Reform Process Research Articles

A Study on the Path of Improving the Quality of Mathematics Classroom Teaching in Vocational Universities

This study aims to explore the path of improving the quality of mathematics education in vocational colleges in order to meet the growing demand for high-quality applied talents in society and industry. It analyses the need to improve the quality of mathematics education and points out that mathematics education should not only focus on imparting theoretical knowledge, but also enhance students' practical application skills. To this end, six main paths were proposed, including clear career-oriented teaching objectives, innovative practice-oriented teaching models, flexible adaptation of course content, use of modern educational technology, diversified evaluation mechanisms and teacher training. Finally, it is recommended that vocational universities strengthen teacher training, increase investment in teaching resources, and deepen cooperation between schools and enterprises during the reform process, so as to ensure that mathematics education keeps pace with the needs of the economy, thereby cultivating applied talents with both a solid mathematical foundation and good professional qualities.

Governance and health system reform: a case study of new health regions in Ireland, 2018-2023

Abstract Background While the significance of good governance is recognised within health systems research, its role in health system reform is underexplored. This research focuses on the establishment of new decentralised regional health structures in Ireland in the period 2018-2023, examining how aspects of governance impacted the decentralisation reform process, from policy design through to implementation. Methods The research applied a qualitative, multi-method approach involving analysis of official documents relevant to the regional decentralisation process, and 12 semi-structured interviews with key informants from across the health sector. The research applies the TAPIC framework for health governance as its analytic framework and the data is analysed using thematic analysis. Results Deficiencies in accountability arrangements, poor transparency within the system and vis-à-vis external stakeholders, and a lack of clarity of roles and responsibilities for various process and key decisions related to the reform were identified as undermining progress at various stages of Ireland’s decentralisation reform process. An underlying distrust between key institutional actors was identified. These findings are grounded in complex social, cultural, and political and institutional developments in Ireland’s history. Also of note is the interwovenness of the five TAPIC domains and the importance of engaging with the complexity and relationality intrinsic to health system reform processes to achieve the aim(s) of the reform in question. Conclusions Large scale health system reform is a complex process and its governance presents distinct challenges and opportunities for stakeholders. To understand and address these, critical analysis of the historical context surrounding the policy reform and the institutional relationships at its core are needed. Key messages • Governance plays a crucial if overlooked role in health systems reform. Effective governance arrangements are central to the successful design and implementation of reform initiatives. • Ensuring a strong link between policy design and implementation processes is crucial to the success of health systems reform.

Beyond the First Nations Voice to Parliament: Who “owns” the state?

AbstractIn 2023, Australian voters defeated a constitutional amendment to establish a First Nations' Voice to Parliament. This representative body would have been empowered to make representations to parliament and executive government. It was proposed by First Nations people as the first stage in a Voice, Treaty, Truth process of political and constitutional reform. As the implications of this defeat are considered, it is instructive to examine what lessons New Zealand's politics and policies of Māori self‐determination may contribute to local deliberations, including on the principles that could inform treaties such as those under consideration in the state of Victoria. The ongoing point of contention in both countries has profound implications for how and why policy is made, for whom and by whom. The point of contest is over who, in practical political terms, “owns” the state and, therefore, its policymaking systems? Are First Nations people shareholders in state authority, or should they reside always on its periphery? If not, what are the terms of their inclusion?

Good Governance in Pakistan Through Effective Laws: A Case Study of Legislative Drafting and Law Reform Processes in Pakistan

Good Governance in Pakistan Through Effective Laws: A Case Study of Legislative Drafting and Law Reform Processes in Pakistan

Rethinking Pedagogy in Higher Education Amid Turbulent Times

Global challenges (labour market expectations, digital technology, the massing of higher education) are constantly changing the way higher education is managed. Responses to change can be planned. Responses from higher education stakeholders can be interesting and instructive for other institutions, as these examples can be incorporated into their own responses. The purpose of the study is to present the top-down ped- agogical reform process that started in 2019 at the University of Public Service in Budapest. Although initiated by the university’s educational strategy, its implementation depends on the teachers who have actively created innovative pedagogical spaces that ensure sustainability. These innovative spaces include training sessions for teachers, workshops, thematic discussions on teaching methodology, methodological publications, research and the annual Innovative Department Award. The stages of the process and the results and challenges of each stage were documented using a case study method. The description helps to illustrate how a process of pedagogical reform, with which the university leadership’s goal is rapid, systemic change affecting the work of hundreds of teachers, can be developed and sustained on the basis of commitment from teachers and institutional determination.

