of the health system, along with the presence of contextual conditions such as its segmentation and high prevalence of chronic diseases. Aims: To analyze from an approach to the functions of the health system, the service delivery, human resources, financing, and stewardship/governance in the local health services of five states of Mexico, from the perspective of the staff working in health centers. Methods: This is an exploratory qualitative study conducted from November 2020 to August 2021, involving 124 health professionals from 39 health facilities (18 rural and 21 urban). The technique used was the semi-structured interview. Interview guides were developed according to core topics. Subsequently, the thematic analysis method was used. Results: The lack of financial resources delayed prevention efforts and made it difficult for health centers to adapt to the crisis. Inequity was found in the distributive efficiency of staff between rural and urban areas and levels of care. In addition, there was evidence of capacity for coordination, capacity sharing, and joint participation between health institutions, civil authorities, and the population to face the emergency. Conclusions: We identified relevant public health actions that showed the capacity of local health services to organize a response to the pandemic at the level of the actors responsible for these services.

Schools of choice need to provide equitable access and opportunities to all students, including students with disabilities and emergent bilinguals. In the context of Early College High Schools, principals and school districts should be partners in ensuring admissions processes are non-discriminatory. In this fictional case, a new principal in a high-performing early college high school becomes concerned that the school has been denying or not actively recruiting students with disabilities and emergent bilingual students. However, when she raises her concern with her supervisors and predecessor, she gets no support. The teaching notes of this case review the literature on ethical leadership, school administration dilemmas, and bounded ethicality.

The growing importance of China as a major actor in international order has generated tremendous interest among social scientists, but scholarly debates remain in their disciplinary confines. Our study connects existing international relations research on China and the Belt and Road Initiative with two concepts in higher education studies--"knowledge power and knowledge diplomacy"--to reveal the multi-faceted approach that China applies towards its "outward-oriented" internationalization activities in the knowledge domain. By studying two instances of university alliance-building through the Belt and Road Initiative, an empirically less examined area in both international relations and higher education studies, we demonstrate how China embraces a "knowledge diplomacy" approach in the case of the University Alliance of the Silk Road and "knowledge power" in the case of the Asian Universities Alliance. We argue that the co-existence of the two approaches points to the aim of China's multi-faceted approach to its external relations in the knowledge domain. By combining alternative organizational structures and logics embodied in different university alliances, this approach presents a non-hegemonic attempt to normalize China's network centrality in an interdependent world. We conclude that China's Belt and Road Initiative university alliance-building efforts should open up a rich analytical space that encourages further exploration through a world-centered "tianxia" heuristic.

Significant collaborations with research partners in China are seen in many Western countries. With increasing US-China geopolitical tensions, governments, research institutions, and individuals in established scientific systems are increasingly required to address a proliferating array of risks and challenges associated with collaboration with China. Academic researchers are only beginning to describe how countries are responding to the ongoing need for global scientific collaboration amidst intensifying geopolitical competition. Several studies have examined the securitization of scientific connections with China in the USA, while others have documented developments in nations such as Australia, the UK, and Sweden. However, there is limited comparative research on approaches to international science amid geopolitical tensions. This paper bridges the gap, illuminating the key dimensions of variation in country-level responses by comparing the cases of Sweden and Australia. The questions we ask are as follows: Who responds to the challenges? By what means? And to what ends are responses directed? Swedish government have been largely passive, but Swedish funding agencies have developed "responsible internationalisation" guidelines that aim to induce proactive reflection by institutions and individual researchers. Australia's approach, by contrast, has centred on legislation, the exercise of ministerial powers, along with sector-wide enactment of expanded due diligence protocols. The comparison highlights key differences in the actors, methods and goals of responses to the intensifying geopolitics of scientific collaboration.

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to gain insights into the activities and outcomes associated with participation in the Temple Education Scholars (TES) dual enrollment program, an initiative for seniors attending high school in a large city in the Northeast region of the United States. The objectives of this study are twofold: (1) to inform the design and implementation of dual enrollment programs as a model for facilitating students' transition from secondary to postsecondary education and supporting their future success in college; and (2) to describe the short-term impact of participation in a dual enrollment program on participants' choices about postsecondary education. Our analysis revealed the ways that participating in this dual enrollment program shaped students' attitudes, motivations, and perceptions about college knowledge, college readiness, and college opportunities. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

From 2017-2020, 15 universities collaborated to create and share OER for a bachelor nursing program. A study was undertaken to analyse the impact of the project activities leading to the commitment to work towards sustaining the initiative. The project was described using the ESH model (Weggeman, 2000). Two sub-studies provided the results on the positive and negative impact of specific project activities and the impact of the project on the desired behaviour of educators, sharing and reusing OER. Rogers' theory of diffusion of innovation is used to interpret the results (Rogers, 2003). The main findings of the study are that defining and using a quality model for OER was crucial for the success of the project. For sustaining the activity after project ending, decision makers were involved immediately from the start. The management style with many responsibilities for the project members had a positive indirect impact on project outcomes.

