Local Issues Research Articles

An integrated approach of support vector machine (SVM) and weight of evidence (WOE) techniques to map groundwater potential and assess water quality

This study addresses the critical need for effective groundwater (GW) management in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, amidst challenges posed by rapid urbanization and population growth. By integrating Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Weight of Evidence (WOE) techniques, this study aimed to delineate GW potential zones and assess water quality. This study fills the gap in applying advanced machine learning and geostatistical methods for accurate GW potential mapping. Eight thematic layers based on topography, hydrology, geology, and ecology were utilized to compute the GW potential model. Additionally, water quality analysis was performed on collected samples. The findings indicate that flat and gently sloping terrains, areas with an elevation range of 611 –687 m, and concave slope geometries are associated with higher GW potential. Additionally, proximity to drainage and high-density lineament zones contribute to increased GW potential. The results showed that 31.1% of the area had excellent GW potential according to the WOE model, whereas the SVM model indicated that only 20.3% fell in the excellent potential zone. Results showed that both models performed well in the delineating GW potential zones. Nevertheless, the application of the SVM method is highly recommended which will be benefited in GW resources management related to urban planning. The study also evaluates the spatial distribution of GW quality, with a focus on physical and chemical parameters, including electrical conductivity, pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, chloride, nitrate, and sulphate. Bacterial contamination assessment reveals that 76% of spring water samples (30 out of 39 samples) are contaminated with E.coli, raising public health concerns. Based on the chemical analysis of GW samples the study identified exceedances of WHO guidelines for calcium in two samples, magnesium in seven samples, sulphate in ten samples, and nitrate levels were below the WHO guideline across all samples. These results highlight localized chemical contamination issues that require targeted remediation efforts to safeguard water quality for public health.

The Role of Ngos in Localizing UN-REDD+ In Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia

This study explores the role of national and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in localizing the UNREDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) norm in Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia. UN-REDD+ aims to mitigate climate change by promoting sustainable forest management in developing countries. Sulawesi Tengah was selected as a pilot province due to its extensive forest cover and relatively undisturbed deforestation activities. However, despite international support, the initiative encountered resistance from local communities, influenced by national and local NGOs. This research examines the complex interactions among international, national, and local NGOs by applying Acharya's norm localization theory. While international NGOs provided technical expertise, local NGOs significantly shaped the community perspective. These local NGOs raised concerns about the potential exploitation of forests and disruption to indigenous cultural values, fuelling opposition to the program. Consequently, the localization failed, and UN-REDD+ was discontinued in Sulawesi Tengah in 2012. The findings highlight the importance of considering local actors and their concerns in global environmental governance. Local NGOs, closely connected to communities, played a decisive role in rejecting the program, underscoring it, and addressing local values and governance issues.

Detection of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Using CNN with Dynamic Factor and Wandering Strategy-Based Feature Selection

Objectives: Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH) is a serious neurological emergency case with a higher mortality rate. An automatic SAH detection is needed to expedite and improve identification, aiding timely and efficient treatment pathways. The existence of noisy and dissimilar anatomical structures in NCCT images, limited availability of labeled SAH data, and ineffective training causes the issues of irrelevant features, overfitting, and vanishing gradient issues that make SAH detection a challenging task. Methods: In this work, the water waves dynamic factor and wandering strategy-based Sand Cat Swarm Optimization, namely DWSCSO, are proposed to ensure optimum feature selection while a Parametric Rectified Linear Unit with a Stacked Convolutional Neural Network, referred to as PRSCNN, is developed for classifying grades of SAH. The DWSCSO and PRSCNN surpass current practices in SAH detection by improving feature selection and classification accuracy. DWSCSO is proposed to ensure optimum feature selection, avoiding local optima issues with higher exploration capacity and avoiding the issue of overfitting in classification. Firstly, in this work, a modified region-growing method was employed on the patient Non-Contrast Computed Tomography (NCCT) images to segment the regions affected by SAH. From the segmented regions, the wide range of patterns and irregularities, fine-grained textures and details, and complex and abstract features were extracted from pre-trained models like GoogleNet, Visual Geometry Group (VGG)-16, and ResNet50. Next, the PRSCNN was developed for classifying grades of SAH which helped to avoid the vanishing gradient issue. Results: The DWSCSO-PRSCNN obtained a maximum accuracy of 99.48%, which is significant compared with other models. The DWSCSO-PRSCNN provides an improved accuracy of 99.62% in CT dataset compared with the DL-ICH and GoogLeNet + (GLCM and LBP), ResNet-50 + (GLCM and LBP), and AlexNet + (GLCM and LBP), which confirms that DWSCSO-PRSCNN effectively reduces false positives and false negatives. Conclusions: the complexity of DWSCSO-PRSCNN was acceptable in this research, for while simpler approaches appeared preferable, they failed to address problems like overfitting and vanishing gradients. Accordingly, the DWSCSO for optimized feature selection and PRSCNN for robust classification were essential for handling these challenges and enhancing the detection in different clinical settings.

