FLEX Path

Editors and Readers,Having finished the last weeks of the spring 2020 semester, never in my imagination did I envision having led a department and an athletic training program through a pandemic, a sudden shift to remote teaching and learning, and planning and strategizing for a Fall semester that may continue remotely. Like many readers of the Athletic Training Education Journal, I have been amazed at my students' resilience, have been concerned for the patients, preceptors, and partners in clinical practice that are essential to athletic training education, and have been relying on the innovative offers of support to continue teaching. Regrettably, during this most difficult time, I was also responsible for the difficult task of announcing the closure of a graduate professional education athletic training program, before it had even had the chance to enroll students. We were in the “teach-out phase” of our undergraduate program—one remaining class of seniors preparing to graduate in May 2020. We had spent the 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020 academic years recruiting for an inaugural class in 2020. In February, before the pandemic, I was asked to reconsider starting the graduate program. Ultimately, it was decided: we would never finish the final step in the Substantive Change Process. We announced Voluntary Withdrawal of Accreditation and program closure in April 2020.Given the uncertainty that the COVID-19 pandemic has foisted upon institutions of higher education, I suspect that other program directors and administrators are considering what may come. Unfortunately, I anticipate that others will be making similar announcements in the near future. As institutions of higher education are examining their financial status, anticipating a decline in enrollment and tuition revenue and increased costs for operational processes, administrators will be hard-pressed not to examine educational programming with a view toward return on investment (ROI). Though the mission of higher education is to teach, to discover, and to serve, in order to do so, it must also be able to function as a business, meeting its expenses and planning for the future. I offer this editorial (and eulogy of sorts) to (1) assist those who may be watching their athletic training program for signs of distress and (2) prepare those who remain for the continued turbulent times ahead. Readers are encouraged to consider the questions presented in the Table within their own institutional contexts.Athletic training education has responded to previous periods of growth and change. Readers are encouraged to read the extensive review by Delforge and Behnke1 of the history and evolution of athletic training education published in 1999 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA). These first 50 years were marked by growth, refinement, and recognition of the unique skill set that the athletic trainer brings to the sports medicine team. As athletic training neared its golden anniversary, the profession was poised for another moment of significant change. In 1997, the Education Reform Task Force's recommendations were formally endorsed by the NATA Board of Directors to establish the Education Council and set-in motion the elimination of the internship route to certification and the mandate that all programs be accredited by 2000. Institutions that had previously sponsored exam candidates for the Board of Certification (BOC) through the internship route to certification had to decide if they were going to pursue accreditation by the (then) Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Athletic Training and the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs to meet the 2004 deadline for BOC eligibility. Some colleges and universities chose not to pursue accreditation, while others committed the resources needed to meet the standards for initial accreditation. Between 2000 and 2004, the number of accredited programs doubled from 120 to over 250. Throughout the 2000s, improvements and adjustments were made to athletic training curriculum content, qualifications for preceptors and affiliated clinical sites, workloads and financial support, and establishment of program outcomes.Moving ahead to 2009, during the Great Recession and soon thereafter, institutions of higher education experienced a wave of furloughs, budget cuts, and enrollment declines, but relatively few athletic training programs were eliminated. Programs successfully navigated the first round of re-accreditations and prepared for revisions to the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) Standards, the NATA Educational Competencies, and the BOC Practice Analysis. With the establishment of Standard 11 with the 2012 CAATE Standards, that programs must meet a 3-year aggregate first-time pass rate of 70% or greater, it was speculated by many that the number of professional athletic training programs would diminish as programs that were on probation or unsuccessful in meeting the standard would be eliminated. While some programs did voluntarily withdraw, the vast majority of programs responded by bolstering their curricula and improving student performance. But disparities existed in program outcomes; questions remained about the future of the profession and how to best prepare students for clinical practice.In 2014, when the NATA Board of Directors published the Executive Committee for Education's White Paper, examining the professional degree level for athletic training, program directors and faculty were once more forced to consider the future and their place in it. With the Strategic Alliance's announcement in 2015 that athletic training education was moving to the master's degree