This research aims to analyze the past literature on blended learning in higher education and investigate the research trends on this subject. Thus, it aims to present a roadmap for future studies. In this context, bibliometric and descriptive analysis methods were used in the study carried out with the descriptive survey model. 1970 studies were accessed using the Web of Science (WoS) database to reach the data within the scope of the research. As a result of the filtering process on the database, the distribution of the relevant publications by year, document type, publication language, country and WoS indexes, the most influential institutions and research, cooperation between institutions and countries, the most cited authors, and the most studied topics were reviewed. According to the research results, the studies on blended learning in higher education were primarily published in the form of articles in English between the years 2002-2021. It is also deduced that Spain stands out, especially in producing publications, and these studies are generally published in the Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Social Science & Humanities (CPCI-SSH) index type. The most active journal with high citation density is Computers & Education, and the country that collaborates most is England. Regarding the keywords used in the articles, while the concepts of online learning, higher education, and student participation are prominent in the studies conducted in the first years, the concepts such as flipped classrooms, Edmodo, sustainability, gamification, mobile learning, and emotions came to the fore in the following years. In this context, discussions were conducted within the framework of the literature, and suggestions were made related to the findings obtained.

Most vocational high school (SMK) graduates do not have high financial competitiveness and are still unemployed, even contributing to the highest unemployment rate compared to graduates from other schools. This study aims to identify resource sharing between schools, vocational training agencies, and industry in preparing vocational high school graduates to be ready to work and highly competitive. The research design adopted by the study is qualitative research combined with percentage descriptive research. The study was conducted in Malang. The study subjects consisted of students, teachers, school principals, heads and staff of vocational training centers, and industrial managers who were used as places for industrial work practices. The study results show that vocational high schools cannot produce highly competitive graduates without job training institutions and large industries' support. Resource sharing in the form of laboratories, workshops, internships, and human resources should be made between vocational high schools, vocational training centers, and industry.

Language builds social and economic connections within countries as the most effective communication tool. It has the potential to introduce new opportunities and helps the speakers become world citizens. Although second language teaching focuses more on early education in many countries, it is still crucial for university students to acquire a foreign language. Second language acquisition enables institutional cooperation not just on a domestic but also on an international scale, thus contributing significantly to universal and contemporary growth. This research aims to determine university students' motivations for learning a foreign language, identify the problems during the process, and offer solutions. For this purpose, the opinions of the German Language and Literature department students studying at a state university on language learning were evaluated by taking the "Motivation Scale in Language Learning" and semi-structured interview forms. This study relies on a mixed research method combining the quantitative and the qualitative. The findings point out that students have a good motivation to learn a language, and the motivations are the same regardless of age, gender, grade level, previous educational background, and parents' educational background. According to the findings, students' motivations are living abroad, cultural growth, curiosity, interest, love, and new technologies. On the other hand, the lack of sufficient incentives, linguistic challenge, feelings of inadequacy, and prejudices affect their motivation negatively.

Recent legislative efforts have been aimed at increasing the accountability of schools to meet the educational needs and improve outcomes for students. States and districts across the nation have responded differently. One emerging pattern has been the rise in alternative schools which address the educational needs of students unsuccessful in traditional school settings. Although alternative schooling is becoming more common, there is minimal guidance to establish programs and train professionals to teach and lead them. This Dissertation in Practice (DiP) examined current alternative programs in a rural region of Nebraska and then designed a collaborative networking system that could promote the growth and development of alternative programs through shared resources and expertise and meaningful inquiry into current practices. While this article is an obvious outcome of this dissertation research, so too is the still-incipient network of alternative educators who assisted with this inquiry.

Enormous distractions brought by deadly COVID-19 pandemic in higher education left no excuse for internship activities. Hence, tradition/offline internship has been postponed or rescinded and a massive online/virtual shift of internships has been observed in lieu. The present case study employed qualitative research approach to solicit information from two (n = 2) internship organizers for international students of a selected university in China. The university continued to implement offline internship as intended right on time in spite of strict curb measures to contain COVID-19. The study revealed; pre-internship briefing, effective communication with receiver institutions, as well as obedience to new normal pandemic prevention measures were the main reasons facilitated on time and offline internship. Simultaneously, difference in educational experiences, language barriers and some movement restrictions within the school were uncovered challenges for interns as international students. Provision of pre-internship briefing, psychological support and counsel, and follow up of rules and procedures were emphasized as recommendations for improving internship experience and in case of upcoming pandemic crises.