Research on Resistance Monitoring, Risk Assessment, and Mechanisms of <i>Megalurothrips usitatus</i>

<i>Megalurothrips usitatus</i>, also known as common thrips or cowpea thrips, is a widely distributed and highly destructive pest, primarily infesting legume crops. Due to its short generation cycle, high reproductive capacity, and concealed lifestyle, the effectiveness of chemical pesticide control has been continuously diminishing with the modernization of agricultural production and the extensive use of pesticides. <i>Megalurothrips usitatus</i> has gradually developed resistance to various commonly used pesticides, with resistance levels increasing year by year, thus exacerbating the difficulty of pest management and causing significant economic losses to agricultural production. Scholars, both domestically and internationally, have conducted in-depth research using methods from morphology, molecular biology, and ecology, showing that there are three main causes of pest resistance: enhanced detoxification enzymes, reduced sensitivity at target sites, and decreased cuticle penetration. These findings provide a wealth of theoretical support for resistance monitoring and management. The resistance of <i>Megalurothrips usitatus</i> to multiple pesticides is not only a local issue but also affects global agricultural sustainability. Research on the monitoring, risk assessment, and mechanisms of resistance in <i>Megalurothrips usitatus</i> contributes to prolonging the effective use of pesticides, improving control outcomes, and enhancing both the yield and quality of cowpea crops. These studies also provide a scientific basis for developing more effective control strategies and ensuring sustainable agricultural development.

Are local policy attitudes distinct?

Abstract Scholars disagree as to whether Americans’ attitudes toward local issues are structured ideologically and whether these are related to national policy ideology. We use two surveys of American adults to assess whether and to what extent Americans' local policy attitudes exhibit a similar structure as do national policy attitudes. We find that items asking about local policy are just as likely to reflect a latent dimension of policy preferences as those asking about national policy. Additionally, when local and national items are scaled separately, those scales are highly correlated. Our findings indicate that attitudes toward many local issues are aligned with national ideology. A smaller subset of attitudes about local issues appears distinctively local and possibly structured by non-ideological cleavages.

Multi-Search Strategy-based Improved Water Flow Optimizer Algorithm for Cluster Analysis

Clustering is a popular technique that has proven its capability in diverse fields like data analytics, business intelligence, social mining, image recognition, document clustering and bioinformatics. This technique determines the valuable information from a pre-defined set of data and groups similar information into the same cluster. In literature, many algorithms have been presented based on several clustering approaches. It is observed that partitional clustering algorithms are widely popular due to there simplicity and easy implementation such as k-means, k-medoids, and k-harmonic means. However, traditional algorithms suffer from several limitations like being trapped in local optima and depending on the initial solution quality. Heuristic algorithms are also proposed to alleviate the problems of traditional clustering algorithms. But, sometimes, these algorithms also get stuck in local minima and exhibit a lack of balance between search mechanisms. Hence, this work presents an improved water flow optimizer (IWFO) algorithm for cluster analysis that can address the issues of traditional and heuristic algorithms. In the proposed IWFO algorithm, the initial solution is generated based on the logistic chaotic map instead of random initialization, and in turn, an optimal quality solution is generated. The search mechanism of the WFO algorithm is enhanced based on an improved search mechanism which is the combination of non-linear functions and the previous best solution. Further, the local optima issue is alleviated using a multi-start search mechanism. The efficacy of the proposed IWFO algorithm is evaluated using twelve benchmark clustering datasets and results are compared with seventeen clustering algorithms. The simulation results are assessed using intra-cluster distance (intra), standard deviation (SD), rank, accuracy rate (AR) and detection rate (DR) parameters. Further, a statistical test is also conducted to validate the efficacy of the proposed IWFO algorithm. The results showed that proposed IWFO algorithms obtain superior quality results on most of the datasets.