level, another round of discussions had to take place at the program, department, school, and institutional levels. Over the last 5 years, institutions have announced voluntary withdrawal; others have begun the process of growing graduate programs, recognizing their potential impact on bottom lines. Others, with a history of postprofessional master's degree programs, began offering professional education programs as well as or in lieu of accredited postprofessional degrees.So, in 2020, with the manner and structure of the coming academic year in question, program administrators and faculty are looking again at a monumental shift in athletic training education—not solely due to the implementation of the 2020 Standards for Accreditation for Professional Programs, the decision to discontinue accreditation of Post-Professional Degree Programs, and the revision to CAATE-accredited residency program and fellowship program standards. The impact of the novel corona virus, COVID-19, on higher education as a whole now places additional pressures on athletic training education and its processes.Readers would do well to use the months ahead for introspection and planning. Two additional recruiting cycles remain in which entering students may choose between enrolling at an institution offering a 4-year undergraduate professional degree program, enrolling at an institution offering a 5- or 6-year combined preprofessional and professional degree program, or enrolling at an institution not affiliated with an athletic training program and decide to adjust their academic career plans. Higher education institutions, researchers, market analysts, and consulting firms spend considerable time, energy, and resources trying to understand the decision-making processes of traditional-aged high school graduates and their families. Similar efforts are made to understand undergraduate students who are balancing the options of applying to professional or graduate schools or entering the workforce. Alternatively, individuals in the labor market are also weighing the ROI of returning to school on a full-time or part-time basis to augment their earning potential, or change careers for improved personal fulfillment or family circumstances or as a result of job loss. Recruiting for an athletic training program regardless of degree level requires an understanding of the current landscape and the market for potential students.When transitioning from an undergraduate program to a graduate program, program personnel spend considerable time preparing—conducting an environmental scan, negotiating with administration, developing a financial projection model, completing the substantive change applications or “mini self-study,” organizing curricula and marketing to future students. The launch of a new graduate program brings excitement and energy—a good story to tell and to showcase: an institution poised for growth.Over the past 5 years, my faculty and I pursued a dual strategy, expanding our offerings in health, wellness, and exercise science while being creative and innovative in our athletic training curriculum. Our goals were to showcase all that undergraduate education should offer in preparing students for professional graduate study in the health sciences (critical thinking, quantitative and informed reasoning, ethical decision making, an understanding of the biopsychosocial determinants of health and health disparities, and the essential elements of humanity in the liberal arts), while simultaneously encouraging students to consider a career in athletic training to promote physical activity, to prevent and address the prevalence of chronic disease, to manage acute illness and injury, and to promote exercise as a therapeutic intervention. While navigating the self-study process and gaining a 10-year reaccreditation in 2019 and completing the degree transition process, I am confident in saying we tried our best.Regrettably, this fall as applicants did not materialize, as program head count for the summer was tenuous, I had to make one of the most difficult decision of my career as an athletic training educator: to recommend closing my own program. How did we get there? As a program based in Cincinnati, Ohio, we are blessed to be located in a metropolitan region with a high population density. We have significant numbers of graduates from the surrounding region and robust clinical placement opportunities. We have over a 30-year history of graduating athletic trainers (ATs) for professional practice. The hospital systems in the region hire recent athletic training graduates in a variety of employment settings, and our students were able to find work easily. We have a robust network of affiliated clinical sites and an active advisory board. We had had such high aspirations and projections that making the transition would be fruitful and the right thing to do. We had completed the self-study as well as a business plan to demonstrate how we would fill our class and meet our benchmarks.Unfortunately, as the months progressed in our recruitment cycle, the data has demonstrated expanding options for students, regionally and statewide, and declining interest in athletic training education at the graduate level. Cincinnati has more than 10 institutions of higher education in a 60-mile radius. Of those institutions, remarkably, 8 offered professional athletic training programs (4 public institutions: University of Cincinnati, Miami University [Ohio], Northern Kentucky University, and Wright State University; 4 private institutions: Xavier University, Thomas More University, Wilmington College, and Mount St. Joseph University). Three of the private institutions (1 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, 