Inter-institutional Collaboration Research Articles

127 Advance RI-K Scholar Career Development Program: A one-year intensive program for developing early career faculty in an IDeA state

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: We developed a state-wide program to support early career faculty in preparing mentored career development awards, and connect them to resources, mentorship, and career development opportunities. We aimed to build self-efficacy along multiple axes, including research design and grantsmanship, and to facilitate networking with mentors and peers. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The program recruited four cohorts of faculty over the course of four years, for a total of 32 faculty participants (63% physician scientists). Participants were selected by a Steering Committee, and represented a variety of specialties from 19 departments across Brown University, University of Rhode Island, and affiliated hospitals. Participation required an institutional commitment of 20% minimum protected time to engage in research and a year-long curriculum that included biweekly didactic sessions, project development support, individual consultations, feedback on drafts, and internal study section review. Participants completed pre-, interim-, and final-assessments, which collected measures of self-efficacy, professional development needs, program satisfaction, and formative feedback. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Over the first 3 years, 21 participants completed the program, 43% have received NIH or VA K/CDA awards so far, and 48% received other federal or non-federal awards. Over 25 faculty from across institutions participated in leadership and didactics, with even greater participation on mentorship teams, panels, and grant review. All cohorts showed improvements in measures of self-efficacy in grantsmanship and research and reported high satisfaction with program activities. Participants found individualized proposal feedback and internal study sections to be most valuable, and frequently cited the value of peer-learning opportunities. Challenges for scholars include mentorship challenges, competing priorities/protected time, and various external factors that impacted individual research progress. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The program has successfully supported cohorts of junior clinical and translational faculty from across the state in launching their independent research careers. The program may serve as a model for IDeA state inter-institutional collaboration in developing diverse faculty cohorts in the early stages of preparing their career development award.

‘A sense of the systemic’: the Bank of England and the language of inclusive capitalism

Successive crises – social, environmental and political – have led some in global governance circles to advocate a more ‘inclusive capitalism’. In this article, I show how this postcrisis language of inclusive capitalism was used by a specific subset of officials within the Bank of England: Those with high levels of experience in public sector and international official institutions. It is argued that these officials are ‘organic intellectuals’ who mobilise their experience of inter-institutional collaboration as a deliberative model for solving long-term social problems. The institutional experience of these officials and their concern with crises of trust in expertise facilitated the adoption of these models of communicative intervention. I draw on a novel dataset of Bank officials’ career data and speeches, as well as twelve interviews with current and former Bank staff, to show who used this language, in what settings and what motivated its adoption. The article makes a novel contribution to debates about the motivations of key figures in central banks, suggesting that their actions go beyond reputation defence to encompass an expansive worldview of how capitalism might solve its myriad crises.

The use of technology in case management in international investment arbitration: a realistic approach

Abstract Investment arbitration, with its unique demands for transparency due to the public interest, is an especially promising arena for AI technologies. This transparency push and the judicialization of processes make investment arbitration increasingly amenable to technological innovations. However, the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in streamlining international investment arbitration case management remains largely untapped. The key to unlocking this potential lies in digitalization of data and procedures, and inter-institutional collaboration to share data. The literature regarding the use of technology in international arbitration mainly focuses on AI and its potential use in international arbitration in the future. While much of this literature speculates about the future, a holistic understanding of the present state of technology in international investment arbitration is crucial. This article spotlights the advancements achievable in case management in international investment arbitration using today’s available technologies. The current state of AI technology is primed for handling straightforward procedural tasks. Yet, these modest tasks occupy significant bandwidth in the agendas of arbitral institutions and tribunals. Once comprehensive digitalization is achieved, and AI technologies are integrated into international investment arbitration case management adeptly, that will be a significant step towards more expeditious and cost-effective arbitration procedures.

