Long-standing Cooperation Research Articles

Shifting between Pragmatism and Ideology: Communist Czechoslovakia and Haile Selassie's Ethiopia during the Cold War, 1955–1974

Abstract Czechoslovakia was one of the most active members of the Soviet bloc in sub-Saharan Africa, with a policy oscillating between euphoric activism and pragmatism. Officials in Prague sought to establish good relations with many African countries, generally on a pragmatic economic basis, as in the case of Ethiopia. The Czechoslovak Communists gave high priority to Ethiopia because of the country's strategic position and its long-standing cooperation with Czechoslovakia. Although ideological factors played some role, economic pragmatism was the dominant feature of Czechoslovak policy in Africa in the 1950s and early 1960s. Not until the mid-1960s did the Soviet Union become the primary architect of the Soviet bloc's “Africa policy.” After the 1974 coup in Ethiopia, which saw the overthrow of the Haile Selassie regime, Czechoslovakia's relations with Ethiopia markedly improved for both ideological and pragmatic reasons.

Новий етап фахової співпраці українського і німецького університетів

The new steps of the longstanding cooperation between the Institute of Geodesy of Lviv Polytechnic and the Faculty of Landscape Architecture, Geomatics, and Geodesy of the University of Applied Sciences (Neubrandenburg, Germany) have been considered. In particular, the results of educational and scientific practice and the peculiarities of studying under the double degree program of Ukrainian students in Neubrandenburg in September 2023 are analyzed.

Uitbouw van vestibulaire revalidatie in een centrum voor ambulante revalidatie: behandelmethoden en resultaten bij patiënten met een unilaterale vestibulaire hypofunctie

Development of vestibular rehabilitation in an ambulatory care centre: treatment protocol and results in a group of 12 patients with a unilateral vestibular hypofunction Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) is recommended in patients with a unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) or areflexia resulting from inflammatory, traumatic or other aetiologies. In this study, the authors describe the treatment protocol and discuss the results of individually delivered VR in combination with a home exercise programme in patients initiating therapy 2 months or more post-onset of a UVH. Retrospectively, the data were analysed of patients presenting with > 25% hypofunction on caloric irrigation who were referred by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist in the period of January 2021 until January 2023. The patients received individualized therapy sessions of 45 minutes in combination with a home exercise programme. The following outcome measures were used: Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Foam Stance Eyes Closed (FSEC), Dynamic Visual Acuity Test-Non Instrumented (DVAT-NI) and comfortable gait speed. Twelve patients (9 men and 3 women) with a mean percentual hypofunction of 81% were included (6 right- and 6 left-sided). The study found clinically relevant improvements for DHI and FGA, based on the minimally clinically important difference (MCID) of these tests. The mean DVAT-NI and FSEC scores normalized towards an age-appropriate level. VR leads to clinically relevant changes on different outcome measures in UVH patients. A centre for ambulatory rehabilitation (CAR) where multidisciplinary rehabilitation for people with hearing loss is provided, is a suitable setting to offer VR because of the longstanding cooperation between ENT specialists and physiotherapists. Nevertheless, there are challenges that need consideration when implementing VR into a CAR.

Russian-Chinese Trade and Economic Relations under International Sanctions Pressure

Russia and China have a long-standing cooperation, determined by their geographical location and historical situation. Currently, Russian-Chinese cooperation has reached an unprecedented high level. Both countries, having established strong political mutual trust among themselves, are actively developing trade, economic, investment, scientific and technical relations. Modern Russian-Chinese relations are officially defined by the parties as relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, entering a new era. At the same time, both countries faced the negative impact of sanctions from Western countries. In light of recent socio-economic and political events, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, the aggravation of contradictions between Russia and the «global West» led by the United States, and the general deterioration of geopolitical relations between countries, sanctions have become a key instrument of international influence. Confrontation with the West has a decisive influence on the development of Russian-Chinese relations in almost all areas and contributes to greater rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing, which in turn opens up new opportunities for both countries. In this regard, it becomes relevant to analyze the impact of sanctions on relations between countries, including the consequences that they can have on further socio-economic, technological and political cooperation between the two states. The article examines trade and economic relations between Russia and China under international sanctions pressure in the period from 2020 to 2023. The dynamics and problems of economic relations in the field of trade and investment, directions and problems of implementing mutual trade and economic projects are shown.