“Politics Are Quite Beneath the Concern of the Average Billjim”: Politics and the First World War Anzacs, 1914–1918

The politics of Australia during First World War have been analysed in depth by many scholars, but little attention has been paid to the politics of the soldiers of the First Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Though often assumed to have been not interested in politics, this article demonstrates that they engaged in politics at multiple levels. They were concerned about decision making and power relationships within the AIF, in international circles and within the British empire. They were also active on a range of domestic political issues, particularly around volunteering and conscription, but also with other federal, state, and local issues. They engaged in the politics of shaping the “digger” legacy. Pre‐war ideologies, particularly on class issues and religion, were influential in shaping soldier political engagement and responses. Far from being political innocents, the Anzacs showed themselves to be interested and active in a range of political arenas.

Building Collaborative Governance in the Extractive Sector

The extractive sector faces wicked problems — so-called because they are complex, ambiguous, dynamic and evolving. They usually lack one root cause and their solutions often create unintended consequences. However, collaborative governance offers a way to address the sector’s complex challenges. By studying examples of collaboration in other areas — environmental conservation, health care, education, urban planning and disaster response — the extractive sector can adopt best practices for its own purposes. Rather than a top-down, siloed approach, collaborative governance involves working with a variety of stakeholders, such as local communities, government, industry and civil society groups. Collaborative governance is a pragmatic and effective approach to problem-solving and fosters transparency, inclusivity and adaptability by integrating a range of perspectives and expertise, culminating in effective and equitable policy-making. Environmental impacts, social conflicts and a broad range of stakeholder interests are just a few of the challenges the extractive sector faces, making traditional top-down decision-making inadequate. The sector could incorporate collaborative governance in decision-making processes by adopting principles from Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory. These principles include adaptability, use of local knowledge and decentralization to aid in balancing hard and fast regulations with on-the-ground realities, including playing a valuable role in conflict prevention. Among the problems the sector faces are economic dependence on finite, depleting resources, evolving technology, social conflict, a shifting regulatory environment, uncertain global markets and the imperative to respect cultural and Indigenous rights. Thus, a key part of collaborative governance would be training local community leaders to advocate for their interests and to manage their resources responsibly. Many other sectors offer valuable lessons in collaborative governance. For example, inclusive and shared decision-making in health care has produced better, more effective and tailored patient outcomes. Urban planning’s focus on sustainability can guide the extractive sector in managing environmental impacts and promoting community resilience. Stakeholders in conservation and natural resource management, including government, organizations and Indigenous communities, already collaborate to establish protected areas, engage in wildlife management and work on sustainable land use. Collaboration in education encompasses school boards, parent councils and other stakeholders. Disaster management and emergency response also have much to teach about collaborative governance. With NGOs, government, first responders and communities co-ordinating disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts, disaster management has become much more effective. International development is another field that successfully uses collaborative governance. Collaboration between governments, NGOs, donors and communities helps address poverty, infrastructure development and local social issues, with a focus on local ownership, capacity building and sustainable development. The need for more collaborative approaches in the extractive sector is increasingly evident. New global standards demand collaboration, consultation and even consent from local communities, especially where Indigenous peoples are involved. Impact assessments, community consultations and benefit-sharing agreements are now the norm. Collaborative governance is expanding in the extractive sector; thus it is essential to critically assess current practices, learning from collaboration in other sectors in order to adapt key methods to specific contexts in the extractive sector. A blueprint for future collaboration requires thoughtful reflection on what has worked, what has not and why.

Analysis of patterns and trends in competition manipulation in sport global data: 2018–2023

ABSTRACT Competition manipulation in sports has evolved from a localized issue to a global concern. Advances in technology and the growth of sports betting markets have attracted criminal networks that manipulate sporting events for financial gain. The aim of this study was to examine patterns and trends in competition manipulation in sport from a global dataset over a 6-year period. Manipulation of sports competition investigations and sanctions were assessed across world regions and sports. The Macolin Convention typology was also employed to categorize manipulation types and instigators. Results showed an increase in investigations and sanctions year-on-year, with Europe consistently having the highest numbers annually. The majority of investigations and sanctions were consistent across the sports of football, cricket, and tennis, and also an emerging trend in sanctions in esports. Investigation types have mostly been due to direct interference of a sports competition or use of external means. The instigator of manipulation trends shifted from opportunistic types to the exploitation of power or influence. The patterns and trends reported can help inform the work of sport management professionals.