Powder metallurgy processing of high entropy alloys: Bibliometric analysis and systematic review

Abstract Research attention in powder metallurgy (PM) processing of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) is rising. Some reviews have been published but a detailed historical analysis to identify the thematic research areas and prospective future research areas is lacking. Therefore, this study presents a bibliometric literature analysis of PM-processed HEAs by mapping and clustering 700 articles published between 2007 and August 2022 in the Scopus database. The most prolific authors, their collaborators, institutions, and most preferred journals publishing PM-HEA works are identified and mapped. Publication trend shows that significant research attention in the PM processing of HEAs began to gain traction in 2016. The top three journals in this field are Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Materials Science and Engineering A, and Intermetallics. However, co-authorship network analysis does not reveal significant inter-institutional research collaboration indicating that strengthening this area could help to accelerate scientific discovery, enhance technology transfer, and commercialization of HEA products. Based on the co-occurrence frequencies of author keywords, popular research directions are identified, and a systematic review of emerging functional applications is undertaken. This work provides a comprehensive visual reference guide for researchers to deepen their knowledge of this field and delivers insight into prospective future research opportunities to stimulate further ground-breaking works.

African women and young people as agriculture service providers—business models, benefits, gaps and opportunities

We use a combination of a global desk review of the literature with information from an on-going action research in Kenya to provide insights into the main characteristics, benefits and shortfalls of business models for engaging women and young people in agricultural service provision in Africa. The findings demonstrate that the engagement of African women and young people in agricultural service provision is not a panacea to the challenges they face. However various business models have been successful in contributing to economic empowerment, to increasing entrepreneurial activities and to upskilling of women and young people engaged as service providers. Business models that are successful are place-based and people-focused, market-driven and focused on value chains. Challenges however abound due to various factors, hence for sustainability there is need for multi-sectoral inter-institutional collaboration that pulls in funding and which makes a case for private sector buy-in. Future research should focus on increasing the evidence base to understand if successes with inclusion of women and young people in agricultural service provision has an influence on emerging agricultural policy. Research should also rigorously assess the extent to which successful agricultural service provision business models are engendered, provide sufficient levels of renumeration and the extent to which they impact farmer outcomes.

Natural hazard risk analysis in the framework of water safety plans.

The available literature on natural hazard risk analysis focused on the implementation of water safety plans (WSPs) is surprisingly quite poor, despite the significant increase in the number and severity of disasters and adverse effects on drinking water supply systems generated by natural hazards. At the same time, WSPs that conveniently account for natural hazards with a comprehensive approach 'from source to tap' are still scarce as they typically occur at larger spatial scales and adequate prevention, mitigation and adaptation require efficient inter-institutional collaborations. The aim of this paper is to highlight the main bottlenecks for water utilities to include natural hazards in the development of their WSPs. The research adopted a stakeholders-oriented approach, involving a considerable number of water utilities (168), water sectoral agencies (15) and institutions (68) across the Adriatic-Ionian Region through a stepwise process that generated joint SWOT analysis, the development of a decision support system (DSS) focused on WSPs procedures and tabletop exercises. The final outcomes generated strategic documents (REWAS - Adrion Road map for resilient water supply) that highlighted the necessity for efficient cross-sectoral and inter-institutional cooperation in the development of well-founded and robust WSPs to address natural hazard risk analysis for water supply systems (DWSS).

Tantangan dan Peluang Pendidikan Bahasa Arab: Perspektif Global

Abstract: This research presents an in-depth analysis of challenges and opportunities in Arabic language education, with a focus on a global perspective. Arabic plays a crucial role on the international stage, serving not only as a religious language but also as a language of culture, science, and administration. However, Arabic language education in various countries faces several challenges that can impact the quality of learning and student comprehension. This literature review investigates some key challenges in Arabic language education, including non-aligned curricula, insufficient learning resources, and issues in developing Arabic language skills. Meanwhile, the research also highlights opportunities that can be utilized to enhance Arabic language education, such as the use of innovative educational technology, inter-institutional collaboration, and the promotion of cultural exchange programs. By analyzing various concepts and findings in related literature, this research provides profound insights into the global conditions of Arabic language education. By understanding the challenges faced and leveraging existing opportunities, effective strategies can be formulated to improve the quality of Arabic language education worldwide. This research is expected to contribute to the development of more holistic and sustainable Arabic language education policies, as well as motivate practical steps to enhance the teaching and learning of Arabic globally.

