European Higher Education Institutions Research Articles

Cross-border higher education in Europe and the role of quality assurance agencies

This article discusses the multiple challenges cross-border higher education (CBHE) in Europe faces nowadays, namely regarding the assurance of its quality. The views of a set of European quality assurance agencies are analysed to understand their role in assuring the quality of this type of educational provision. Empirically, the article is based on the material collected through interviews conducted with the responsible for quality assurance agencies from 10 European countries: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. The results reveal that almost all quality assurance agencies have at least partial experience with CBHE provision, mainly related to the evaluation of joint-degree programmes offered by European higher education institutions. The cooperation between countries and agencies emerges as one of the main challenges to the development of a common tool to enhance CBHE, which could facilitate the quality assurance process for all stakeholders.

Exploring inclusivity in entrepreneurship education provision: A European study

This paper explores inclusivity in entrepreneurship education (EE) provision. This is an important area of research given the growth in EE provision globally and the intention for it to be a discipline and a competence accessible to everyone. Drawing on data from nine European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and their respective entrepreneurship programs, our core research question asks: how inclusive are European entrepreneurship education programs, and how might their inclusivity be enhanced? Answering this question could help raise awareness of the need for inclusive EE, identify specific student cohorts who are potentially excluded and help widen EE participation generally. We contribute to the existing body of literature in this field by underscoring the significance of inclusivity in EE programs, proposing an adapted version of an existing inclusivity-proofing tool as a first step for HEIs on their inclusivity journey and offering insights designed to bolster HEIs' EE inclusivity efforts.

THE CURRENT STATE OF TRAINING OF FUTURE SPECIALISTS FOR SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL WORK WITH PEOPLE OF THE THIRD AGE IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS OF UKRAINE AND THE EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES

The article deals with some aspects of training future specialists for sports and recreational work with people of the third age. The Ukrainian socio-economic location dictates new requirements for training. It is necessary to expand the possibilities of choosing the directions of the curriculum of the educational process, which allows students to increase the level of self-education. Today, there is an increase in the level of professional and social prestige of sports education, improvement of material resources, increased funding, and the growing role of interregional institutions. The system of sports education should develop dynamically, using the achievements of science, the latest educational technologies and best practices. The main strategic course of higher education should be aimed at improving the level of professional skills, qualifications, and ethics. The article examines the current state of training future specialists for sports and recreational work with people of the third age at European universities (on the example of Norway, Sweden, Poland), the main types of universities that train students in European countries, the management system of European universities, and the peculiarities of organizing the educational process. The education system of each European country has centuries of experience, its own traditions in the field of education and is characterized by a number of national peculiarities. Differences are manifested in the structural organization of the learning process, in the content of education, in the methods and forms of organizing the learning process, as well as at the level of governance. The trend of the modern system of student training in higher education institutions in Europe is the priority of state classical and pedagogical universities.

The underlying signals of efficiency in European universities: a combined efficiency and machine learning approach

ABSTRACT This study explores the critical determinants of efficiency in European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The contemporary landscape presents a wide range of challenges and opportunities, necessitating unprecedented levels of efficiency. Our primary objective is to unravel the fundamental elements that drive the efficiency of European HEIs. To achieve this, we employ a novel methodological approach, integrating Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with a Machine Learning technique, specifically Feature Selection. This combination sheds new light on areas previously less explored in DEA, including the intricate interplay among variables. Our empirical investigation contributes to the academic discourse by presenting a comprehensive, multi-country analysis from a multifaceted viewpoint. We assess the efficiency levels of European universities, highlighting the influence of factors such as student fee funding, Ph.D. program intensity, and international mobility on achieving high efficiency scores. The findings of this study have some implications for policy-making, suggesting strategies to enhance the efficiency levels of HEIs.

Profiles of students in STEM across Latin America and Europe

The gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is a problem that affects higher education institutions across the globe. Although some exceptions exist, such as Algeria, Benin, Oman or Myanmar (according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2022), women represent around 15% of STEM programs. The low number of women in these areas impacts the development of societies. STEM areas are crucial to solve society's problems and improving people's lives. However, half of the population (the females) is not represented in the teams that work to approach those problems. This work aims to analyse the profiles of current and past students from STEM programs in Latin American and European higher education institutions. We collected information about their motivations and concerns when they chose to enter university. We statistically analysed the differences finding that there are some significant ones. They mostly confirm the literature, showing that males and females have different views and approaches in the STEM field. Females look more for social aspects, while males tend to prioritise career perspectives. The findings suggest that there can be a mutual exchange of good practices between Latin American and European attraction campaigns thanks to the similarity found.