1 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III, and 1 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) had already transitioned to the graduate level, having led the region with a year's head start, before my institution received final approval from the CAATE and the Higher Learning Commission. The 2 largest public universities (1 Football Bowl Subdivision Division I/Very High Research University and the other a Division I/Comprehensive Master's University) have transitioned or planned to transition but have delayed the start of their graduate programs. When we had originally proposed the Master of Athletic Training degree, there was 1 graduate professional program in Ohio (more than 5 hours away). By the time we were approved 2 years later and began recruiting, there were 11 graduate programs in the state (2 within our own county). Our program's historic niche had been to recruit traditional-aged students to the institution, with about half of those students also having plans to pursue graduate study in physical therapy. As we expanded our exercise science offerings, fewer students decided on athletic training as a career goal. This trend was also evident as the entering classes of athletic training students at the graduate professional programs in the state hovered at 10 students or less per cohort. Despite considerable efforts to market the athletic training program to undergraduate students at other like-sized institutions in surrounding states and connecting with pre-health students and advisors at larger universities, the numbers had not materialized.In February, as my dean and I prepared the summer and fall schedules for 2020, answered questions from Admissions and the Provost's Office, and began preparing the annual department budget, there were few remaining justifications for continuing to offer an accredited professional athletic training education program. Faced with market saturation, declining interest both internally and externally, and the obvious costs of weathering an unknown time period of low enrollment, we determined that it was in the best interests of the institution to announce program closure.It was the right thing to do for the well-being and future of my institution, but it was no less painful for myself, my students, and my colleagues. We made the decision based on data and the common good. Announcing program closure is much more reserved and measured than announcing a new program or expanded program offerings. It requires a delicate balance of showing compassion while also defending calculated decision making. Instead of celebrating an opening, announcing a program closure requires informing undergraduate students that their hoped-for destination will not be accepting students, perhaps announcing the elimination of faculty positions, and saying good-bye to trusted and respected colleagues. When advising students, faculty should be able to provide contingency plans and consider working with nearby programs to establish articulation agreements whereby students can pursue accelerated acceptance into another graduate athletic training program.To be clear, the decision to close our athletic training program was made in the opening days of the Spring 2020 semester, before the stay-at-home orders were issued, before Fall 2020 semester formats were in question, before our fiscal year budget was devastated by having to return income from residence hall room and board, and before our enrollment projections for the Fall semester had become so much more critical. Despite recruitment efforts over the past 18 months, it was determined that the anticipated enrollment we needed in order to sustain the athletic training graduate program was not going to materialize without significant investment of time, talent, and money. Providing a high-quality, accredited health care professional program is costly and resource-intensive. As more programs have transitioned from the bachelor's degree level to the graduate level, the recruiting landscape has become more predictably difficult. Despite a strong reputation in the health sciences generally, and a history of preparing ATs, programs may not be able to draw undergraduate students from other institutions to meet expectations and financial plans to keep the education reasonably priced for students. Smaller, regionally focused, comprehensive liberal arts universities without broad brand recognition will struggle to recruit students for graduate education in athletic training. The ability to recruit students to newly accredited programs in physician assistant studies, for entry-level nursing, and for physical therapy requires investment, but for athletic training, more so. The varied stakeholders in athletic training education (the NATA, the CAATE, the newly formed Association of Athletic Training Educators [AATE], the faculty, the future employers, and the alumni of these programs) will need to focus considerable effort and resources toward marketing athletic training as a destination career to potential students whether they be traditional-aged undergraduate students or career changers resulting in an older student population.So, as others are likely facing similar circumstances, now compounded by the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, I encourage athletic training educators to take a hard look at their institutions' long-term well-being and the well-being of the remaining athletic training programs in their region to determine a path forward. I am certain that athletic training programs will continue to thrive and will take on the best elements of the programs that have closed and ensure their legacy.With deepest regards and hope for future ATs, BC Charles-Liscombe.

