This study addresses a common gap that frequently obstructs the learning experience for a seamless transition from theoretical knowledge to real-world applications to produce value for student learning experience journey. The lack of hands-on experience has a negative influence, hindering and demising their understanding of the dynamic demands in the engineering sector. A deliberate educational intervention was devised to study and produce a transforming tool to the mentioned gap through utilization of an integrated hackathon. The event served as an immersive educational agenda, incorporating lectures, group activities, and innovative tasks, all within specified and tight timelines. The hackathon, themed "Understanding the Purpose of Learning," is associated with Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG9), and participants are to produce economical solutions that have an impact on the user community. Two coaches from various nations were strategically appointed for cross-institutional engagement and knowledge exchange. Students were asked to design and execute their own projects, which served as a tremendous accelerator for their learning journey, allowing them to apply theoretical principles in real-world applications. The hackathon had a dramatic impact, as participants left with increased confidence in applying theoretical knowledge to real world projects. Participants' enthusiasm and ability in constructing projects from scratch have clearly increased, rising from 23% prior to the event to 85% thereafter. This demonstrates that organizing hackathons is one of the most successful ways to improve engineering education by emphasizing the critical relevance of hands-on experience. This effort not only improves students' practical skills but also establishes a long-term accelerator, cultivating engineering graduates who are well-prepared for industry difficulties.

This study investigates the integration of purpose-driven learning (PDL) into data analytics education to foster global competence, critical data literacy (CDL), and critical artificial intelligence literacy (CAIL). PDL emphasises intrinsic motivation and aligns educational goals with societal issues, encouraging students to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges. The research engaged 65 undergraduate business students in purpose-driven assignments centred on the UN SDGs. The results indicate that PDL significantly enhanced students’ motivation, engagement, and understanding of global issues. Authentic learning was achieved as students applied technical skills to real-world challenges. The study also demonstrated substantial improvements in CDL and CAIL, empowering students to critically assess data and AI tools within ethical and societal contexts. Furthermore, PDL fostered a sense of global citizenship, equipping students with the skills and purpose needed to address complex global problems

Educators must provide tertiary students with authentic assessment feedback to support learning goals and workplace preparedness. Today’s digitally connected students consume information in bite-sized formats via podcasts and social media so educators should engage through similar channels. However, despite video teaching being common in medical education, video feedback for assessment is not. At an Australian regional university, preclinical students work interprofessionally with rural community organisations and clients to understand social, cultural, and economic health impacts. This paper describes the introduction of video feedback for approximately 400 first-year graduate-entry rural medical students for a summative assessment of a creative project reflecting on their Community-Based Placement (CBP). The study explored how video feedback enhances students’ knowledge of health, community, and self. We examined educators’ reflexivity in adopting innovative pedagogical practices. We investigated how staff and student experiences of creating and receiving video feedback, its novelty and usefulness of within transformative learning, using a mixed-method approach. In the context of contemporary medical education and practice, and an increasingly technology-based world, video commentary provides authentic assessment feedback that is impactful for students and enhances the practice and professional development of educators. These findings may apply beyond medical education to other healthcare disciplines, and sectors.

Environmental sustainability and the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in promoting sustainable practices have gained notable attention in recent years. HEIs are striving to engage students in sustainability efforts to change their perception and promote active involvement. Students are generally concerned about environmental sustainability but there are gaps in awareness. Therefore, the current study investigates the students' point of view regarding the institute’s environmental sustainability (Decarbonisation) plan and their role in making the campus more sustainable. A mixed method approach was used for students of education in a private institution in Karachi. Questionnaires were distributed among all the students on the campus through an online survey form to collect quantitative data which was filled by 47 students out of 65 students with the response rate of more than 70%. Additionally, a focus group discussion was scheduled with five representatives of M.Ed, MPhil and PhD cohorts at the campus to gather qualitative data. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis respectively. The data indicates that most students are aware of the environmental issues and have suggestions for improving their campus to align with the university's sustainability goals. However, despite the students' awareness, the findings also highlight a need for more knowledge among them regarding the current practices and commitments of the university towards the environment and net zero. Overall, while the university has taken significant steps towards sustainability by establishing a decarbonisation plan, the level of environmental consciousness among students and their understanding of their role as future educators in promoting sustainability remains unclear.

Purpose-driven learning has emerged as a transformative approach in higher education, aligning academic programs with societal needs and fostering social impact. This study examines how the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) implements purpose-driven learning in East Africa, addressing the challenges of resource-constrained environments. Using qualitative data, the study explores AKU-IED’s strategies for contributing to social impact through long-term educator empowerment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategic partnerships. The findings affirm existing literature on purpose-driven learning by demonstrating how experiential learning, critical thinking, and community engagement can drive educational and societal change. However, the study also extends the literature by providing new insights into how purpose-driven models can be adapted to address regional and national development goals, such as Tanzania’s Vision 2025. AKU-IED’s focus on producing highly skilled graduates capable of leading systemic change—rather than simply increasing enrollment—offers a novel perspective on higher education’s role in social development. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of sustained professional development and context-specific mentorship in fostering leadership and social innovation in resource-constrained settings. These findings provide valuable lessons for other universities aiming to adopt purpose-driven learning models, particularly in developing regions. By aligning its educational mission with both global frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and local contexts, AKU-IED exemplifies how higher education can serve as a powerful catalyst for sustainable development and societal transformation.