Pedagogical Strategies for Female Students in IT Disciplines to Promote Gender Equality: The Case of Five European Universities

Once Female students in Informatics and Technology (IT) and Computer Science degrees at European higher education institutions, in the 21st century, represent a smaller percentage compared with male students, this paper investigates the main reasons that may explain this fact, as well as presents new pedagogical strategies for female students in IT courses. These strategies derive from understanding stereotypes, perceptions, cultural implications, and propositions for inclusive IT education; and are relevant for supporting IT students’ equality and success. Further, good lecturing in general together with positive reinforcement with students lays a crucial foundation for supporting all students in IT. The present research was developed in five European universities: Croatia, Italy, Slovakia, Poland, and Portugal. Starting from a literature review on the topic was developed a questionnaire that was applied to a sample of IT students in these five universities. The results were analyzed to define some new pedagogical strategies. These allowed us to conclude about the main reasons for the decision of female students to choose to study IT programs and higher education institutions develop pedagogical strategies more adequate and more attractive to female students, as well as to contribute to increased employability and successful integration in the labor market.

Innovating the Use of Labour Market Intelligence Within European Universities

Abstract The “Innovating the Use of Labour Market Intelligence within European Universities” (LMI-EUniv) project, set within the Erasmus+ programme’s Key Action 2, represents a pioneering effort to harness Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) for enhancing the alignment between higher education offerings and labour market demands across Europe. This initiative, led by a consortium including the West University of Timisoara, University of Milano-Bicocca, University of Tallinn, Prospektiker, and the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research, aimed to explore the current utilisation of labour market information and intelligence by European universities in planning and delivering their educational provisions. With a focus on fostering the congruence of educational supply with labour market demand through innovative learning and teaching methodologies, the project sought to empower Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with the skills and competencies necessary to meet these challenges. By mapping essential LMI sources at a national level, examining the use of LMI across European HEIs, and developing a comprehensive training course and an online Labour Market Intelligence Hub, this project aspired to create an indispensable reference for HEIs. This article synthesises the project’s key findings, underscoring the critical role of labour market intelligence in adapting academic curricula to meet specific labour market needs, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on the integration of LMI in higher education and its implications for curriculum development, graduate employability, and the overarching alignment between education and labour market expectations.

Exploring the Untapped Potential of Neuromarketing in Online Learning: Implications and Challenges for the Higher Education Sector in Europe.

This research investigates the impact of applying neuromarketing techniques to three practical examples of higher education (HE) branding: an official college website page, an official college Facebook page, and recorded online video lectures used for teaching at HE institutions. The study was conducted in three different HE institutions with a representative sample of 720 participants, with n = 529 used for testing the CARE college website, n = 59 for testing the HAZEF Facebook page, and n = 132 for testing the emotional response of students studying online. To assess the participants' emotional responses, this study utilized automated facial coding through a webcam (15 Hz) and considered mood intensities. Additionally, a sentiment analysis was employed to verify the survey results and determine any discrepancies in the cognitive response. By analyzing gaze activity, movement patterns, and emotional responses, valuable insights were gained into students' behaviors and preferences. This study recommends incorporating neuromarketing research into HE branding and online teaching to enhance students' learning experiences. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding of human expectations and behaviors in response to online teaching and provides valuable insights for HE institutions in Europe.

Tissue science and histology in the system of biomedical scientific and educational disciplines

In this article, the authors analyze the role and significance of histology in biomedical scientific and educational disciplines (history, present condition, and controversial issues). This study discusses the formation and development of histology—the science of tissues—and the emergence of notions about tissues and tissue classification. When describing the microscopic structure of plant organs in 1671, the English botanist and physician N. Grew (1641–1712) used the term “tissue” for the first time. In the mid-19th century, German histologists R.A. Kölliker (1817–1905) and F. Leydig (1821–1908) established the present scientific classification of tissues. These authors classified tissues into four main groups: epithelium, connective tissue and blood, nervous tissue, and muscle tissue. Russian scientists A.A. Zavarzin and N.G. Khlopin made significant contributions to developing tissue classification and evolution problems. It is worth noting that the term “tissue,” which was initially interpreted as purely morphological, has gained physiological content; that is, the idea of “tissue” has become a morphofunctional concept. The idea of tissue stability during the ontogenesis stages of organisms is one of the significant paradigms of histology. Fabric variability is allowed within certain limits within the tissue group to which the fabric belongs. There is no compelling evidence of tissue transition from one tissue group to another. The first histology departments appeared in European higher educational institutions in the middle of the 19th century and Russian higher educational institutions in the late 1960s. As a scientific discipline, histology has not exhausted its capabilities; therefore, excluding histology from the nomenclature of scientific specialization is incorrect.

