Purpose This study investigates the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in India from the perspective of college educators, focusing on how institutional support mediates their intention to adopt policy-driven reforms. This study evaluated NEP-initiated innovations, implementation issues, and policy perspectives on faculty growth and reform. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in the diffusion of innovation, expectancy, and ability–motivation–opportunity (AMO) theories, this study develops and tests a conceptual model using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling. Data were collected through a stratified random survey of 500 educators' from government, aided, and private colleges across five Indian regions. Findings The findings support the idea that NEP innovations contribute significantly to professional growth, and implementation issues have a positive impact on teaching effectiveness, by prompting educators to adopt adaptive pedagogical strategies, experiment with digital and outcome-based teaching practices, and respond innovatively to institutional and policy constraints. Institutional support mediates the optimism associated with educators’ expectations of future policy outcomes and prerequisites for reforms. Practical implications Higher educational institutions need to institutionalise systematic support systems (training, leadership involvement, and digital infrastructure) to enable sustainable reform implementation and prevent faculty resistance. Social implications The study demonstrates that robust institutional support enables educators to translate NEP 2020 reforms into effective teaching practices. Ensuring equitable access to resources, training, and leadership across diverse institutions can promote inclusive reform adoption, reduce systemic disparities, and enhance teaching–learning outcomes. This approach fosters innovation and strengthens the transformative potential of national education policy. Originality/value This study addresses a gap in empirical research on NEP 2020 through a national study of faculty members’ perspectives on policy translation and implementation dynamics. It develops knowledge about the role of institutional ecosystems in policy adoption among resource-diverse systems with decentralised higher education.

Purpose This study investigates the challenges faced by Vietnamese master's students enrolled in bilingual and English-Medium Instruction (EMI) programs in Taiwan. It examines how institutional, linguistic, cultural, financial, and health-related factors shape their academic and social adaptation within the bilingualization framework of Taiwan's Bilingual 2030 Policy (BN2030). By doing so, it highlights implementation gaps and the sociolinguistic tensions embedded in Taiwan's push for bilingual higher education. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design was employed. Six semi-structured interviews with Vietnamese master's students were analyzed using thematic analysis to capture lived experiences. To complement these qualitative insights, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling was applied to the interview transcripts, enabling computational validation of emerging themes. The research adapts Cheung's (2013) Transactional Acculturation Stress and Adjustment Model (TASAM) to interpret the dynamic process of adaptation. Findings Four major challenges emerged: socio-cultural adjustment, academic challenges, financial constraints, and health and well-being challenges. Students reported uneven EMI delivery, linguistic hierarchies, limited institutional support, and reliance on peer networks. LDA analysis confirmed these patterns and revealed hidden subthemes of identity negotiation and coping strategies. Research limitations/implications This exploratory study is based on a small sample of six Vietnamese master's students in Taiwan; therefore, the findings are not statistically generalizable. The results identify emerging patterns of adaptation rather than causal relationships. Future research may expand to other Southeast Asian student groups and employ comparative or longitudinal designs to examine institutional responses across disciplines, thereby strengthening generalizability and further refining the TASAM framework in bilingual and international higher-education contexts. Practical implications This study demonstrates how combining qualitative thematic analysis with Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) can provide institutions with richer, evidence-based insights into international student challenges. Practically, universities can adopt similar mixed-method approaches to systematically analyze student feedback and detect hidden patterns that may not emerge from surveys alone. Beyond methodological innovation, the findings emphasize the need for consistent EMI practices, Mandarin language support, and culturally inclusive services. By leveraging computational tools like LDA alongside traditional methods, administrators can make data-driven decisions that directly improve student well-being and institutional competitiveness. Social implications This study highlights the social dimensions of bilingualization and international student inclusion in Taiwan. Vietnamese master's students' experiences reveal how language policies intersect with identity, belonging, and equity in multicultural academic settings. Strengthening institutional trust and intercultural communication can reduce social isolation and promote empathy among local and international communities. The LDA–TASAM integration also demonstrates how data-informed qualitative research can uncover hidden social mechanisms of adaptation, providing actionable evidence for creating linguistically inclusive environments that foster cross-cultural understanding and contribute to Taiwan's broader goals of social sustainability and educational globalization. Originality/value This study contributes by combining qualitative and computational approaches under a single framework (TASAM–LDA). It provides new insights into how Southeast Asian students experience Taiwan's bilingualization in practice and suggests directions for more inclusive EMI implementation.