From outdated to outstanding: an institution’s journey in reforming the dental materials science curriculum and lessons learned

BackgroundThe Dental Materials Science (DMS) course within Malaysian undergraduate dental education has traditionally been taught in isolation, with a relatively stagnant delivery mode. Recent shifts in national dental competency standards have necessitated substantial reform in the DMS curriculum. This study aims to outline the journey of a local dental institute in developing and implementing a competency-based DMS curriculum.MethodsA faculty curriculum task force was established to oversee the curriculum reform process. The reform was guided by a “bottom-up” approach using the five-step curriculum reform model: (1). Curriculum mapping, (2). Comprehensive needs assessment, (3). Clear learning objectives and outcomes, (4). Curriculum development and implementation, and (5). Continuous evaluation and improvement.ResultsStep 1 revealed the need to reduce content repetition and improve alignment with the new competency standards. Step 2 identified the need to include advanced materials, integrate theoretical and clinical aspects, and enhance teaching methods. The new curriculum included 25 relevant topics. Step 3 established three course learning outcomes, while Step 4 integrated DMS content horizontally and vertically across the curriculum, introduced innovative teaching methods, and diversified assessment methods. Step 5 ensured ongoing curriculum monitoring, with both short-term and long-term evaluations planned.ConclusionThe curriculum reform process represents a significant advancement in dental materials science while addressing challenges and aligning the curriculum with national standards. Ongoing evaluation, adaptability, interdisciplinary collaboration, and international engagement are essential for further improvements. This journey serves as a valuable reference for educators seeking to update their DMS curricula.

Crisis-proof households? How social policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic imagined work and care in Germany

Abstract Social policies convey normative assumptions about how households should make ends meet and organise care, but how do these ideals withstand crises such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic? Previous research shows continuity of welfare state models in the crisis, but mostly looked at single policy fields and produced mixed findings regarding the role of pre-crisis reform trajectories. This paper contributes a detailed analysis of assumptions about the ‘standard productive household’ in terms of three dimensions: labour market participation, coverage of economic needs and coverage of care needs. Drawing on original policy documents enacted in 2020 in Germany – which had dismantled many of its institutional strongholds for the male-breadwinner model before the crisis – we provide two novel insights. First, social policy responses to the pandemic were relatively coherent regarding assumptions about labour market participation, but expectations towards households’ abilities to make ends meet and parents’ care involvement were less coherent. In addition to relaxing conditions on stable employment and income, policy responses normalised patchwork incomes and relied on parents to compress paid and unpaid work. Second, we propose that crises may slow down reform processes that are already underway by reverting to ideas that were dominant in the past.

Current Status of Application of Information Technology in Solving Administrative Procedures of People's Committees of Wards and Communes in Viet Tri City

For the provision of online public administrative services in Vietnam, information technology is identified as both a requirement and the most important solution to implement the goals and contents of the administrative reform and modernization process in management. The article presents the current status of information technology application in handling administrative procedures of ward-level People's Committees in Viet Tri city, and at the same time points out the causes of the current situation to continue to have innovations in information technology to improve the quality and efficiency of this service.

Microscopic study on the memory effect of methane hydrate in the presence of silica nanoparticles: Ⅱ. Residual structure hypothesis & impurity imprinting hypothesis