ПРОФЕСІОНАЛІЗМ ВИКЛАДАЧІВ ВВНЗ ЯК СКЛАДОВА ВНУТРІШНЬОЇ СИСТЕМИ ГАРАНТУВАННЯ ЯКОСТІ ВИЩОЇ ВІЙСЬКОВІЙ ОСВІТИ

This qualitative study explored the perspectives of Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers on the implementation of competency-based assessment (CBA) within the higher education context. Amidst the global shift towards competency-based education, this research aimed to understand how instructors in Vietnam navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by CBA, focusing on its impact on teaching practices and student learning. The objective of this study was to examine the adaptations and responses of EFL teachers to the implementation of CBA, identifying how these adaptations influence teaching effectiveness and student learning experiences. Employing semi-structured interviews with 10 EFL teachers from two institutions, the study was grounded in constructivist and social constructivist theoretical frameworks, facilitating a nuanced exploration of the participants’ experiences. The findings revealed several key themes: significant challenges in transitioning to CBA, including adapting to new methodologies and a lack of resources; the transformative potential of CBA for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes; the need for targeted professional development to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation skills; and the role of CBA in fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, student autonomy, and inclusivity. Additionally, the study highlighted the complexities of providing effective, individualized feedback within CBA frameworks. The discussion underscores the importance of these findings in informing the development of more effective competency-based educational strategies and highlights recommendations for enhancing teacher training and assessment design to better support competency development. These insights contribute to the discourse on competency-based language education, suggesting implications for policy, practice, and future research. By highlighting the specific challenges and strategies employed by Vietnamese EFL teachers, this study offers valuable perspectives for instructors, policymakers, and researchers aiming to advance the implementation of competency-based assessment in language education globally.

Studies that have methodically compiled the body of research on the competency-based medical education (CBME) assessment procedure and pinpointed knowledge gaps about the structure of the assessment process are few. Thus, the goals of the study were to create a model assessment framework for competency-based medical education that would be applicable in the Indian setting as well as to thoroughly examine the competency-based medical education assessment framework. PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were the databases that were searched. The search parameters were restricted to English language publications about competency-based education and assessment methods, which were published between January 2006 and December 2020. A descriptive overview of the included research (in tabular form) served as the foundation for the data synthesis. Databases provided 732 records; out of which 36 fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty-six studies comprised a mix of randomized controlled trials, focus group interviews, and questionnaire studies, including cross-sectional studies, qualitative studies (03), mixed-method studies, etc. The papers were published in 10 different journals. The greatest number was published in BMC Medical Education (18). The average quality score for included studies was 62.53% (range: 35.71-83.33%). Most authors are from the UK (07), followed by the USA (05). The included studies were grouped into seven categories based on their dominant focus: moving away from a behavioristic approach to a constructive approach of assessment (01 studies), formative assessment (FA) and feedback (10 studies), the hurdles in the implementation of feedback (04 studies), utilization of computer or online based formative test with automated feedback (05 studies), video feedback (02 studies), e-learning platforms for formative assessment (04 studies), studies related to workplace-based assessment (WBA)/mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX)/direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS) (10 studies). Various constructivist techniques, such as concept maps, portfolios, and rubrics, can be used for assessments. Self-regulated learning, peer feedback, online formative assessment, an online computer-based formative test with automated feedback, the use of a computerized web-based objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) evaluation system, and the use of narrative feedback instead of numerical scores in mini-CEX are all ways to increase student involvement in the design and implementation of the formative assessment.