Cancer Research Challenges and Potential Solutions in Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Discussion Group Study.

Cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia has recently shown an upward trend. Research efforts within the different cancer continuum are pivotal to strengthening control measures. Since cancer research is evolving in the country, it is crucial to understand the current challenges and implement defined interventions to overcome them. The present qualitative study aimed to assess cancer research barriers among researchers and identify potential solutions from their perspectives. We conducted a focus group discussion among 17 Saudi-based cancer researchers from diverse research backgrounds, provinces, and institutions. We used descriptive-interpretive thematic analysis following an open-ended approach to investigate the challenges in conducting cancer research. We also captured the solutions suggested based on the researchers' experiences. Six major themes emerged from the analysis: requirements of the data landscape, organizational support, national research roadmap, sustainable funding, clearer policies and regulations, and capacity building. To address challenges in these areas, researchers stressed the need for improved interinstitutional collaborations, immediate availability of research materials, and unlimited and easy access to research data. Improving health research is one of the primary goals of Saudi Vision 2030. It is, therefore, essential to overcome the current challenges in cancer research, enabling research findings to inform policies related to cancer control and care provision.

The Chicagoland Free Clinics Consortium: A Model for Student-Run Free Clinic Collaboration.

While student-run free clinics (SRFCs) play an important role in care for underserved populations, few mechanisms exist to promote collaboration among regional SRFCs. To address this gap, the Chicagoland Free Clinics Consortium (CFCC) was formed to (1) facilitate collaboration between Chicagoland SRFCs, (2) provide innovation grant funding, and (3) host an annual conference. In 2018, students from the Pritzker School of Medicine founded the CFCC and partnered with peers from area schools to implement programming. Between 2018 and 2022, CFCC engaged 23 SRFCs representing all 6 Chicagoland schools, held 4 annual conferences, and distributed $15,423 in grants to 19 projects at 14 SRFC sites. A total of 176 students from 5 schools attended the 4 conferences. In 2022, 82 unique participants were surveyed, and 66% (54/82) responded. Eighty percent (43/54) reported they were "more likely to collaborate with other Chicagoland free clinics." In 2022, all grant sites were surveyed and 84% (16/19) responded. Most (87%,14/16) agreed the grant "allowed them to implement a project that would not have otherwise been accomplished" and 21% (4/19) were inter-institutional collaborations. To our knowledge, CFCC is the first student-led organization to promote sustained collaboration across SRFCs in a metropolitan area.

Knowledge Mapping for Fire Risk Assessment: A Scientometric Analysis Based on VOSviewer and CiteSpace

Fire risk assessment is a crucial step in effective fire control, playing an important role in reducing fire losses. It has remained a significant topic in the field of fire safety. To explore the research hotspots and frontier trends in fire risk assessment and to understand its macroscopic development trajectory, a sample of 1596 papers from 1976 to 2023, extracted from the Web of Science (WoS) database, was utilized to create a knowledge map. The study employed bibliometric methods, visual analysis, and content analysis to uncover the research pulse and hotspots in the field, offering insights into its future development. The findings indicate that research in fire risk assessment has demonstrated continuous growth over the past 50 years. China and the United States are the dominant research forces in the field, while India and Australia show potential as new drivers for development. Expert groups have formed in this field, with intra-institutional cooperation being the primary focus, while inter-institutional collaboration remains limited. The research outcomes exhibit multidisciplinary crossovers, exerting a significant impact on various disciplinary domains. The research hotspots primarily revolve around investigating fire and explosion accidents, assessing the vulnerability of fire subjects, and identifying potential fire hazards. The application of artificial intelligence technology is identified as a pivotal tool for future development. However, to achieve substantial progress, it is important to enhance the importance accorded to fire risk assessment, foster multinational and cross-institutional cooperation, and prioritize research innovation.