Exploring Local Environmental Issues to Engage Students in Real-World STEM Problem Solving and Discovery

Exploring Local Environmental Issues to Engage Students in Real-World STEM Problem Solving and Discovery

Community Engagement in Local Governance

Community engagement in local governance is crucial for effective and inclusive decision-making. Lack of Awareness and Information has been found that limited knowledge can have its community members may not fully understand the governance processes or their rights and responsibilities. Information gaps have been found that the insufficient information about local issues and decision-making processes can hinder meaningful participation. Low Participation Rates have been found that apathy and disinterest is that some community members may be disengaged due to a lack of trust in the system or a perception that their participation will not make a difference. Barriers to access has been found that the physical, economic, or social barriers may prevent certain groups from participating, such as the elderly, disabled, or economically disadvantaged. During the initial phase (2008-2013) of the Local Governance and Community Development Program (LGCDP) in Nepal, social mobilization emerged as one of its most effective components. Approximately 1 million citizens actively influenced local government decisions, leading many local bodies to develop annual plans that more accurately addressed the needs of citizens, particularly marginalized and disadvantaged groups. However, there remain several lessons to be learned in addressing the challenges of implementation. It is crucial to harmonize local social mobilization efforts and enhance the quality and support of social mobilization initiatives across Nepal. Addressing the challenges of community engagement in local governance involves a multifaceted approach that includes enhancing communication, building capacity, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring accountability. Public education campaigns have been found to Conduct outreach programs to educate community members about their rights, governance processes, and how they can participate. Workshops and training have been identified to offer workshops and training sessions to increase understanding of local governance and decision-making procedures. Diverse engagement channels have to utilize multiple platforms for engagement, including town hall meetings, online forums, surveys, and community events, to reach a broader audience. Inclusive scheduling has to schedule meetings and events at times that are convenient for different community groups, including evenings and weekends.

TOP2DFVT: An Efficient Matlab Implementation for Topology Optimization based on the Finite-Volume Theory.

The finite-volume theory has shown to be numerically efficient and stable for topology optimization of continuum elastic structures. The significant features of this numerical technique are the local satisfaction of equilibrium equations and the employment of compatibility conditions along edges in a surface-averaged sense. These are essential properties to adequately mitigate some numerical instabilities in the gradient version of topology optimization algorithms, such as checkerboard, mesh dependence, and local minima issues. Several computational tools have been proposed for topology optimization employing analysis domains discretized with essential features for finite-element approaches. However, this is the first contribution to offer a platform to generate optimized topologies by employing a Matlab code based on the finite-volume theory for compliance minimization problems. The Top2DFVT provides a platform to perform 2D topology optimization of structures in Matlab, from domain initialization for structured meshes to data post-processing. This contribution represents a significant advancement over earlier publications on topology optimization based on the finite-volume theory, which needed more efficient computational tools. Moreover, the Top2DFVT algorithm incorporates SIMP and RAMP material interpolation schemes alongside sensitivity and density filtering techniques, culminating in a notably enhanced optimization tool. The application of this algorithm to various illustrative cases confirms its efficacy and underscores its potential for advancing the field of structural optimization.

The Artists’ Association branches of Revolutionary Russia: experience of interaction with regions

Importance. The activities of the Artists’ Association branches of Revolutionary Russia (1922–1932) are considered. During this period, the organization had a significant and sometimes decisive place in the artistic life of the country. The subject of the study relates to the culture of the country as a whole and touches on local history issues. The purpose of the work is to assess the influence of the central organization on the local branches development and analyze their importance in the Association work.Materials and Methods. The research is based on materials from the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, the State Archive of the Yaroslavl Region and published memoirs of participants in the events. In the course of the work, the biographical method is used, as well as historical-genetic and historical-comparative methods traditional for historical science.Results and Discussion. It is noted that the Association participants paid great attention to the creation of representative offices at the local level. The presence of artistic traditions in a particular region played an important role in the development of local branches of the AARR. At the same time, established traditions are not the determining factor. The presence of a bright creative personality in it, who set a certain pace of work, could be of significant importance in the development of a particular branch.Conclusion. It is revealed that some of the regional branches ceased their activities even before the liquidation of the AARR. Despite this, the work of branches of the Artists’ Association of Revolutionary Russia contributed to the accessibility of art for the local population, attracting regional residents to artistic life and preserving cultural monuments. Museums and creative studios are created, and active exhibitions and lectures are carried out.