Adequacy in Faculty Standards in U.S. Regional Accreditation Commissions

Iowa is one of the few states in the nation that is required by law to have a formalized process that accredits its community colleges. In February of 2005, the Iowa Department of Education’s (DE) Division of Community Colleges and Workforce Preparation began a comprehensive review of the state accreditation process for Iowa’s community colleges. This review was prompted by major changes in the criteria and processes of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools – Higher Learning Commission (NCA-HLC) which was effective in January of 2005. The purpose of this case study was to collect, document, and analyze the data used to revise the state accreditation process so it would align more effectively with the revisions of the NCA-HLC to include their new criteria, core components, patterns of evidence and the accreditation processes—Program to Evaluate Academic Quality (PEAQ) and Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). In addition, the revision includes state standards that are mandated through state legislation. The themes that were identified in the research were supported by multiple perspectives of the sample, documentation and the literature. Major themes identified through the study were: (a) Accreditation is a process that assures a minimum threshold of quality in higher education; (b) AQIP is becoming the preferred NCA-HLC Accreditation process among Iowa community colleges; (c) DE accreditation process for Iowa’s community colleges should align more closely with the NCA-HLC processes and include both PEAQ and AQIP; and (d) state accreditation process adds value to Iowa’s community colleges. Minor themes identified through the study were: (a) state standards referenced in

At a global level, educating the nanotechnology workforce has been discussed since the beginning of the new millennium. Scientists, engineers and technicians should be trained in nanotechnology. Most educators prefer training students first in their own discipline at the Bachelor level (physics, chemistry, biology, etc) followed by specialisation in nanoscience and technology at the Master's level. Some favour a broad interdisciplinary basic training in different nanosciences followed by specialisation in a particular application area. What constitutes a good nanoscience curriculum is also being discussed, as well as the application of e-learning methodologies. The European Union is stimulating the development of nanoscience education in universities. The Erasmus Mundus programme is funding nanoscience and nanotechnology education programmes involving universities in several European countries. The policy debate in Europe is moving towards vocational training in nanotechnology for educating the technicians needed in industry and research. The EU vocational training institute CEDEFOP published a report in 2005 The EU funded European gateway to nanotechnology Nanoforum has stimulated the accessibility of nano-education throughout Europe with reports and online databases of education courses and materials. For university education, they list courses at the Bachelor, Master's, and PhD level as well as short courses. The EU funded EuroIndiaNet project also reviewed Nano-education courses at the Master's level, short courses, e-learning programmes, summerschools and vocational training courses.In this presentation, I review Nanoforum and other publications on nano-education in Europe and highlight current trends and gaps.

Introduction The article deals with the tendencies of further development of the higher military education system and peculiarities educational activity in the higher military educational institutions and military educational units of higher education institutions in the context of the evolution of perspectives on education quality ensuring and changes made to the definitions in the new edition of the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education” concerning essence of the concept of “quality of higher education” and its main components, namely “education standards”, “competence”, “learning outcomes”.Purpose. The purpose of the paper is to define tendencies of further development of higher military education in the context of the evolution of perspectives on education quality ensuring and changes made to the definitions of Ukrainian legislation in the educational sphere.Methods. The study was conducted using the following theoretical methods: analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, comparison, classification, generalization and systematization.Results. The concept of “quality of higher education” and its main components, namely “education standards”, “competence”, “learning outcomes” are determined in the article, its interrelations and interdependencies in the educational system of the HMEI are observed.Originality. According to the purpose of the paper, tendencies of further development of higher military education in the context of the evolution of perspectives on education quality ensuring and changes made to the definitions of Ukrainian legislation in the educational sphere are defined. Conclusion. The article presents the view of the tendencies of further development of higher military education in the context of the evolution of perspectives on the problem of education quality ensuring, guaranteeing quality of higher military education and changes made to the definitions in the new edition of the Law of Ukraine “On Higher Education” concerning essence of the concept of “quality of higher education” and its main components, namely “education standards”, “competence”, “learning outcomes”. The directions for future research are study off education quality and change management monitoring in the system of higher military education.