The Dynamics of Iran-China “New” Strategic Cooperation

Iran-China cooperation is not one-dimensional that based only on the economic interests of the two parties. It has other dimensions such as seeking new strategies to minimize the domination of the United States in Central Asia and the Middle East to ensure the efficient operation of their future political, economic, and strategic policies. In 2013, with the declaration of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Iran-China cooperation increasingly became more critical for the two countries' political, national, and international interests. To this end, Iran and China have decided to sign a long-term (25 years) strategic cooperation agreement and Iran was admitted to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a full member in September 2021. Since Iran and China have common interests in political, economic, security, and military cooperation, it is predicted that the strategic and long-standing cooperation between Iran and China will be one of the most significant factors to change the balance of the Middle East and Central Asia both politically and economically. From this point of view, this study aims to explore the dynamics affecting Iran-China strategic cooperation and analyze the core factors behind this rapprochement.

An Innovative Partnership and Methods for Knowledge Co-Production in Water Governance. The case study of the Gesso Stura Natural Park.

This report describes the education, research activities and productive dialogue that took place over a 3-day workshop at the Gesso Stura Natural Park (Italy, Piedmont Region). The project was coordinated by Prof. Eva Julia Lohse in collaboration with Prof. Margherita Paola Poto, and funded by the DAAD to establish and strengthen collaboration between the University of Bayreuth and the University of Turin. The workshop aimed to explore interdisciplinary, novel methods for (legal and political) water governance in the age of climate crisis. It investigated how co-production of knowledge can be used in environmental decision-making processes so as to reach better decisions based on a broader knowledge base, increase acceptance of protection measures by the public, and improve management of areas hit by severe droughts to guarantee access to water for communities. The workshop builds on the long-standing cooperation between the two principal researchers and their institutions regarding participation in environmental decision-making, sustainable development and water governance in Italy and Germany. This cooperation has been further developed by joint research on co-production of knowledge with indigenous and local communities to address the complex legal and social questions raised by the climate crisis.

Guanti bianchi technique for resection of selected pituitary adenomas

IntroductionSince the introduction of the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) to skull base, the nasal phase has been a true challenge as it represents the moment of definition of the corridor, thus defining the instruments maneuverability at tumor removal phase. The longstanding cooperation between ENT and neurosurgeons have provided the possibility of creating adequate corridor with maximal respect toward nasal structures and mucosa. This sparked the idea of entering the sella as thieves, so we named “Guanti Bianchi” technique a lesser invasive variation of the approach for the removal of selected pituitary adenoma. Research QuestionThe purpose of this study is to present the preliminary results of “Guanti Bianchi” technique. Material and MethodsData from 17 patients undergoing “Guanti Bianchi” technique (out of 235 standard EEA) at our center, were retrospectively analysed. ASK Nasal-12, a quality-of-life instrument developed specifically to assess patient perception of nasal morbidity, was administered pre- and postoperatively. Results10 (59%) patients were men and 7 (41%) women. The mean age was 67.7 (range 35-88). The average duration of the surgical procedure was 71.17 minutes (range 45-100). GTR was achieved in all patients, no postoperative complications were observed. Baseline ASK Nasal-12 was near normal in all patients, 3/17 (17,6%) experienced transitory very mild symptoms without any worsening at 3 and 6 months. Discussion and ConclusionsThis minimally invasive technique does not require turbinectomy or carving of the nasoseptal flap, it alters the nasal mucosa as little as necessary, and it is quick and easy to perform.