Struggling with studying and earning – realities of the UK's cost-of-living crisis on students on social work programmes

ABSTRACT The UK has been experiencing an extended cost-of-living crisis since 2021 and students attending universities have struggled with the impacts of rising prices. This article reports on findings from a study to explore local recruitment and retention issues in adult social care from the perspective of different populations of interest in the South of England. A mixed methods approach was undertaken. One group of participants were students enrolled in social work undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. They completed an online questionnaire (n = 20), with a subsample (n = 11) being interviewed. Comments relating to the wide-ranging effects of cost-of-living issues discussed by the participants were themed together and are described. The findings offer suggestions to evaluate student support mechanisms and reduce the potential impacts of ongoing financial difficulties caused by the need to juggle course, placement and financial demands across this and other applicable undergraduate sectors and their programmes. They also reflect risks to future workforce recruitment alongside the potential of ‘earn and learn’ programmes, such as apprenticeship routes – which may offer a viable alternative to qualification for those at particular risk of financial hardship whilst studying.

Retrofitting sustainable drainage systems in UK schools: assessing the impacts and challenges

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) mimic natural processes to manage stormwater runoff close to its source, encouraging infiltration, attenuation and passive treatment. SuDS can be used to mitigate flooding and provide increased climate resilience while simultaneously delivering amenity, biodiversity and economic benefits to local communities. Retrofitting SuDS is a complex process requiring a detailed understanding of localised and catchment-wide drainage issues, and necessitates extensive buy-in from multiple stakeholders. Mutual understanding and recognition of the benefits of SuDS retrofit opportunities is critical to their implementation and success. This paper appraises the key benefits and challenges of SuDS retrofit within schools. A qualitative and quantitative assessment using case studies from over 50 completed SuDS retrofit projects within schools across the UK, for a variety of clients, was conducted. Through implementation of these solutions, hydraulic models have demonstrated a reduction in peak flow rates of up to 87%, providing flood alleviation to the schools’ wider catchments and demonstration that SuDS can be used to provide reductions to combined sewer overflow spills. Barriers to implementation may be minimised by ensuring a client’s aims are fully understood and achievable, combined with a focus on stakeholder engagement throughout the decision-making process.

(Re)presenting nature: contrasting field and media communication of environmental experts in a Hungarian context

The present study interviewed 16 epistemic workers involved in creating and disseminating environmental knowledge and explored how experts communicate and present environmental issues in the field and news media in Hungary. Results show that both forums of communication face (re)presentational problems when communicating and presenting biodiversity, air pollution, and water pollution. Although climate change has become easily visualizable, it is overutilized in media. Conversely, presenting climate change in the field is challenging. This paper underscores the need for effective communication that mediates local issues affecting everyday life and reports the facts irrespective of whether they evoke positive or negative emotions. Such an approach will bring nature close to people and empower local communities within the context of increasing anti-environmentalism in Hungary.

AI-FEED: Prototyping an AI-Powered Platform for the Food Charity Ecosystem

This paper presents the development and functionalities of the AI-FEED web-based platform (ai-feed.ai), designed to address food and nutrition insecurity challenges within the food charity ecosystem. AI-FEED leverages advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology to facilitate improved access to nutritious food and efficient resource allocation, aiming to reduce food waste and bolster community health. The initial phase involved comprehensive interviews with various stakeholders to gather insights into the ecosystem’s unique challenges and requirements. This informed the design of four distinct modules in the AI-FEED platform, each targeting the needs of one of four stakeholder groups (food charities, donors, clients, and community leaders). Prototyping and iterative feedback processes were integral to refining these modules. The food charity module assists charities in generating educational content and predicting client needs through AI-driven tools. Based on blockchain technology, the food donor module streamlines donation processes, enhances donor engagement, and provides donor recognition. The client module provides real-time information on food charity services and offers a centralized repository for nutritional information. The platform includes a comprehensive mapping and proposal system for community leaders to strategically address local food insecurity issues. AI-FEED’s integrated platform approach allows data sharing across modules, enhancing overall functionality and impact. The paper also discusses ethical considerations, potential biases in AI systems, and the transformation of AI-FEED from a research project to a sustainable entity. The AI-FEED platform exemplifies the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation in addressing societal challenges, particularly in improving food security and community health.