Relevance. There is a need for a systems analysis of the history and current state of the Kharkiv State Academy of Culture (KhSAC), which is considered to be the founder and leader of higher LIS (Library and Information Science) education and higher education in culturology and arts of Ukraine within 90 years of its existence (1929-2019). The aim of this study is to analyze the origins of higher LIS education and higher education in culturology and arts as well as the history and current state of KhSAC on the occasion of its 90 th anniversary. Research methodology. The historical milestones and present-day diverse activities of Kharkiv State Academy of Culture are studied by the means of systems, comparative and historical approaches and a problem analysis. Results. The study deals with the ninety year history and current state of KhSAC, which is considered to be the founder and leader of higher LIS education and higher education in culturology and arts in Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the significant achievements in educational, scientific, administrative and creative activities. The paper presents information on the organizational transformations of KhSAC, its academic staff. It includes over 75% of Doctors of Science, Candidates of science, people’s artists, honored artists, honored workers of culture of Ukraine. During the years of its existence the Academy has educated about 50,000 specialists, among them over 500 international students from more than 40 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. The Academy offers degree programmes at Bachelor and Master levels in 16 fields of training and specialties of 7 fields of study, namely Cultural Studies, Museum Studies and Historic Preservation, Management of Socio-Cultural Activities, Audiovisual Arts and Production, Choreography, Music Art, Performing Art, Information, Library and Archive Science, Information Systems and Technologies, Psychology, Social Work, Journalism, Tourism, Management. Postgraduate Studies (PhD Course) and Doctoral Studies offer programmes in 4 specialities. They are as follows: Culturology, Music Art, Information, Library and Archive Science and Social Work. The paper describes the features of KhSAC’s research activities. The structure of the Academy includes Postgraduate Studies and Doctoral Studies; two specialized academic boards authorized to accept for consideration and to conduct the defence of theses competing for an academic degree of Doctor (Candidate) of Science. Two academic journals are published, namely “Kultura Ukrainy (Culture of Ukraine)” covering the current issues of culturology and art criticism, and “Visnyk Kharkivskoi Derzhavnoi Akademii Kulury (Bulletin of Kharkiv State Academy of Culture)” covering the current issues of social communications. About 10 international, all-Ukrainian and regional scientific conferences are held every year. Available to students are a library, an e-material reading room, several computer laboratories, an Internet-centre, an editorial board. The place of the Academy in the European and world professional environment is identified. Novelty. An attempt is made to study the ninety year history and current state of Kharkiv State Academy of Culture, which is considered to be the founder and leader of higher LIS education and higher education in culturology and arts of Ukraine. Particular attention is paid to the significant achievements in educational, scientific, administrative and creative activities. The practical significance. The main results of this study can be used by institutions of higher education in culture and arts of Ukraine for further improving academic, scientific, administrative and creative activities.

Problem: To manage and supervise a large number of theses at bachelor, master and PhD level, with increased quality of both processes and product. Based on 995 publications, Jones (2013) identified four main problems in PhD thesis production; attrition, supervisor relationship, supervisor quality, social isolation. These issues also apply to theses at bachelor and master level In theses applied research methods are used in order to solve a problem. Theses end an education level and constitute a bridge into work or further studies and even an academic career. This core activity at universities requires a lot of resources and is very time consuming. The thesis quality varies and topic relevance to societal needs is often weak. Another problem is the high dropout and inefficient administrative procedures. Furthermore the digital resources for autonomous learning of research methods aren't optimally provided The European Union's approximately 4000 Higher Education Institutions and about 20 million students need better support in this area The demand for better mass scale support systems in higher education is also a global need with 1200 Higher Education Institutions worldwide (listed by ARWU). The number of higher education students is about 178 million (2010) and are forecasted to increase to 262 million by 2025. The online IT-support system, SciPro (Supporting the Scientific Process), has been developed during five years at the Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University. During the period 2012–2013 706 bachelor and master theses was managed through the SciPro system In 2014 91 PhD students are included as well This study summaries the experience and results during five years, including and going beyond our previous studies (17 publications). The focus of the SciPro project is technical implementation of pedagogical processes leading to quality learning and quality theses. The SciPro online system is modular and unique, consisting of: 1) Idea bank; with students, supervisors and business organisation's thesis topic ideas, 2) Matching; students paired with supervisors based on ideas and research area, 3) Objective (Milestones) and subjective (Project state) progress indicators, 4) Meta-supervision; instructions and cues for all students and supervisors, 5) Realtime statistics; for monitoring, quality assurance and evaluation, 6) Communication module; forum, notifications, shared files, checklists, 7) Peer Portal; peer review process and peer interaction 8) Multimedia resources for autonomous learning of research methods, and 9) Anti-plagiarism control; integrated and automatic The SciPro system works on all devices connected to Internet. It significantly reduces administration of all thesis related tasks for all involved SciPro can manage theses at a whole University fulfilling administrators', supervisors' and student's needs. With minor adaptations and development SciPro can be useful at most universities. The presentation will include live demonstrations and evaluations from all stakeholders' points of view.

