University presidents’ international education experience and the internationalization of higher education institutions: a study of leadership in China

In the context of deepening globalization, accelerating the internationalization of higher education is the core development mission and important development mode of higher education today. This study investigates the impact of university presidents’ international education experience on the associated Chinese institutions’ internationalization. Based on imprinting theory, we argue that international education experiences received during sensitive periods leave an imprint on presidents concerning overseas countries, which may further impact their cognitive structures, enabling them to make strategic decisions conducive to international expansion. We manually collected multidimensional data from 868 Chinese general higher education institutions (HEIs) and 1,863 university presidents between 2001 and 2017. The results reveal that university presidents’ international education experiences significantly enhance the level of internationalization in HEIs. Additionally, when the country where presidents obtained international experiences has a closer cultural distance to China or the government in the location where presidents serve shows greater attention to higher education, can strengthen the positive impact of presidents’ international experiences on HEIs internationalization. This study makes important theoretical contributions to leadership literature, internationalization of higher education literature, and imprinting theory. It also has practical significance for the development and promotion of university presidents.

Arab teacher educators and the moral work of teaching in Israel

This qualitative study explores how 14 Arab teacher educators perceive the moral preparation of teachers for Arab schools in Israel. The first theme highlights the contingent (institutional) factors that influence and may restrain the teacher educators’ mission of moral preparation. It highlights the importance of an organisational culture that supports student teachers’ learning to provide moral education, of empowering and unsilencing of student teachers, and of promoting morally oriented reflective practice in students’ clinical experiences. The second theme illustrates the teacher educators’ psychological assumptions about morality as represented by the possibilities and constraints of role modelling in preparing moral teachers. The third theme addresses the teacher educators’ socio-educational (universal, counter-hegemonic, and liberal) assumptions about the moral purposes of schooling. These assumptions are influenced by the asymmetrical structure of Arab-Jewish power relationships, as well as by the transitional status of Arab society in Israel.

Impact of terrain adjustments on flood inundation: insights from 2D hydrodynamic modelling in the Shilabati River basin

Flooding is one of the most significant natural hazards affecting millions worldwide, particularly in flood-prone regions like the Shilabati River basin in West Bengal, India. The increasing frequency and intensity of flooding in this region are attributed to extreme hydrometeorological events and geomorphological transformations. This study aims to assess the impact of landscape changes on flood inundation dynamics by comparing two Digital Elevation Models (DEMs): the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM, 2000) and the Forest and Buildings Removed Copernicus DEM (FABDEM, 2023). A two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic model in HEC-RAS was performed to analyze flood inundation extent variations over two decades. Results indicate a 20% increase in flood extent area between 2000 and 2023, with substantial elevation reductions in some downstream areas, signifying terrain degradation. These findings highlight the dynamic interplay between geomorphic processes and flood hazards.

Cast(e) in ‘Other’ Mold: Agency and Anxiety in Translation of Dalit Literature

The case of English translation of Dalit literature in India has been complicated by several contesting discourses. In this discursive universe, the logic of the market and dominance of Savarna literary culture tend to shore up caste ethos and structural discrimination in contradistinction to Dalit literature, which is grounded in alternative social imaginary and discursivity. The mission of the Dalit literature is to fashion oppositional identities by inscribing experiences of pain and suffering inflicted by the exploitative socio-cultural structures and raise the consciousness of readers. As a Savarna translator approaches a Dalit text, this dichotomy is intensified further due to the (im)possibility of inhabiting Other’s experience and an alternative social. In addition to the questions of negotiating Dalit experience, epistemology, and esthetics, the very act of translation throws up the challenge of representation and cultural citizenship. In this paper, I probe the ways in which a Savarna translator of Dalit texts can carve out a space of agency without being overwhelmed by a burden of anxiety.

Biological aerosol field trial: Exploring a UAS biological collection point sensor and its interoperability with standoff technology

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is actively pursuing solutions in detection and identification of Chemical, Biological, and Radiological (CBR) agents utilizing a variety of techniques. The techniques used to provide advanced warning of a biological threat can range from fixed point sensor arrays, fixed stand-off technologies, and point sensors that have been integrated into Uncrewed Ground and Aerial Vehicles (UGV/UAV). Military personnel desire a rapid and concise understanding of the threat environment with field forward technologies in order to pursue the most appropriate path to mission success. The Suffield Research Center (SRC) held a biological aerosol field trial to explore the performance of a custom biological sampling point sensor designed for Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) operations and its interoperability with LIDAR-based standoff technology against biological threat simulants Bacillus atrophaeus (BG) and Ovalbumin (OV). In total, 25 releases of BG and OV in varying concentrations were performed over the four-day field trial to understand the interplay of tasking mobile point sensors from the standoff technology. Each specific trial also tried to determine the optimal placement of the UAV in the dispersal cloud, its duration in the cloud, and the relationship between the real-time information from the sensor on the UAV and the collection filter. The standoff capability detected and tracked each of the generated clouds, and relayed multiple waypoints corresponding to the clouds’ highest concentration to the UAS operator. The UAV payload collected BG on the filters in each release in varying concentrations, however, the identification success rate using field-forward technologies varied between 50% and 100%. The approach to use total particle count rate as a method to infer total biological material collected without monitoring background levels was insufficient; further trials will determine the best method using particle size distribution and UltraViolet Laser-Induced Fluorescence (UV-LIF) data to optimize collection.