Purpose This study aims to examine the determinants of secondary school teachers’ competence in integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Vietnam. It emphasizes both individual and institutional factors that shape teachers’ ability to embed ESD principles into their teaching practices, and seeks to enrich the competency framework for Vietnamese general education teachers. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) approach. Data were collected from 625 teachers working in general education institutions across Vietnam. The model tested the impacts of five independent variables: digital competence, opportunities for training and participation, professional motivation, supportive environment and ESD awareness on ESD integration competence. Findings Results indicate all five factors positively influence ESD integration competence. Digital competence emerged as the strongest predictor (ß = 0.516, p < 0.001). Opportunities for training and participation (ß = 0.231), professional motivation (ß = 0.157), supportive environment (ß = 0.142), and ESD awareness (ß = 0.123) also had significant effects. Teaching motivation mediates the transformation of cognitive resources into pedagogical practice. Findings underscore the joint importance of individual and institutional resources in strengthening ESD implementation. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to general education teachers in Vietnam, restricting generalizability to other contexts. Reliance on cross-sectional survey data constrains causal inferences. Future research could apply longitudinal or experimental designs to validate findings. Expanding analysis with multi-group models and inter-local comparisons would enhance external validity and deepen understanding of contextual influences. The study offers practical implications for policymakers and school leaders to design training and institutional support that enhance ESD competence effectively. Originality/value This study is among the first to investigate factors influencing teachers' ESD integration competence in Vietnam using CB-SEM. By highlighting digital competence as the strongest predictor, it advances understanding of how technological skills intersect with sustainability education. The research also reveals the mediating role of teaching motivation in transforming cognitive resources into classroom practice. Findings contribute to refining the ESD competency framework for Vietnamese teachers and provide evidence-based insights for policy and practice. The study offers novel directions for comparative and multi-group analyses in future research.

Purpose Pakistan’s public hospitals face persistent nurse shortages, and high turnover is a major cause of this problem. This study examines whether workplace bullying increases nurses’ turnover intentions. It focuses on two forms of bullying (work-related and person-related), tests job satisfaction as a mediator and examines self-efficacy as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a stratified sampling approach from nurses working in government hospitals. The final sample included 448 nurses from public hospitals in Sindh Province. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and SmartPLS 4.0. Findings Both work-related and person-related bullying are linked with lower job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is also linked with lower turnover intention. In addition, job satisfaction explains part of the link between bullying and turnover intention. Self-efficacy moderates the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention, such that the negative effect of low job satisfaction on turnover intention is weaker among nurses with higher self-efficacy. Originality/value This study provides practical guidance for hospital managers and human resources (HR) staff seeking to reduce turnover by addressing bullying and improving job satisfaction. It also offers policy-relevant evidence for retention strategies in public healthcare settings in developing countries, including Pakistan.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects of teacher resilience, conflict-management skills and teachers’ innovativeness on pedagogical competence. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative approach. The target population comprised 4,625 elementary and junior high school teachers in West Manggarai Regency, Indonesia; 1,188 valid teacher responses were retained for the final analysis. Instrument validation and reliability were verified through exploratory factor analysis using the principal axis factoring method. The data were found suitable for factor analysis. Data were analysed using path analysis. Findings The average score for teachers’ pedagogical competence was 81.84 (on a scale of 100). However, 53.03% of the teachers scored below average. Hypothesis testing revealed that (1) teacher resilience had a direct effect on pedagogical competence (β=0.194); (2) conflict management skills had a direct effect on teacher pedagogical competence (β=0.203); (3) teacher’s innovativeness had a direct effect on teacher pedagogical competence (β=0.510); (4) teacher resilience had an effect on pedagogical competence through teacher innovativeness (β=0.327) and (5) an indirect effect of conflict management skills on pedagogical competence through teacher innovativeness (β=0.343). Practical implications Pedagogical competence extends beyond technical skills and is linked to personality traits. As technological advancements increasingly replace pedagogical skills, the development of well-being and mindfulness remains irreplaceable. Originality/value Studies on teachers’ pedagogical competence primarily relate to technical abilities, overlooking psychological factors. This study advocates teacher preparation that integrates personality development with pedagogical training.

Purpose This state-of-the-art study assesses the knowledge structure of abusive leadership by presenting the emerging and future trends based on the aggregation of past studies. Abusive supervision is a negative leadership style that imparts negative consequences to organizations. Design/methodology/approach Employing bibliographic coupling and co-word analysis, this study evaluated 227 journal publications via science mapping analysis. Findings The current and emerging themes denote negative organizational outcomes of abusive leadership, while the future trends revolve around understanding abusive supervision in the workplace. Research limitations/implications The implications of this study are to guide scholars and practitioners in understanding the basis of abusive leadership and to make interventions to mitigate its outcome by developing preventive strategies and supportive organizational practices. Originality/value The originality of this review lies in its use of the science mapping technique to synthesize existing knowledge and highlight prospective research avenues on abusive leadership.