Educator preparation programs play an important role in preparing early educators (EEs) to work with young children (PPNTF, 2020). However, EEs often experience suppressed salaries making preparatory programs financially burdensome (NASEM, 2018). It is incumbent upon institutions of higher education to embrace practices that alleviate financial barriers experienced by EEs seeking critical knowledge regarding practices that support learners throughout their formative years (NASEM, 2018). Open Education Resources (OER) is emerging as an effective equity practice that positively impacts students' perceptions, performances, and perseverance while also alleviating some of the financial burdens associated with higher education. This article explains a cross-institutional collaboration to create a high-quality OER to enhance EEs' professional knowledge in language and literacy practices for young children, birth to age five. This initiative reflects standards articulated by the Association of Teacher Education, specifically in the areas of collaboration, cultural competency, scholarship, contribution, and vision (ATE, n.d.).

Enabling education programs in Australia assist students, who would otherwise have been excluded from higher education, to transition into undergraduate study. These programs emerged independently in response to the needs of individual universities and the varying cohorts of students they serve. The exclusion of these programs from the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) has meant they remain unregulated, with no national framework for standards. The development of academic standards is a dynamic, consensus driven process, and benchmarking provides a method through which academics from across institutions can work in partnership to reach shared understandings and improve and align practices. This practice report outlines the results of the first comprehensive cross-institutional benchmarking project involving nine Australian universities and demonstrates there is shared understanding of the standards of enabling programs between institutions. These findings will contribute to the establishment of national standards for enabling programs in Australia.

The paper focusses on a collaboration between academia and industry. As an introduction, we present typical behavior of university researchers, who often define the area of application without consulting it with industrial partners, and we propose different approach which led to the definition of the scope of the WrightBroS project. The project, entitled "Collaborative Factory of the Flight Simulators Branch of RISE" is financed by the European Union in the frame of Horizon 2020 MSCA Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) programme. The international Consortium composed of Higher education (Silesian University of Technology from Poland) and industrial (LG Nexera from Austria and Virtual Reality Media from Slovakia) sectors, has designed a project as a collaborative platform whose know-how results from knowledge sharing among partners. Then, from the experience gained in the implementation of the WrightBroS and other similar projects, by using case-study methodology we demonstrate how representatives of education and industry in the new joint environment supplement each other in common research efforts. We also present methods for knowledge sharing, in particular achieved by intersectoral staff exchanging. Then we present the results achieved by collaboration of Higher Education with Industry in the WrightBroS project. Finally, the discussion in the context of tackling broader challenges of intersectoral collaboration leads to the conclusions that this kind of environment is very efficient way to overcome typical difficulties in academia and industry dialog, which is so common in the global world.

Globalization has significantly affected the internationalization of higher education, technological advancements, and the development of intercultural competence. In the contemporary landscape, both educators and students find themselves compelled to enhance their linguistic and cultural proficiency through the utilization of digital and online teaching tools. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the progression of students' linguocultural competence and unveil institutional impediments and challenges encountered during the implementation of at-home internationalization. The study involved the participation of thirty students from Kazakhstan and an additional thirty students from Tatarstan, Russia, who engaged in a virtual student mobility program facilitated by Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University and Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University. Zoom was utilized as the platform to facilitate collaboration between the universities. The research adopted a qualitative approach, employing interviews to assess the effectiveness of the internationalization at-home program. Following the program, there was a noteworthy enhancement in the linguocultural competence of third-year students from the Foreign Languages Department. The interviews also brought to light the principal obstacles encountered by universities when implementing domestic internationalization. Through the sharing of their personal experiences, participants highlighted issues such as limited resources, a deficiency in institutional support, and students' discomfort with collaborative work involving foreign peers. The improvement in linguistic and cultural skills was attributed to collaborative lessons and intercultural interactions, affirming the efficacy of the internationalization at-home program, as indicated by positive outcomes.

University social responsibility (USR) is a fashionable concept that is often presented as a paradox, with the implication that it can help universities meet the social dimension of higher education, without questioning the hegemonic meanings of academic excellence and the university mission. We draw on data collected through a focus group of experts on USR to suggest that this concept has the potential to contribute to the transformation of higher education, particularly if its tensions and contradictions are addressed. Three tensions emerged from the data: real versus unreal change, institutional cooperation versus competition, and the right to privacy versus excessive transparency. We conclude that USR is neither a neutral nor a consensual concept; rather, it is eminently political, and HEIs and their leaders, teachers, staff, and students should confront, discuss, and take a stand on its tensions and contradictions.