Социолингвистический аспект феномена «иностранный язык» на примере обучения немецкому языку в неязыковом вузе

Linguodidactic features of teaching foreign languages are an endless source for re-search. This work highlights the results of the European Lingua project on the assessment of communicative activities in the process of teaching foreign languages in non-linguistic uni-versity, which was initiated and implemented by Belgian methodologists in five European institutions of higher education and which very clearly shows the advantages of internation-al cooperation in solving upcoming challenges in the development and teaching foreign languages. Primarily, it is a matter of German, about its possible aspects as a foreign lan-guage.

Cultural competence of undergraduate student nurses: a multicenter study.

to evaluate the level of cultural competence of an undergraduate nursing students' population from four European higher education institutions. a total of 168 nursing students from four different countries were included in our study. The study methodology involved a cross-sectional assessment of cultural competence among undergraduate nursing students from four European universities. Data collection included sociodemographic variables, as well as the following validated tools: the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, the Cultural Competence Assessment Tool (student version) and the Cultural Awareness Scale. our results indicated that students demonstrated a high level of intercultural sensitivity but a moderate level of cultural competence and cultural awareness. Variations existed among students from different countries, suggesting potential differences in educational approaches. Despite expectations that higher-level students would exhibit greater cultural competence, no significant differences were found by year of study, indicating a lack of effective integration of cultural competence into nursing curricula. nurse educators should consider the students' cultural competence before designing related study programmes. Training programmes related to cultural competence should include elements which have been associated with enhanced cultural competence, including language skills, cultural encounter, and opportunities for internationalisation.

Ինստիտուցիոնալ հավատարմագրման չափանիշների արդյունավետության գնահատում՝ ըստ կառուցվածքային և բովանդակային տարրերի / Assessing Effectiveness of Institutional Accreditation Criteria Through Structural and Content Elements

The article evaluates the effectiveness of institutional accreditation criteria and standards in Armenia, with a focus on their implementation and impact within the Armenian context. It examines how these criteria are perceived and used by key stakeholders, how they are aligned with established procedures and regulations, how the best practices and challenges are identified. The study delves into the impact of these indicators on the demonstration of structural normative and content isomorphism, particularly how they facilitate or hinder the processes of isonymism and isopraxism within the Armenian educational and regulatory frameworks. Additionally, the article discusses the broader European context, highlighting the adoption of quality assurance systems in Europe based on European Standards and Guidelines and emphasizes the collaborative efforts to foster transparency and mutual trust in quality assurance across European higher education institutions.

Multicultural Classrooms in European Higher Education: Findings from Interviews with International Students and Teaching Staff

The research, prepared for the Multicultural Classrooms: Inclusive Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Erasmus+ project, endeavours to assess the current state of multicultural classrooms in Europe through interviews conducted with lecturers and students at partner universities (Türkiye, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Spain).
 
 The research evaluates instructional systems designed to equip faculty members with the competence to manage heterogeneous and culturally diverse classroom environments. Additionally, the report seeks to identify avenues for embedding multiculturalism within European higher education. The methodological approach involves a literature review on multicultural classrooms, and the report accentuates the need to extend discussions on multicultural classrooms to the higher education context. The report presents findings from interviews with international students and teaching staff, summarising emergent themes derived from content analysis. These findings aim to enhance comprehension of multicultural classrooms in Europe and inform strategies to promote diversity and multiculturalism in European higher education institutions.
 
 The report underscores shared themes and fundamental aspects of higher education internationalisation within multicultural classrooms. The importance of language proficiency in English as a determinant of successful internationalisation is consistently recognised. Cultural diversity is celebrated as a valued ethos across all countries, with exposure to diverse cultures and perspectives deemed intrinsic to studying abroad. Institutional support for international students is highlighted, emphasising the need for robust orientation programs and support mechanisms.
 