Purpose The persistent challenges of graduate unemployment call for entrepreneurial promotion for economic sustainability. Although Vietnam has invested heavily in entrepreneurship education (EE), the procedures by which EE becomes action -oriented are unclear. This study uses the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to explore Vietnam's Generation Z students' entrepreneurial intention (EI) factors to fill theory gaps. The study explores entrepreneurship education (EE) and investigates the mediation of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) as well as the moderating role of perceived structural support (PSS). Design/methodology/approach Quantitative research was conducted using a cross-sectional survey and purposive sampling, analyzing data from 339 university students in Vietnam with the partial least squares structural equation modeling method. Findings The results confirm that EE significantly enhances both ESE and EI. ESE also exerts a positive influence on EI. Moreover, PSS plays a positive moderating role in the connections between EE, ESE and EI. These results underscore the relevance of the SCCT among young individuals in developing economies. Practical implications These findings provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers. Educators ought to create experiential EE modules in partnership with industry stakeholders. Policymakers can enhance entrepreneurship ecosystems through the implementation of targeted financial aid programs and incubator initiatives that provide structural support (SS) for new entrepreneurs. Originality/value This study expands a lens of the SCCT through an explanatory mechanism for the often-inconsistent results concerning the EE–ESE-EI link. By including PSS as a moderator, this study demonstrates how SS mechanisms boost the entrepreneurial ambitions of Generation Z students.

Purpose This study aims to explore how top Indonesian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) progress toward achieving World Class University (WCU) status based on the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Ranking (QS WUR) criteria. Design/methodology/approach The research investigates institutions ranked between 101 and 500 globally in the QS WUR editions from 2024 until 2026. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we conducted panel regression analyses using internal performance indicators as independent variables and supplemented the quantitative findings with interviews involving top-level university administrators. Findings The regression results reveal three key variables that significantly influence overall WCU scores: citations per faculty, employment outcomes, and the faculty-student ratio. The qualitative strand reveals varying degrees of strategic alignment with these variables. Findings highlight that the top five HEIs in Indonesia prioritize citations per faculty member as key enablers of WCU performance. Research limitations/implications Given the qualitative design, this study is limited by the cross-sectional nature of the data. It focuses on the ranking improvement, which can be a result of the previous officer. Another limitation is the study’s use of QS ranking, which some researchers have criticized. However, the QS ranking provides more detail and periodic updates than other university ranking systems. Future research should periodically assess the program’s effectiveness and consider comparing the linearity data across university ranking systems. These findings provide strategic guidance for HEIs and policymakers in emerging economies seeking to compete in global ranking systems. Originality/value It is important that a country has a higher education system that fosters innovation and competitive advantage. Therefore, this study aims to help relevant authorities gain an additional perspective to improve HEI performance in global ranking systems.

Purpose Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education at all educational levels is a key sustainable development goal proposed by the United Nations in 2015. Educational inclusion requires the integration of students with special educational needs (SEN) into mainstream classrooms, which poses significant challenges for teachers' practice. However, this issue remains underexplored in the Vietnamese context. This study investigates Vietnamese primary school teachers' perceptions of students with SEN and their classroom practices in mainstream settings. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with nine primary school teachers in Hanoi. Given the small sample size, the findings should be interpreted with caution, particularly regarding generalisability. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis within a constructivist paradigm. Findings The findings indicate that teachers largely believed in creating separate or special environments for students with SEN rather than providing additional support within mainstream classrooms. Although teachers recognised some domain-specific strengths of students with SEN, these students were frequently perceived as less capable than their peers and as a burden to teaching practice. Cognitive support mainly involved repetition and skill drilling, with limited implementation of collaborative or inclusive learning strategies. Teachers reported that maintaining a safe and disciplined classroom environment, supported by reflective practices and mindfulness meditation, was effective in addressing behavioural challenges. However, students' difficulties were typically understood as isolated issues rather than addressed through a holistic support approach. Despite expressing empathy, teachers' attitudes towards students with SEN often reflected a patronising stance. Practical implications Overall, the findings highlight the need for targeted, practice-oriented teacher training that fosters inclusive mindsets and equips teachers with concrete pedagogical strategies grounded in a holistic approach to supporting diverse learners in mainstream classrooms. Originality/value The study highlights the need for a holistic approach to addressing students' difficulties, as well as for teacher training that fosters inclusive mindsets and equips teachers with concrete pedagogical strategies to integrate students with SEN into mainstream education.