Based on the hydrate dissociation mechanism and guest supersaturation hypothesis studied in the first part of this series, methane hydrate reformation characteristics affected by memory effect regarding the residual structures hypothesis and impurity imprints hypothesis is further studied to clarify the microscopic mechanism of methane hydrate memory effect during combustible ice exploitation. The initial molecular dynamics simulation configurations containing hydrate residual structures and silica nanoparticles were captured from hydrate dissociation simulation. By analyzing the distribution and transportation of methane molecules, hydrate clusters, and silica nanoparticles, the macroscopically recognized three-stage process of induction-growth-equilibrium for methane hydrate reformation has been verified from microscopic insight. Besides, the orderly arrangement of methane molecules around hydrate residual structures has been found to be essential to promote the growth of hydrate clusters. Moreover, the mutual adsorption between silica nanoparticles-guest nanobubbles and the mutual aggregation between silica nanoparticles-hydrate clusters both affect hydrate reformation process. Combined with the main conclusions derived from the first part of this series, it is found that hydrate memory effect diminishes as hydrate dissociation equilibriums. Thence, the microscopic analysis indicated that the methane hydrate reformation memory effect is influenced by multiple factors, where residual structures are the basis, supersaturated guest is the driving force, and silica nanoparticles are potential threats to form aggregates plugging.

Legislation Development in Vietnam: Is the criminal law becoming more humane?

After four decades since the present of the first “modern” Criminal code of Vietnam in 1985, Vietnamese lawmakers have reached many remarkable milestones in terms of criminal justice policy and legislation. The paper shall discuss and clarify 02 main hypotheses. Firstly, there are 05 criteria to evaluate the clemency of the Vietnamese criminal law, including: 1) The proportion between the number of very serious, extremely serious crimes and total number of crimes; 2) Severity of the punishments in the 2015 Criminal Code; 3) The number of provisions on exemption from serving sentences, reduction of sentence duration and conviction expungement; 4) The number of provisions on penalty decisions in favor of the offenders; 5) The proportion between the decriminalized crimes and criminalized conducts in the criminal code. Secondly, based on analyzing these criteria, the paper shall prove that Vietnamese criminal law is becoming more humane. The achieved developments come from several reasons. The main one is that the entire political regime of Vietnam, with the key role of Communist Party, participated in the reformation process of the criminal law.

ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ЖИТТЄЗДАТНОСТІ ТЕРИТОРІАЛЬНИХ ГРОМАД УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ ПОДОЛАННЯ ФІНАНСОВИХ ТА ІННОВАЦІЙНИХ ВИКЛИКІВ

Decentralization of power in Ukraine is one of the priority reforms of the modern state system, which has caused serious changes in the financial and innovation policy of territorial communities, and also acts as an institutional basis for the economic progress of territories, which requires an in-depth analysis of the financial capacity of territorial units and their innovative activity to identify potential and threats on the way to sustainable development. The purpose of the research is theoretical substantiation and development of management approaches to eliminate financial and innovative challenges of territorial units in conditions of decentralization of power, in particular in Transcarpathian region, as well as providing practical recommendations on strengthening local budgets and promoting innovative progress. The object of the research is the financial self-sufficiency and innovative activity of the territorial units of Ukraine, in particular the Transcarpathian region. The methods of the research used in the research are general scientific methods, in particular, historical, dialectical, comparative, phenomenological, systemic analysis and the method of generalization. The hypothesis of the research is that effective management of financial resources and purposeful development of innovative activity in territorial communities will contribute to stable economic growth in conditions of decentralization. The statement of basic materials. The decentralization of power in Ukraine has led to significant changes in the financial and innovation policy of territorial communities, providing greater autonomy in the management of local budgets and increasing responsibility for their effective use. In Transcarpathian region, the reform process took place more slowly due to the uneven distribution of resources and economic assets, which limited the even development of communities. Despite these difficulties, decentralization has created conditions for strengthening financial independence and stimulating innovation at the local level. During 2021-2022, a general increase in revenues to the budgets of territorial communities was observed, in particular due to the contributions of six districts of Transcarpathia, which confirms the positive impact of the reform on economic development. However, the war in Ukraine negatively affected the financial capacity of communities, creating new challenges that require innovative solutions and adaptation to ensure sustainable economic growth. The originality and practical significance of the research lies in the development of management mechanisms for overcoming financial and innovative challenges of territorial communities, in particular in the Transcarpathian region. Conclusions and perspectives of further research. Decentralization of power is a positive change for the financial and innovative development of territorial communities, as it has managed to significantly increase their self-sufficiency. Further scientific research should focus on a more detailed thorough analysis of the impact of decentralization on the financial capacity of territorial communities of the Transcarpathian region, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of existing and potential innovative strategies at the local level.