 Challenges tied to cultural differences and language barriers are acknowledged universally, underscoring the significance of fostering cultural sensitivity and intercultural communication skills. Inclusive academic environments for international students are prioritised, where lecturers strive to establish settings fostering open dialogues and intercultural competence. The report emphasises the significance of training and professional development for lecturers in multicultural classrooms, including recommendations for observation periods abroad and exchange programs to promote inclusive practices.
 
 Based on an exhaustive analysis of national reports, the international report culminates in a compilation of recommended training courses crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of multicultural classrooms. Collectively, these findings underline a shared commitment to inclusive and supportive environments for international students across the featured countries. The insights gleaned hold value in shaping higher education internationalisation within and beyond Europe, acknowledging the significance of global interconnectedness and diversity in contemporary education.

Студентоцентрична спрямованість у медичному освітньому просторі України на прикладі Івано-Франківського національного медичного університету

The issues of student-centred learning are fundamental in the organisation of educational activities of higher education institutions in Europe and are covered in many final documents of the Ministerial Conferences of the European Higher Education Area. Student-centredness is the accumulation and concentration of efforts focused more on the needs of the student, based on the consideration of the individual qualities of students, the ability to form individual educational trajectories. The essence of student-centredness is to create a model of education development in which a student turns from an object into a subject of educational activity, i.e. an active participant in the educational process. Purpose - to analyse the peculiarities of student-centredness as a modern direction of organising the educational process in higher education institutions and to determine the peculiarities of implementing a student-centred approach in the training of students at Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University. On the example of Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, student-oriented/student-centred learning is one of the most effective pedagogical and methodological approaches. It is implemented by creating an individual educational trajectory in the first place. This is an individual way of realising the personal potential of each faculty applicant in educational activities, which is formed by determining and taking into account his/her personal abilities, own interests, educational and social needs, professional motivation, opportunities, and experience, based on the choice of types and forms of education of participants in the educational process and the proposed educational programmes, selected academic disciplines, their level of complexity, methods and means of teaching. An individual educational trajectory at the university is carried out through an individual curriculum, in particular, through the individual choice of disciplines, courses and educational programmes, the applicant’s research work, the development of spiritual potential and professional training. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Measuring university size: A comparison of academic personnel versus scientific talent pool data

Abstract This paper compares two measures of the organizational size of higher education institutions (HEIs) widely used in the literature: the number of academic personnel (AP) measured according to definitions from international education statistics, and the scientific talent pool (STP) (i.e., the number of unique authors affiliated with the HEI as derived from the Scopus database). Based on their definitions and operationalizations, we derive expectations on the factors generating differences between these two measures, as related to the HEI’s research orientation and subject mix, as well as to the presence of a university hospital. We test these expectations on a sample of more than 1,500 HEIs in Europe by combining data from the European Tertiary Education Register and from the SCImago Institutions Ranking. Our results provide support for the expected relationships and also highlight cases where the institutional perimeter of HEIs is systematically different between the two sources. We conclude that these two indicators provide complementary measures of institutional size, one more focused on the organizational perimeter as defined by employment relationships, the other on the persons who contribute to the HEI’s scientific visibility. Comparing the two indicators is therefore likely to provide a more in-depth understanding of the HEI resources available.

Open Educational Resources (OERs) at European Higher Education Institutions in the Field of Library and Information Science during COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study is to map the practices regarding open educational resources’ (OERs) development and implementation at European higher education institutions (HEIs) in the field of library and information science (LIS) during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the challenges and obstacles to their full and optimal utilization, both during crisis situations and beyond. A systematic literature review and questionnaire-based survey yielded results from 56 European LIS schools/departments (n = 56). Statistical analysis was performed using the R programming language, and descriptive statistics were used to quantify the data sets. The results have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic served as an impetus for the adoption of OERs, particularly in the context of digital education (DE) and remote learning. However, there is still a lack of awareness of the many benefits and opportunities they provide to higher education, as evidenced by the fact than less than half LIS schools/departments used OERs. Certain issues were identified, such as the lack of institutional policies regarding OERs, inadequate peer-review of OERs, and, in most cases, the absence of monitoring and evaluation practices for OERs. The results and insights from this study can be used to improve all aspects of OERs’ implementation and thus accelerate their adoption, both with regard to LIS schools/departments and other fields. Further research into the topic through interviews and focus groups should provide a deeper understanding of opportunities, challenges and practices surrounding the adoption of OERs in the field of LIS education.