A call for collaboration among food systems programs in higher education to train the future workforce

A well-trained food systems workforce is in high demand, and food systems education programs are proliferating in higher education. However, these programs often struggle to embody the full interdisciplinary scope of the field of food systems, in part due to the limitations of traditional academic structures. Here, we present an inventory of existing U.S. food systems educational programs which showcases the breadth of their geographic distribution and disciplinary contexts. We pair this with a case study of two geographically proximal, highly complementary programs, one at a land grant university and one within a school of public health. While the individual programs face challenges in achieving full interdisciplinarity, their pairing showcases that striking opportunities exist to augment interdisciplinarity through inter-institutional collaboration. More models of successful inter-institutional collaborative food systems education are needed. Growth in this area would be aided by external funding for proof-of-concept models, fostering learning networks across disciplinarily distinct programs, and fighting the mission creep of individual programs striving to “do it all” at the expense of quality, stability, or an appreciation for the value of diverse core strengths.

Scope and governance of terrestrial sand mining around Accra, Ghana

Sand is a crucial resource for the construction of urban infrastructure and constitutes an integral part of the built environment. In Ghana, terrestrial sand mining on farmlands is widespread in the rural and peri-urban communities adjoining the country's capital, Accra. Despite an estimated mining volume of 765 truckloads per day, corresponding to about 4.55 Mio m3 annually, the governance of sand has received little research attention. To fill this knowledge gap, this paper examines the scope and governance of terrestrial sand mining around Accra. Qualitative data were collected from 30 key informants, including landowners, officials of local government authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Minerals Commission (MINCOM), sand miners, truck drivers, and staff of real estate companies. Besides, three Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were held with Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs), complemented by a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the mining process and sand trucking. The results showed that sand mining in the study areas was governed by several regulatory agencies with limited inter-institutional collaboration. Illegal sand mining was widespread in the study areas due to bureaucratic licensing procedures, inadequate collaboration among the regulators, bribery of some regulatory officials by the miners, insufficient monitoring of miners, particularly at night, and landowners' preference for sand mining over farming as a result of prompt monetary gains. The revenues from sand mining accrued to the miners, landowners, and truck drivers who controlled capital or land, while the livelihoods of the majority of the local residents were negatively affected due to the environmental degradation. The findings call for a review of the existing licencing process and collaboration among the regulatory agencies to foster enforcement of the existing laws to ensure sustainable sand mining around Accra.

Reproducing Research Capacity Through Interinstitutional Collaboration Around Doctoral Courses

This editorial follows November's editorial with suggestions for how our field could engage in interinstitutional collaboration to offer coursework that can both scaffold novice researchers' acquisition of the knowledge our research field has produced and provide a foundation for furthering the reproduction and improvement of our field's research capacity.

THE INFLUENCE OF MENTORING AND INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS ON GOOD PRACTICE MODELS AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN SOCIAL WORK

The relationship with social institutions and the business environment is an essential component both in terms of the employability of graduates of the Social Work specialization and the adaptation of educational plans, of the contents taught to the existing changes in the economic and social environment by consulting employers and professional associations. Beyond the institutional, administrative, and legislative aspects regarding the training of professionals in the field of social assistance, the usefulness of mentors and models of good practice is considered. The practical research from the social assistance specialization of the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iași regarding the importance and usefulness of students' practice in their professional training, had as its objectives the identification of difficulties in training professional skills for obtaining skills, the collaboration between professionals and practicing students, the importance practices for social assistance specialization, identifying the perception of professionals towards practicing students as well as identifying the professional's image as a mentor and model for them. The questionnaire was used for the practice coordinators, and for the undergraduate students from the social assistance specialization, reports of the practical activity, structured thematically, were used. The conclusions of the research highlighted their perceptions on the role and training of social workers through practice activity as well as the practical implications and benefits of inter-institutional collaboration in professional training.