Constitutional Rights of Women in Ghana: An Expansion of the Legal Framework

The research paper elucidates the expansion of the legal framework of women’s rights in Ghana to address all forms of discrimination against them. The article considers a three-fold reform process, including a constitutional reform to influence the enactment of an extensive parliamentary Act either domesticating the Maputo Protocol or incorporating its principles. The article acknowledges the existence of some legislation on specific forms of discrimination against women and advocates that these may support the proposed comprehensive Parliamentary Act. The third reform process considers strategic litigation as a means of implementation and compliance.

Maximizing the hydrogen content for methanol steam reforming processes by using the novel pareto-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithms

This research focuses on the methanol-steam reforming (MSR) process to produce hydrogen-rich syngas. A thermodynamic equilibrium reactor was designed for the process, using the Peng-Robinson fluid package for all liquid and gas components. This research aims to reveal the collective impacts of three main parameters—reaction temperature (RT) (100–500 °C in 50 °C intervals), reactor pressure (RP) (1–7 atm in 2 atm intervals), and methanol-to-water (MtW) molar ratio (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 atm)—on syngas composition. Additionally, Pareto-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs), including Multimodal Multi-Objective Differential Evolution with Improved Crowding Distance (MMODE_ICD), Multi-Objective Slime Mould Algorithm (MOSMA), and Improved Multi-Objective Manta-Ray Foraging Optimization (IMOMRFO), were used to maximize hydrogen composition at the reactor outlet. Using these algorithms, the operating parameters for the MSR were optimized. The highest hydrogen content achieved under these conditions was 67.90% among syngases. However, it could be increased by 7.22% with MMODE_ICD, 6.92% with MOSMA, and 4.71% with IMOMRFO algorithms. Furthermore, the algorithms predicted actual data with error margins of 1.1% for MMODE_ICD, 0.28% for MOSMA, and 3.52% for IMOMRFO. In conclusion, this research demonstrates that Pareto-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithms are very effective tools for increasing hydrogen production in MSR processes.

From the Soviet Union to Russia: fifty years of reforms in initial teacher education

ABSTRACT Teacher education in Russia has become the subject of considerable reform over the past 50 years. It is today a complex system of continuous training which gives students a chance to enter the profession in a number of different ways, as well as maintain their professional skill set throughout the course of their careers. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the history and the state of art initial teacher education in Russia during the last 50 years. It aims to draw on scholarly expertise in Russia and will locate the policies and practices that are discussed within the context of teacher education reform. The main themes of the paper are the history and current practice of Russian initial teacher education. The paper will consider the relationship between policy and practice and examine the respective influences of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and processes of wider reform in the Russian Federation since the 1990s.

Hydrogen Separation Membranes: A Material Perspective

The global energy market is shifting toward renewable, sustainable, and low-carbon hydrogen energy due to global environmental issues, such as rising carbon dioxide emissions, climate change, and global warming. Currently, a majority of hydrogen demands are achieved by steam methane reforming and other conventional processes, which, again, are very carbon-intensive methods, and the hydrogen produced by them needs to be purified prior to their application. Hence, researchers are continuously endeavoring to develop sustainable and efficient methods for hydrogen generation and purification. Membrane-based gas-separation technologies were proven to be more efficient than conventional technologies. This review explores the transition from conventional separation techniques, such as pressure swing adsorption and cryogenic distillation, to advanced membrane-based technologies with high selectivity and efficiency for hydrogen purification. Major emphasis is placed on various membrane materials and their corresponding membrane performance. First, we discuss various metal membranes, including dense, alloyed, and amorphous metal membranes, which exhibit high hydrogen solubility and selectivity. Further, various inorganic membranes, such as zeolites, silica, and CMSMs, are also discussed. Major emphasis is placed on the development of polymeric materials and membranes for the selective separation of hydrogen from CH4, CO2, and N2. In addition, cutting-edge mixed-matrix membranes are also delineated, which involve the incorporation of inorganic fillers to improve performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of advancements in gas-separation membranes and membrane materials in terms of hydrogen selectivity, permeability, and durability in practical applications. By analyzing various conventional and advanced technologies, this review provides a comprehensive material perspective on hydrogen separation membranes, thereby endorsing hydrogen energy for a sustainable future.