Every country needs a national STEM teacher corps

Every country needs a national STEM teacher corps The US National Science Foundation has initiated the National STEM Teacher Corps program to support STEM teachers. Nancy Butler Songer, Associate Provost of STEM Education, discusses her efforts to assist primary school teachers in guiding young children to create solutions for local environmental issues. In many countries, we are challenged by a shortage of well-trained and well-supported teachers. In a 2021 study, more than half (54%) of American teachers surveyed reported their likelihood of leaving the teaching field was somewhat likely or very likely. While American policy documents such as the Framework for K-12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) propose that students learn science and engineering through investigations and design, many classroom teachers lack professional development, time, supportive environments, and resources to champion students’ problem-solving, leading to solutions to local environmental problems.

Integration and Promotion: Integrating Sustainability Research into Computer Science Teaching through Serious Games Assignments

“Serious Games” is a final-year 20 credit point module, undertaken as the default optional module for students on Undergraduate courses entitled BSc Computing and BSc Computer Science (Games Technology) at Nottingham Trent University, UK. The module focuses on developing students’ critical evaluation skills, enhancing their ability to design and implement solutions for a real-world design brief, working with clients and making final products accessible to a broad target audience. Historically this was achieved through engagement with a single client, often via a wider research project or local educational establishment of some sort. More recently, the module has retained two client project briefs, which the students are then empowered to choose between. With each client brief the module team has sought to add extra value for the students. For the previous two academic years, the module team has partnered with Green Academy, a strategic team within the University whose priorities include stimulating pedagogical innovation and practice sharing within the area of sustainability and pioneering a shared understanding of sustainability education. The resulting partnership has introduced a brief for students which combines vital industry skills with sustainability literacy. Working with and alongside the students who are undertaking the module, the module has developed Serious Games on a diverse range of local and global sustainability issues and has exposed students to university research culture and our sustainability research specialisms. It has also necessitated that students engage with and contextualise the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the UNESCO ESD competencies which they are tasked with integrating into their design solutions. The long-term intent of this partnership is for these design decisions to be utilised in the Green Academy’s ongoing strategy to further enhance the University’s pedagogical framework and sustainability education offer, and to improve the provision of Serious Games for use by clients outside the University. This report is a synoptic overview of the module design and insights from the two-year partnership as well as how these observations have been leveraged to improve the design and delivery of the module for future clients and students.

Hungarian EFL Students' Perspectives on Global Competence Development in a Thematic Language Course

In today’s increasingly complex world, education must equip students to become engaged, globally competent citizens, who can solve both local and global issues and are ready to face the challenges of the 21st century. The goal of global competence is to address these demands by strengthening the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes: a globally competent student can examine issues of global significance, understand other people’s perspectives, engage in appropriate and effective interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds, and act for collective well-being and sustainable development. In this framework, this case study aims to explore how a thematic language development seminar focussing on global content can contribute to developing second-year EFL students’ global competence and its perceived effectiveness. One group of students (N=18) from a prestigious Hungarian university was involved in the study, instructed by the first author. Data was collected over the course of the Spring 2023 semester from multiple data sources: student reflections after each thematic lesson, a beginning-of-the-term feedback sheet, an end-of-the-term feedback sheet, weekly student reflections, observation notes (by the second author) and reflective journals (by the first author). The findings emerging from this qualitative inquiry suggest that the students were satisfied with the course overall and could effectively gauge which global and language skills they developed during the course. These findings imply that designing courses with dual aims is both feasible and worthwhile, and with the help of regular reflection exercises, the students can be made aware of the development of their skills, leading to increased global awareness and satisfaction with the course.