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in European Higher Education

The following article discusses Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in European higher education, which has become popular in recent years due to the status of English as a foreign language. Firstly, the difference between CLIL and English Medium Instruction (EMI) is explained, then CLIL modules in higher education are presented. Furthermore, CLIL special pedagogy in higher education is described. The subsequent section is devoted to the benefits and challenges of CLIL in higher education as listed in the literature; finally, insight into research on language in the CLIL higher education context is addressed. The data presented in the article is based on an in-depth literature review and research conducted in higher education institutions in Europe. The findings show that even though CLIL has become a popular approach in higher education in recent years, adapting this concept has been a great challenge due to the very little preparation, proper methodological training and complex linguistic learning situations.

Game-Based Learning in Higher Education Using Analogue Games

Games have been effective in helping people to interact with one another and learning more about the culture they inhabit (Piaget, 1962). The importance of games and their centrality to culture is pointed out by Huizinga (1944) who suggested using them as a medium to organise our lived experience and as an escape from their pragmatic focus (Ruckenstein, 1992). The “playful” nature of games results in escapism because it often hides the seriousness of their outcomes (Bateson, 2014; Henricks, 2006). For instance, games can be implemented in war where they are viewed as a deadly sort of game, with elaborate rules, strategies, and codes of sportsmanship. Furthermore, the widespread use of games has gained traction as a rapidly evolving teaching and learning tool in the educational sector as well. This rapid growth in the use of games as an educational tool has led to the creation of an immense number of diverse games, aiding teaching and learning in a multitude of disciplines from economics to art, and numerous encyclopaedic websites of previously developed games have been created. Despite this rapid growth, it is debatable whether this is due to increased effective learning from games, or simply the increased engagement and enjoyment observed in comparison to traditional pedagogical methods. To that end, the current paper explores the practices of analogue GBL across European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the challenges and opportunities associated with Game-Based Learning (GBL) from the perspective of educators and game designers. Gamification – including simple game mechanics, such as points for correct answers (Hidi & Renninger, 2006; Kim, Song, Lockee, & Burton, 2018; Rotgans & Schmidt, 2011) – is often used as a teaching aid to increase student engagement and enjoyment. However, simply adding a game mechanic into classic, lecture-based teaching does not necessarily assist in cognitive retention in classrooms, or develop 21st-century skills. As a matter of fact, more academics are seeing the benefits of GBL (Qian & Clark, 2016), in which games are specifically designed to enhance learning and the development of a certain skillset. It may also involve adapting a game that is already designed for use in the classroom, such as using open world-based board games to teach the interaction between geopolitical groups, or the use of LEGO® blocks to help improve comprehension of city planning. A good GBL intervention will ensure that the central mechanic of a game is linked to the expected learning outcomes of the module (Arnab et al., 2014).

Participatory design meets gender equality at European higher education institutions

ABSTRACT Gender equality is among the sustainable development goals expected of higher education institutions (HEIs). This paper will explore the potential and implications of participatory design (PD) in the context of gender equality work in HEIs. We study the topic within a multinational, multidisciplinary consortium, which is working for gender equality in HEIs, using PD as a tool and inspiration. We identify a variety of local conditions shaping PD and gender equality work, divergent discourses on gender equality work, and several sources of friction regarding PD and gender equality work. We conceptualise PD for gender equality work as being highly contested and emergent, with multiple forces shaping its trajectory. PD needs to be sensitive towards local circumstances at the national and organisational level, both politically and ideologically. It needs to navigate within national and international politics and policies and consider different timescales beyond specific projects. It also needs to acknowledge that PD for gender equality entails design, discourse, and friction.

Ensuring Academic Integrity and Trust in Online Learning Environments: A Longitudinal Study of an AI-Centered Proctoring System in Tertiary Educational Institutions

The credibility of online examinations in Higher Education is hardened by numerous factors and use-case scenarios. This paper reports on a longitudinal study, that spanned over eighteen months, in which various stakeholders from three European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) participated, aiming to identify core threat scenarios experienced during online examinations, and to, accordingly, propose threat models, data metrics and countermeasure features that HEI learning management systems can embrace to address the identified threat scenarios. We also report on a feasibility study of an open-source intelligent and continuous student identity management system, namely TRUSTID, which implements the identified data metrics and countermeasures. A user evaluation with HEI students (n = 133) revealed that the TRUSTID system is resilient and effective against impersonation attacks, based on intelligent face and voice identification mechanisms, and scored well in usability and user experience. Aspects concerning the preservation of privacy in storing, retrieving and processing sensitive personal data are also discussed.