Forming the Character of a Physically Healthy Young Generation Through Military Education

This activity aims to develop the character of the young generation with good physical health through military education at Dodik Belanegara Rindam III Siliwangi, West Bandung. The methods applied include the preparation and implementation of the program, involving the entire academic community. The evaluation results show that the activity went smoothly, and the participants successfully achieved the set goals, showing improvements in physical health and character strengthening through discipline and teamwork. The discussion covers the program's success, involvement of all parties, and benefits felt by the participants. Limitations in logistics and the need for more in-depth evaluation are identified as areas for improvement. Meanwhile, suggestions for further development include the application of comprehensive evaluation methods, increased inter-institutional collaboration, and the development of a more contextual curriculum. Key findings from this study include the program's success in shaping the character and health of the younger generation, highlighting the importance of military education as a means of holistic character formation at the higher education level. These findings provide a basis for the development of similar programs in the future, with a focus on the necessary improvements to enhance their positive impact.

Assessing the performance of a participatory governance transformation in small-scale fisheries: A case study from Uruguay

The crisis in small-scale fisheries (SSFs) is worsened by weak governance structures, requiring urgent transformation. Participatory arrangements like co-management offer potential to enhance resilience in these social-ecological systems. However, the performance of collaborative governance modes must be evaluated to support institutional learning, refine governance structures, and ensure the legitimacy of transformative changes. In Uruguay, Local Fishery Councils (LFCs) were institutionalized a decade ago to involve fishers in managing and governing SSFs. This study assesses the LFC for the yellow clam SSF using three approaches: analysis of LFC meeting minutes, compilation of stakeholder perceptions, and analysis of social networks. The study found a decline in session frequency due to limited resources caused by the termination of an externally funded project. Performance indicators from the minutes identified recurring concerns on assessment, governance, and management, and issues related to monitoring, control, and surveillance. The influence of markets and the impact of red tides on fisheries performance were also brought up. Stakeholders perceived successful management solutions achieved through collaborative efforts, supporting co-management and resource recovery progress. However, social network analysis revealed communication patterns marked by core-periphery structure, showing partial disconnection and reluctance of the coastal marine authority to engage in inter-institutional collaboration. Despite challenges from climate change and markets, the LFC played a crucial role in co-creating solutions, empowering fishers with new skills and knowledge. Findings stress the importance of collaborative governance in promoting sustainable management and supporting institutional learning for transformative change in SSFs.

Ensuring the efficient cooperation of deconcentrated public services

The content of this article discusses the issue of specialized central public administration, which carries out its activity respecting the organizational principles, is discussed, one of them being the deconcentration of public ser-vices. Also, the activity of the specialized central public administration is also guided by functional principles, in the foreground being the one aimed at inter-institutional collaboration. The principle of deconcentration implies the recognition of a certain power of decision, in favor of state agents distributed throughout the country (deconcentra-ted public services). The assignment of general coordination of the activity of deconcentrated public services by the territorial Office of the State Chancellery is not limited to monitoring the activity of deconcentrated public services, but also contributes to and achieves collaboration with territorial subdivisions.

Outcomes of conservative treatment of acromial and scapular spine stress fracture post reverse shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Acromial and scapular spine stress fractures are common complications post reverse shoulder arthroplasty. A systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the clinical outcomes of conservatively treated acromial and scapular spine stress fractures post reverse shoulder arthroplasty in comparison to nonfracture control. Embase, MEDLINE, and Web of Science were searched on September 9, 2022, using various terms related to fracture, acromion, scapula, and reverse shoulder arthroplasty. Meta-analysis using a random effects model was performed on common outcome scores. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tools for case-controlled studies. Sensitivity analysis was performed for imputed standard deviations and studies with <20 participants. Thirteen studies with a total of 339 fracture and 3142 control patients were included in the systematic review. Meta-analysis was performed on 12 studies assessing active forward flexion, abduction, external rotation, Constant-Murley score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form, pain score, Simple Shoulder Test, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation.Fracture patients experienced significantly poorer functional outcome compared with control patients when the fractures were managed conservatively. Levy III fractures tend to experience worse outcomes. Pain score did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the fracture and nonfracture cohort. Currently, literature regarding surgical management is lacking, partially because of a dearth of high-quality literature but also hindered by a lack of standardized techniques. This review was limited by inclusion of studies of low evidence, small sample sizes, and inconsistency in outcome measurement and follow-up period. Overall, patients with acromial and scapular spine stress fractures treated conservatively are expected to have reduced shoulder function compared to nonfracture patients, with the spine of scapula fracture patients suffering the poorest outcomes. Future studies should aim to use the same sets of outcomes parameters to assess the patients at fixed time intervals and report outcomes stratified by Levy classification. This will enable interinstitutional collaboration and pooling of results.