In order to investigate the extent to which the education offer of advanced digital skills in Europe matches labour market needs, this study estimates the supply and demand of university places for studies covering the technological domains of Artificial Intelligence (AI), High Performance Computing (HPC), Cybersecurity (CS) and Data Science (DS), in the EU27, United Kingdom and Norway.\nThe difference between demand and supply of tertiary education places (Bachelor and Master or equivalent level) in the mentioned technological domains is referred in this report as unmet students’ demand of places, or unmet demand. Demanded places, available places and unmet demand are estimated for the following dimensions: (a) the tertiary education level in which this demand is observed: Bachelor and Master or equivalent programmes; (b) the programme’s scope, or depth with which education programmes address the technological domain: broad and specialised; and (c) the main fields of education where this tuition is offered: Business Administration and Law; Natural sciences and Mathematics; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); and Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction, with the remaining fields grouped together in a fifth category. \nFrom these estimations, it is concluded that the number of available places in the EU27, at Bachelor level, reaches 587,000 for studies with AI content, 106,000 places offered in HPC, 307,000 places in CS and 444,000 places offered in the domain of DS. At Master level this demand is comparatively lower, except for the DS domain, were it equals the offer at bachelor level. DS outnumbers AI in demand of places at Master level, with 602,000 and 535,000 demanded places, respectively. The unmet demand for AI, HPC, CS and DS in EU27 at MSc level is approximately 150,000, 33,000, 59,000 and 167,000 places, respectively. At BSc level, the unmet demand reaches 273,000, 53,000, 159,000 and 213,000 places, respectively. Another finding is that the unmet demand for broad academic programmes is higher than for specialised programmes of all technological domains and education levels (Bachelor and Master). \nHigher availability of places for AI, HPC, CS and DS domains is found for academic programmes taught in the ICT field of education, both at Bachelor and Master levels. For Bachelor studies, Germany and Finland are estimated as the countries with the highest unmet demand in AI, HPC, CS and DS, either with a broad or specialised scope. United Kingdom is the only studied country offering places for all fields of education and technological domains at Bachelor level and Master level. For Master studies, this is also found in Germany, Ireland, France and Portugal.

The development of assessments that are fit to assess professional competence in higher vocational education requires a reconsideration of assessment methods, quality criteria and (self)evaluation. This article examines the self-evaluations of nine courses of a large higher vocational education institute. Per course, 4–11 teachers and 3–10 students participated. The purpose of this article is to critically examine the quality of assessment in higher vocational education, to identify critical factors influencing assessment quality and to study whether self-evaluation leads to concrete points for improvement. Results show that strong points are fitness for purpose, comparability and fairness. Weak points are reproducibility of decisions and development of self-regulated learning. Critical factors are the translation of competences into assessment criteria to be used in daily lessons and the involvement of the work field. The self-evaluations generated many points for improvement, but not all were translated into actions. Altogether, this article provides a rich picture of assessment quality in higher education and identifies quality aspects that need improvement, (partly) confirming other research on current assessment methods.

Skepticism and learning difficulties in a digital environment at the Bachelor's and Master's levels: are preconceptions valid?

Part 1 Overview: Growth of the quality movement in higher education. Part 2 Leadership of quality in higher education: Initiative-based quality development and the role of distributed leadership A leadership model for higher education quality A framework for engaging leadership in higher education quality systems. Part 3 Approaches of managers to quality in higher education: Quality management in higher education: a comparative study of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland Towards a culture of quality in South African higher education. Part 4 Auditing quality in higher education: Auditorsi? perspectives on quality in higher education. Part 5 Academic development and quality in higher education: Academic development as change leadership in higher education Quality in the transitional process of establishing political science as a new discipline in Czech higher education (post 1989) Academic development and quality in Oman: mapping the terrain. Part 6 resources and trends in higher education quality: New directions in quality management Dubai's Free Zone model for leadership in the external quality assurance of higher education Trends in quality development.