4.C. Workshop: Promoting health without borders: cross-border public health policy in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine

Abstract For more than 20 years, different public health institutions in the German-Belgian-Dutch border triangle have been involved in cross-border public health activities. The partners in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR), as this area is called, have jointly implemented studies on COVID-19 and on adolescent risk behaviour. They have established joint health reporting for various purposes and implemented prevention measures together. The special problems in the border regions during the Corona pandemic have once again impressively shown how important cross-border cooperation is - also for cross-border public health policy. In the health sector, orientation towards municipal, state and federal borders does not lead to the desired results. The results of the Euregional COVID 19 study of 2021 show that in this way a ‘borderless’ life - and partly also cross-border health care - cannot be adequately served. In fact, in the everyday life of a border community, there is hardly any difference between a district border and a national border. In the EMR, this is exemplary for the entire European Union, with its many national or local responsibilities. For infectious diseases, lifestyle risks, environmental toxins or climate risks, borders have no meaning. For health, however, they do. Cross-border policy and politics is the appropriate response to real European conditions. The workshop will show the possibilities and results of cross-border policy on the basis of 3 examples from the long-standing cooperation of public health actors from the Euregio Meuse-Rhine. Finally, we will present these factors and put them up for discussion. From these and other activities, the factors that enable or hinder policy along borders can be deduced. We will present these factors, classify their significance and present the possibility of generalisation for cross-border work for discussion. Key messages • Cross-border policy and coordination are the appropriate responses to the current realities in the European Union. • National differences in culture, administration and policy can be obstacles to cooperation; but are usually inspiration for new approaches and input for best practice.

Inspired by Harold Conklin

Harold C. Conklin (1926-2016) is without doubt one of the key figures in ethnobotany and environmental anthropology. His work is admired for, among other qualities, its precision and its level of « fine description ». In particular, his pioneering studies on shifting cultivation have changed the general perspective on this way of land use. His Ethnographic Atlas of Ifugao (1980) is still a landmark of ethnographic fieldwork, combining a wide range of methods, including sophisticated cartography. The focus of this atlas was on the culture of Ifugao farmers in their home area in the Cordillera Mountains on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. In recent decades, thousands of Ifugao farmers have left their home area and migrated eastwards to the Sierra Madre Mountains in the northeastern part of Luzon, across Cagayan Valley. They have done so for various reasons but land shortage is certainly one of them. In the foothills of the Sierra Madre, accessible arable land became available after large-scale commercial logging operations. In this article we will draw attention to the relevance of Conklin’s work before describing how the Ifugao farmers, with their extensive knowledge and experience, have been able to turn this new area into a highly productive environment, combining wet rice fields with upland agriculture. The research is based on fieldwork that was done over several years with Filipino, Dutch and other international students in the context of a long-standing cooperation project between Isabela State University in the Philippines and Leiden University (Netherlands).

Research in International Transfer of Vocational Education and Training – A Systematic Literature Review

Context: The transfer of vocational education and training (VET) has a long tradition and can be based on various conceptual and methodical approaches. Transfer process and success can be influenced by numerous factors at different levels (systemic, institutional and individual). However, the existing research on the challenges and success factors of VET transfer is very heterogenous and fragmented. Method: To provide a comprehensive and structured overview of the current state of the international research on transfer in the context of VET, we conducted a literature review, which is presented here. Using the method of systematic literature review, a total of 231 studies were found and 41 studies were selected based on the defined criteria for full text analysis. Findings: Various specific research foci and analytical approaches used on the included studies were identified and documented. The transfer of a dual VET system or its elements is based on different approaches and perspectives of the recipient country and the transferee. Major challenges for the transfer of dual VET systems include the social reputation of VET in the recipient countries and (language- and culture-related) communication difficulties between the involved parties. For a successful transfer of VET, a deeper knowledge of the contextual conditions in the recipient country are of particular importance, as well as a close, longstanding cooperation between the involved parties. Conclusion: The generated knowledge about key contextual conditions at the individual, company and systemic level in the context of VET transfer can provide a valuable basis for future VET cooperation.