GENESIS-Guidance, Education, Networking, and Empowerment-based Smart Initiative for Students research in health care: A research modeling experience from a newly established medical college

Abstract The importance of undergraduate medical research has been undermined in Indian medical education. Various studies show there is a drastic difference between the research output of Indian medical graduates in comparison to Western counterparts. With all the challenges identified, a student-oriented research committee was formed –Guidance, Education, Networking, and Empowerment-based Smart Initiative for Students (GENESIS) research in health care – A research modeling experience from a newly established medical college. The structure was established to serve the needs of students in the field of research. Problems were identified with the help of a survey, and steps were taken to address the issues through its 4-pronged strategy that includes conducting regular journal clubs. Journal clubs follow a peer-to-peer learning strategy and provide an open stage for discussion. Second, a research tracker which helps in increasing the sustainability of a research project. The third strategy includes a research live matchmaker which helps in bridging the gap between the students and the faculties. Lastly, involving alumni in the initiative will help students get guidance and acts as a gateway to opportunities at the national level. For maintaining the integrity and sustainability of the initiative, the involvement of students from all the batches is made sure. Inputs from faculties and administration are taken on a regular basis. Interinstitutional collaborations and regular assessment and evaluation are done to ensure positive outcomes. With its focus on peer-to-peer mentoring and attempt to eliminate the barriers for research enthusiasts, GENESIS has the potential to make a lasting impact in promoting research culture in colleges.

A regional gap analysis to inform the implementation of the Irish Healthy Campus Framework

Abstract Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) constitute prudent ecological contexts for ‘whole-setting’ health promotion (HP) encompassing institutional policies, built environments, sociocultural norms, transdisciplinary research, and capacity-building curricula. As potent life course conduits for both monitoring and addressing public-health priorities, evidence-based HP within HEIs synergistically aligns with cross-sectoral agendas, including the UN SDGs, Okanagan Charter for Health Promoting Universities, and the EU Global Health Strategy. In Ireland, the health-enhancing potential of the higher education sector has been recognised, and validated, via the design and implementation of the Irish Healthy Campus Framework (IHCF). Concurrently, however, there remains a dearth of empirical evidence to underpin the efficacy of ecological HP interventions in contemporary HEIs. As the first inter-institutional collaboration of its kind to inform the implementation of the IHCF within two HEIs in Ireland (N &amp;gt; 37,000 students, N &amp;gt; 4,700 staff), this mixed-methods (QUAN-QUAL) research aims to examine the health and lifestyle profiles of inherently diverse campus populations, in addition to exploring the qualitative perspectives of cross-campus HP stakeholders. Pertinent measures will include two comprehensive web-based health instruments, comprised of iteratively devised items, in addition to a series of validated scales. Qualitative analyses will be rooted in an empirical model, which will be utilised to map and evaluate the ecological reach of HP services and interventions, serving as a regional gap analysis. This novel research will identify thematic priorities amongst a heterogeneous target population comprised of students and staff across two distinct universities, spanning seven regional campuses in the southwest of Ireland. Given the magnitude of HEIs as settings for health, these data will be of interest to a multitude of public health practitioners, academics, and policy makers. Key messages • This research is the first inter-institutional collaboration of its kind to inform the implementation of the Healthy Campus Framework within two HEIs in Ireland (N &amp;gt; 37,000 students, N &amp;gt; 4,700 staff). • Emerging international frameworks recognise universities as potent, and highly-scalable, life course conduits through which to monitor and address public health priorities.