The Review o f Higher Education Fall 1993, Volume 17, No. 1, pp. 69-93 Copyright © 1993 Association for the Study of Higher Education All Rights Reserved (ISSN 0162-5748) Institutional Climate and the Quality of the Academic Workplace Theodore H. White, Melinda G. Spencer and Marvin W. Peterson The “New ” Focus on Quality Discussions of institutional and academic quality in higher education literature date back over a century (Fairweather and Brown 1991; Kuh 1981; Lawrence and Green 1980; Webster 1986); but since the early 1980s, issues relating to quality in education have climbed steadily higher on public, government, and higher education agendas. The current em­ phasis on quality is punctuated by external calls for faculty and admin­ istrator accountability and for “proof’ that institutions provide quality environments for faculty teaching and student learning (Lenth 1990; Mayhew, Ford, and Hubbard 1990). A growing number of institutions see quality management as a means for controlling their costs internally while enhancing their “product”— their academic offerings (Chaffee 1991; Deming 1986; Massy 1989; Scherkenbach 1991; University of Michigan Theodore H. White is Assistant Professor of Educational Administration in the Pro­ gram for Adult and Higher Education at the University of South Dakota. Melinda G. Spencer is Director of Research and Education with the Society for College and University Planning and a doctoral candidate in Higher Education Administration at the University of Michigan. Marvin W. Peterson is Professor of Higher Education at the University of Michigan. He serves as Chairperson for the Program in Higher and Adult Continuing Education as well as Director of the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. 70 The Review of Higher Education Fall 1993 1990). Quality has even been viewed as the central defining issue for higher education (Marcus, Leone, and Goldberg 1983; Sherr 1990). Research on quality in higher education is confusing and contradic­ tory for several reasons. First, “quality,” like “effectiveness,” is difficult to define explicitly because it is a perceptual construct that is formulated at the individual level (Peterson, Cameron, Mets, Jones, and Ettington 1986). Not only do different constituencies use different definitions of quality but individuals within constituencies do not agree on common definitions. For this reason, studies purporting to study quality often focus on very different phenomena (Garvin 1988). This confusion is compounded when the units of organizational analyses vary or are not made explicit, and findings are generalized beyond the scopes of their studies (Webster 1986; Fairweather 1988). Finally, the greater part of the writing about quality is theoretically, not empirically, based. Thus, many assumptions regarding quality improvement remain untested. Interest in better performance by higher education institutions has brought increased attention to higher education work environments and institutional quality from both internal and external constituencies. This focus emerges from the centrality of the academic workplace to the ac­ ademic functions of the institution and to such related outcomes of a high quality workplace as innovativeness, excellent teaching, high mo­ rale, improved communication, and quality scholarship (Austin and Gamson 1983; Peterson 1988). Although no set of variables is “necessary and sufficient” for defining quality (Cameron 1987), certain organiza­ tional dimensions have become widely accepted as important quality indicators. One way to begin developing our understanding of quality improve­ ment is to examine some of the dimensions associated with quality within a defined context such as the academic workplace. Based on a review of the literature, we found that generally accepted dimensions of quality in the academic workplace include support for academic innovation, chal­ lenging work, and professional treatment of faculty and their work ac­ tivities. The purpose of this study is to use these critical dimensions to study relationships of quality by examining the following question: How are institutions’ organizational and administrative climates related to the perceived innovation, challenge, and professionalism in the academic workplace when individual and organizational characteristics are held constant? The Quality o f the Academic W orkplace For the reasons just described, the research literature varies consid­ erably regarding the key characteristics of a high-quality workplace. De­ White, Spencer, & PerERSON/Institutional Climate 71 spite this variation, we find that studies focused on improving academic organizational quality repeatedly call for the creation of a flexible work...