The US Arctic: A Vital Homeland Defence Mission

When the university desires, but society refuses: a case study of universities’ missions in the context of contribution to development

Despite the extensive literature concerning university missions such as education, research, and service, providing a coherent view of how universities contribute to society's economic, social, political, and cultural (ESPC) spheres is rare. Therefore, this study is dedicated to understanding the university's economic, social, political, and cultural missions in Iranian society. To achieve this, the researchers have conducted a comprehensive study of the missions of universities in Iran, serving as a valuable case study. This qualitative research used the qualitative survey strategy. The researcher interviewed 23 experts in the national university system to gather data and then conducted a thematic analysis of the interview data. The case study shows that Iranian universities have diverse missions, including two economic, one social, two political, and two cultural missions, but limited contributions to society development (desire-refusal paradox). The research highlights the crucial role of society's demand characteristics in shaping the extent of university contribution to development. This influence is more significant than the efforts to diversify and update university missions. A low level of society's demand for science and technology, or minimal stakeholder participation in shaping university missions, can severely constrain the realization of various university mission types. Therefore, By providing an integrated view, this study underscores the necessity of developing policies that not only expand university missions but also foster the level of society's demand for these fields. This approach will help bridge the supply-demand gap and enhance the university's contribution to society's development.

Aligning sustainability management with general management in higher education institutions

A management system's fundamental purpose is to fulfill an organization’s mission by implementing a set of practices. Over the past decades, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have adopted quality-based management systems, which include tools for measuring the quality of their research and teaching. This allows HEIs to be accountable to society regarding the funds they receive. However, management practices in the university setting have frequently been limited to merely administrative activities. On the other hand, new societal requirements have led to a new challenge: the creation of social and environmental value as a contribution to the global commitment towards Sustainable Development (SD). In this regard, over the last years, the commitment of HEIs to SD has evolved through various initiatives aimed at guiding the university system toward the social and environmental challenges necessary to achieve SD. However, these initiatives in HEIs, not being conceived within an integrated management system, are not as effective and efficient as they could be. Based on a systematic literature review, with a particular emphasis on the integration of sustainable practices into the organizational and academic structures of universities, this article proposes a methodology for developing an integrated management system for HEIs where quality and sustainability principles are incorporated. Using this article’s proposed methodology offers a pathway for HEIs to fulfill their mission while addressing global sustainability challenges.

Professor J. J. Hoffmann and the Japanese Delegation of 1862 in Europe: An Unsung Hero

This article is based on the previously unused manuscripts from two Dutch university libraries to reconstruct the unmentioned contributions of Johannes Josef Hoffmann (1805–1878), the first professor of Chinese and Japanese Studies in the Netherlands, during the first Japanese diplomatic mission to Europe in 1862. The paper finds that Hoffmann’s interactions with the Japanese delegation were fundamental for the Dutch state to maximize the benefits of this event, especially in securing the Dutch higher education institutions as the first portals of Western natural and social sciences for the modernizing state of Japan.

Use Patterns, Purposes, and Frequency of Electronic Resources among Library Patrons: A Descriptive Research Design

This study examined the usage patterns, purposes, and frequency of electronic resources among library patrons at Hubert Kairuki Memorial University (HKMU), a health sciences institution in Tanzania. The research was structured around objectives to evaluate the availability of resources, identify purposes of use, and assess frequency of access, employing a mixed-methods approach. Data were collected through surveys of 288 students, selected via systematic random sampling, and semi-structured interviews with four purposively chosen library staff, utilizing structured questionnaires and interview guides. Results indicated that a substantial portion of patrons were aware of the library’s electronic resources, including e-theses, e-books, and e-journals, as corroborated by catalogue records and staff perspectives, though a notable minority lacked awareness, suggesting deficiencies in outreach efforts. The primary purposes of use included academic research, assignment completion, staying abreast of health sciences literature, and professional development, consistent with HKMU’s academic mission. While the majority frequently engaged with these resources, a considerable subset accessed them infrequently or not at all, often due to challenges in navigation or limited digital literacy, as reported by staff. The study concludes that despite the availability of robust e-resources at HKMU Library, barriers to awareness and usage persist.