Education and training in heritage practices – the case of heritage craft education at University of Gothenburg as an opportunity for Albania

The intention of this article is to discuss the challenges in organising higher education in heritage practices and craft skills. The development of the Department of Conservation, University of Gothenburg, its establishment of a Craft laboratory, and the certification of craft skills in an Albanian context, is used as a case. Based on the activities of the Craft Laboratory in Sweden, the paper investigates the possibilities for a similar development in Albania. The background for the specific subject rests in a long-standing cooperation between the Department of Conservation and Cultural heritage without Borders Albania (CHwBA), in terms of skills development for improving restoration practices. Through the paper it is clear that the same kind of context are not in place in Albania, and that the needs are different. It is also obvious that CHwBA is functioning as a de facto Craft Laboratory in Albania and the need for an outfit like that are more focused on improving competences, standards and qualities in the architectural restoration area, leading to economic development, employability, establishment of small craft companies, and formal branch networks. The article discusses the challenges facing the higher education systems in developing education as well as vocational training in the subject areas of heritage practices and craft skills.

BIPM and IUPAC formalize a long-standing cooperation

Abstract IUPAC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). Signed on 17 October 2019 at the BIPM during the meeting of the National Metrology Institutes (NMI) Directors, the MoU formalizes the long-standing cooperation between the BIPM and IUPAC.

ФИЛОСОФИЯ И ФИЛОСОФЫ В КУЛЬТУРЕ И ПРАКТИКЕ МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫХ ОТНОШЕНИЙ (ЛАТИНОАМЕРИКАНСКИЕ ПРИМЕРЫ)

Culture and intercultural communication are deeply personal. The author seeks to approve this provision on examples of long-standing cooperation with distinguished philosophers, social and political thinkers of Latin America, such as V Urquidi, L.Zea, Colombian O. Fals Borda, Uruguayan R.Arismendi, Argentinien E.Agosti. Among themes, developed by above theorists, the problem of characteristics of middle - ranking countries, importance of region to the modern world society, link of model of modernization with ftional traditional culture, problem of national identity (especially some migration and cross-breeding problems), ratio of culture to politics, part of intellectuals in modern socio-political processes are very important. Very special are the problems of globalistics as science and ideology and the relationship of humanistic party with globalist utopia. The people I talked about were different in character. Agosti is an idealist, Urkidi is a realistic, calm, supporter of the fact that it is necessary to work, raising the cultural level, level of education, health care, sense of justice step by step. The Anglo-Saxon moment was present in it, Latin Americans are more impetuous people. Cea was impetuous, Orlando was the most passionate: the whole office in the photo of Torres. Arimendi and Agosti are captains' as Agosti called his friend Rodney, people who were ready for calms and storms. But they are all people, of course, honest, with dignity, generosity; this is why it is nice and helpful to remember them.

The Swiss National Library

In Alexandria 12(3) 2000, as part of a series of pieces on The next ten years in national libraries' the then director of the Swiss National Library, Jean-Frederic Jauslin, outlined some plans and predictions for the next decade, including attempts to achieve legal deposit, gaining more autonomy for the library in order to increase its decision-making powers and working both on conservation of acidic paper and digitization for access. Nearly ten years later, we summarize the results and attempt the same exercise for the next ten years.The library's autonomy has increased as planned, and significant work has been carried out in conservation and preservation of both print and digital material. Plans for legal deposit were not fulfilled but fortunately the long-standing cooperation with the Associations of Swiss publishers has seen continued voluntary deposit of print material and discussions are under way with online publishers to achieve the same.The last ten years have seen a huge growth in online material but little or no decrease in print; in the next years, storage capacity for all media will be required. New underground stacks, inaugurated in August 2009, provide the library with space until 2030 at the current rate of print production. A major challenge will be the increased requirements for electronic storage capacity and preservation; not just for Web archiving and borndigital material but also for the large amounts of digitized material that are being produced.As new formats emerge in the next ten years, the library and others will face its first major tests in migration and/or emulation to secure access over time. The electronic book, long hailed as imminent, seems finally to have arrived. The proliferation of reading devices such as the Kindle may change both collection management and user expectations. Digitization on demand, currently a niche product for the library, will increase if e-readers make loading and access more user friendly. Ten years ago, Google was unknown; today the company is ubiquitous and its impact on digitization and the difficult question of copyright undeniable.The Google Book project has highlighted the difficult areas of orphan works, and varying durations of copyright across countries; these questions will continue to be particularly pertinent for comparatively young institutions such as the Swiss National Library, much of whose collection remains subject to copyright. Cooperation with rights holders will be essential: the Library has already started working in public/private partnerships to digitize and allow widespread access to material, especially newspapers. This form of cooperation will increase over the next years, also in partnership with other Swiss libraries to avoid duplication of effort and share costs in a financial climate that will continue to be challenging.National libraries around the world are seeking increasingly to underline their relevance to all sections of the public, not just a research 'elite'. The Swiss National Library has always been open to the general public and is unusual in that it lends out its more recent material for home use. …