The flipped classroom (FC) model is a modern instructional strategy utilized in schools, colleges, and universities, where pre-class resources are provided for students to access, followed by a more active approach to learning in the class session. Literature has indicated that students often fail to engage with the pre-class resources due to insufficient engagement and support techniques, or they do so only shortly before class, adversely affecting in-class learning activities. To address these challenges, we integrated online quizzes into pre-class recorded videos and incorporated cooperative learning theory into in-class sessions to encourage students to watch videos and enhance their learning engagement. A true experimental study involving 151 students was conducted, with participants randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group (n = 78) utilized the online quiz-based flipped classroom (OQFC) model, while the control group (n = 73) followed the conventional flipped classroom (CFC) model. The 8-week experiment conducted in an ICT class revealed that the OQFC model significantly increased students' behavioural, agentic, and emotional engagement compared to the CFC model. However, there was no significant difference in students' cognitive engagement between the OQFC and CFC models. The results also showed no significant effect of gender on students' engagement. The integration of a quiz-based strategy and cooperative learning theory into the FC model has demonstrated the potential to enhance the effectiveness of the CFC model. Therefore, it is recommended that educators consider adopting the OQFC model to improve students’ engagement and learning experiences.

New generative AI (GenAI) tools are largely a product of the Global North but have rapidly spread worldwide. This scoping review examines the current perceptions of Generative AI in higher education across the Global South by analysing 75 papers published between 2022-2025. Following the PRISMA-ScR methodology, the review categorised the findings into five main areas: GenAI acceptance and adoption, implications and challenges, academic integrity considerations, educational practices, and equity concerns. The analysis reveals that GenAI offers transformative possibilities for personalised learning, research support, and administrative efficiency in higher education across the Global South, but its implementation faces significant barriers, including infrastructure limitations, human capital deficiencies, ethical concerns, inadequate policy frameworks, and contextual challenges. Notably, equity considerations have received the least research attention despite their critical importance in inclusive education. This review also identified substantial gaps in the literature, including limited geographic representation, stakeholder imbalance, and insufficient exploration of long-term outcomes. The authors recommend that future research prioritise equity-centred approaches, methodological diversity, contextual specificity, implementation science, and interdisciplinary collaboration to better understand how Generative AI can enhance educational opportunities without reinforcing existing disparities across the diverse contexts of the Global South.

There is an established relationship between teaching and learning practices and the drive to foster belonging in Australian universities towards improved student success and retention. This qualitative grounded theory study examined the experiences of first year students and teaching staff in ICT (Information Communication Technology) to develop a process of belonging online in higher education. We found belonging is fostered by connecting interactions online through signalling practices. Drawing on this process, this paper outlines the associated principles of fostering belonging in teaching and learning. These principles are: developing signalling skills, catering for signalling preferences, proactive adjusting and matching, providing opportunities through understanding students signalling preferences, and signalling for belonging and retention. Each principle aligns with known elements of belonging in online learning environments, such as interactivity and communication. The principles make a significant contribution to online teaching and learning in ICT by proposing easy to implement online pedagogical practices that foster belonging processes for diverse students, to support their retention and success.

Complex skills development in higher education is constrained by fragmented instruction, limited support for whole-task learning and increased cognitive load in online and blended formats. The four-component instructional design (4C/ID) model has been proposed as a task-centred approach designed to address these challenges. This systematic review synthesises empirical applications of 4C/ID in higher education over the past three decades. Following PRISMA 2020, searches of six major databases covered January 1992 to 7 December 2025. Fourteen empirical studies met the inclusion criteria and were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Most were quasi-experimental (n = 10), with two mixed-methods and two pre–post studies; the pooled sample comprised 1,109 students. Research clustered in Asia and North America across education and educational technology, health and computing, with a few studies in language and architecture. Across studies, implementations emphasised whole-task sequencing, scaffold fading and coordinated supportive and procedural information, often supported by digital technologies. Evidence indicates consistent gains in performance and transfer outcomes. Well-sequenced guidance reduced extraneous load and supported germane processing, though intrinsic load was higher early in whole-task learning. Common limitations included small samples, non-random allocation and limited follow-up. Overall, 4C/ID shows promise for improving learning outcomes in higher education. Future work should broaden samples and contexts, strengthen designs, standardise outcome measures and report implementation fidelity to advance both research and practice.

This study examines the leadership roles of operational-level leaders in navigating quality imperatives, involving 1,029 academic staff from three public universities in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional quantitative survey design was employed, and data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS-4. Although current quality assurance practices remain misaligned with these imperatives, the study confirms that leaders play a crucial role in navigating them. Findings also demonstrate the importance of leadership in integrating quality imperatives to underpin quality improvement across higher education institutions. The study highlights the need to challenge top-down quality assurance models and foster distributed, participatory leadership cultures. It introduces a quality imperative inventory capturing four leadership dimensions that offer both a conceptual framework and a practical tool for linking leadership practices with context-specific and international demands. The study presents a leadership model that embeds quality imperatives into leadership practices, enabling institutions to shift from compliance-driven quality assurance systems to sustainable, inclusive, and trust-based quality cultures, positioning quality as an institutional value rather than an externally imposed requirement. This model provides theoretical insight and practical guidance for sustainable quality improvement in national and global higher education landscapes. Recommendations include empowering leaders, integrating the four imperatives into existing quality assurance systems, reviewing leadership policies, and advancing research through cross-national, longitudinal, and stakeholder-inclusive approaches.