The Far-East Vector for Russian-Japanese Investment Cooperation

The article addresses some of the key issues related to the development of Russian-Japanese cooperation in the Far East in the 21st century, having in consideration the latest trends in regional development. The authors focus on the areas of cooperation which are of common interest to both nations. This includes their longstanding cooperation in energy development, timber processing, and fisheries and their prospective cooperation in agriculture and in the development of transportation communications, knowledge-intensive manufacturing operations, health care, and tourism.The need to develop new areas for investment cooperation is associated with certain realities of our day, like declines in demand for raw materials in Japan, stagnation in the Japanese market for forest products, and increases in export duties in Russia. The purpose of this work is to identify a set of effective methods and ways of attracting Japanese investors into the Russian Far East. The authors are of the view that galvanizing this investment cooperation will not only drive economic growth in the Russian Far East and facilitate the structural reformation of the Far Eastern economy and renunciation of the region’s specialization in raw materials but also to have a benign effect with respect to resolving certain political issues that have been inherent in relations between Russia and Japan for a number of years now.The study’s methodological basis is grounded in the systemic approach. To enable a comprehensive examination of the issue in question, the authors employ a set of specific methods, including the comparative-historical, problematic-chronological, and systemic methods. The study has helped to identify several trends in Russia and Japan’s investment cooperation in the Far East. The authors have established some of the reasons behind the low investment activity of the Japanese business community in the Russian Far East and proposed a set of solutions to the above issues.

Analisis Persepsi Masyarakat Kawasan Adat Amma Toa Kajang Terhadap Muhammadiyah

Abstract. This research uses field research (field research) with qualitative method. The subject of this research is with Indigenous Stakeholder, Village Apparatus, Community Leader, Religious Leader, Youth Leader, Academician and Kader Muhammadiyah who are domiciled in Adat area. Data collection by observation method, data writing method, technical data, data presentation and data recall. Triangulation is done to explain the validity of the data by using source and method triangulation. The results showed that the interaction of cadres and indigenous peoples is a positive and harmonious relationship, primary and secondary social contact because both parties are mutually understanding, profitable and long-standing cooperation. Conflicts that occur between the cadres and indigenous communities are still entangled lightly and only temporary. Indigenous people's perception of Amma Toa to Muhammadiyah is positive and negative, but still tend to Negative. It is caused by perceptions based on experience, efaluatif, contextual, selective and care. The perception of Amma Toa to Muahammadiyah is caused by internal and external factors. Factors factors that make individual perceptions different from each other and will be oriented to the individual in perceiving an object.Keywords: Pasang Rikajang, Gender, Social Culture

The European Union and the United States: The Good Old Tax “Frenemies” in the Shadows of Reforms

In this article, the authors discuss the long-standing cooperation between the United States and the leading Member States of the European Union and comment on recent tax developments in these countries.

Environmentally friendly method for regeneration of copper chloride acidic solutions used in etching of printed circuits

Etching of copper with acidic CuCl2 solution is a widely used chemical method in printed circuits production. During the process, the solution is enriched in Cu(I) ions, resulting in reduction and then loss of etching bath capacity. In order to ensure the required etching kinetics, the solution is regenerated by oxidation of Cu(I) to Cu(II). The industrially applied Cu(I) oxidants are, e.g.: Cl2, chlorates. Their application is expensive and associated with drawbacks related to health, safety and environmental hazards (e.g. Cl2 emission). In the result of long-standing cooperation between the IMN and MATUSEWICZ Budowa Maszyn, an innovative, original and environmentally friendly method of acidic solutions regeneration used during printed circuits etching was developed. A new-type reactor equipped with oxidation monitoring-control systems using oxygen or oxygen-enriched air was applied. The reactor construction enables to run the process with oxygen circulation in the reactor, ensures full oxygen utilisation in the regeneration process, achievement of the required performance and process rate, and eliminates expensive, hazardous and often toxic reagents. This is an innovative method, and since there are no analogous technologies currently known and used in Europe and worldwide, the presented method is technologically, economically and ecologically unrivalled.

Environmentally friendly method for regeneration of copper chloride acidic solutions used in etching of printed circuits

Etching of copper with acidic CuCl2 solution is a widely used chemical method in printed circuits production. During the process, the solution is enriched in Cu(I) ions, resulting in reduction and then loss of etching bath capacity. In order to ensure the required etching kinetics, the solution is regenerated by oxidation of Cu(I) to Cu(II). The industrially applied Cu(I) oxidants are, e.g.: Cl2, chlorates. Their application is expensive and associated with drawbacks related to health, safety and environmental hazards (e.g. Cl2 emission). In the result of long-standing cooperation between the IMN and MATUSEWICZ Budowa Maszyn, an innovative, original and environmentally friendly method of acidic solutions regeneration used during printed circuits etching was developed. A new-type reactor equipped with oxidation monitoring-control systems using oxygen or oxygen-enriched air was applied. The reactor construction enables to run the process with oxygen circulation in the reactor, ensures full oxygen utilisation in the regeneration process, achievement of the required performance and process rate, and eliminates expensive, hazardous and often toxic reagents. This is an innovative method, and since there are no analogous technologies currently known and used in Europe and worldwide, the presented method is technologically, economically and ecologically unrivalled.

Health Insurance Reforms and Health Policies in Rural China

Since the early 2000s, the Chinese government has undertaken a series of reforms in the health sector. Among these, the three most important have been concerned with medical insurance, hospital administration, and pharmaceutical policies. The aims of these reforms were to extend health insurance coverage, to increase the activities and the efficiency of the health establishments, and to improve patient care. This article focuses on two components of these reforms: the development of health insurance in rural areas and the policy on essential medicines in conjunction with hospital reforms. Our longstanding co-operation with a research team from Weifang University and with the Weifang Health Bureau allowed us to follow these reforms and collect data (primary source) from a sample of township hospitals from Weifang Prefecture. Those data allowed us to study their effects on health facilities' level of activity and efficiency. This article provides an overview of studies we carried out on these issues over the period from 2000 to 2012. Our analyses were mainly based on non-parametric models (Data Envelopment Analysis, Malmquist Index, and partial frontiers) and impact analyses, coupled with interviews with hospital staff and medical authorities. Results show that the development of health insurance in rural areas had a positive effect in greatly increasing the activities of the hospitals covered by our study. On the other hand, it did not have a positive influence on their efficiency, which declined in the period concerned. This result is to be explained by the fact that, even though staff activity increased, it remained low, since the observed increase in activity was not sufficient to make up for the parallel increase in staff numbers. Similarly, reforms in the hospital and pharmaceutical sectors had no effect on the township hospitals of our survey. In fact, in order to compensate for the observed reduction of hospital resources following the introduction of the reforms, on the one hand the government increased the subsidies allocated to township hospitals, and on the other hand the hospitals strongly innovated in sophisticated and expensive care, to the benefit of a relatively small number of patients. Therefore, there were some very positive steps forward, but they still call for a more nuanced assessment of the effects of the reforms.