Quality Assurance in Preschool Teacher Training According to the Aun-Qa Approach

Ensuring the quality of teacher training programs is an important aspect of organizing higher education activities at universities and is the primary factor in improving the quality of school education. Currently, many countries around the world regard quality assurance in training programs as a crucial step in the educational reform process, contributing to the overall development of the nation. This article focuses on surveying and researching the content of quality assurance in pedagogical universities. The content of quality assurance in pedagogical universities according to the AUN-QA approach covers all activities that these universities implement to maintain, improve, and enhance their training quality. Researching the AUN-QA approach for quality assurance in teacher training in general, and specifically in preschool teacher training, serves as a method to enhance training quality and plays an important role in the trends of internationalization, competition, and global cooperation in education. All these studies represent significant theoretical and practical findings that align with modern trends and the current requirements for fundamental and comprehensive reform in education and training. Therefore, identifying the research issue "Quality Assurance in Preschool Teacher Training According to the AUN-QA Approach" has highlighted new points and made direct contributions to improving the quality of preschool teacher training to meet societal needs and current international integration.

Macroeconomic Analysis of Social Health Insurance Implementation in Kazakhstan

Over the past three decades, Kazakhstan put a lot of efforts and resources into implementation of the Social Health Insurance. Debates on health policy often focuses on contribution rates in SHI that should limit the growth of out-of-pocket spending. We investigate a central issue to the debates: are the contribution rates stipulated by the law sufficient to minimize the out-of-pocket health payments? We develop a simple dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model based on over-lapping generations macroeconomic model (OLG) to describe the process of healthcare reforms in Kazakhstan. The numeric results argue that current contribution rates will not be enough to reduce the share of ou-of-pocket health payments in the economy. On contrary, optimal inter-temporary consumption-saving decision of households may bring us to the optimal composition of total spending that shifts toward health, and the out-of-pocket health expenditures can easily exceed current level of 40 percent.

KAZAKHSTAN'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPULSORY SOCIAL HEALTH INSURANCE

This article is devoted to the analysis of the Kazakhstani healthcare system in the context of the implementation of the compulsory social health insurance system. It will examine issues related to healthcare costs, the degree of satisfaction of the population with health insurance, the quality of medical services, etc. Since its introduction in 2020, the healthcare insurance system in Kazakhstan has encountered significant challenges. These include public dissatisfaction with the quality of medical services, inadequate coverage of the population with health insurance, vulnerabilities in the insurance information system, the existence of medical supplements, underdeveloped infrastructure in rural areas, and information asymmetry in the health insurance sector. President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, criticized the reform process of the health insurance system and addressed these issues during a meeting with the Government on February 7, 2024. This article delves into the evolution of the Kazakhstan health insurance system by analyzing financial indicators and monitoring data. Through this analysis, problematic areas were identified, and practical recommendations were developed to optimize the compulsory social health insurance system. Various scientific methods were employed in this study, including institutional analysis, synthesis, literature review, comparative and contrastive, and sociological methods. The goal of this study is to provide recommendations for enhancing the healthcare system in Kazakhstan during the implementation of compulsory social health insurance. The empirical foundation of this study consists of legislative documents in the healthcare sector, official publications, and analytical and statistical reports from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The hypothesis of the study is that the introduction of compulsory social health insurance in Kazakhstan is intended to promote positive changes in the healthcare system, but due to existing organizational and financial barriers does not improve the availability and quality of medical services. Keywords: health, health insurance, health care system, public administration, health care costs.

Still Engaging, Not Avoiding, Contradictions: Conceptualizing Cooperative Research in Practical, Structural and Epistemic Terms

Abstract Critical methodologies in International Political Sociology (IPS) and its intersecting fields and research traditions have increasingly coalesced around the idea that research should be done in dialogue, and possibly cooperation, with people rather than only about them. Drawing together research under this theme and wider debates on participatory, activist, and action research, alongside our own research experience, this article proposes the notion of cooperative research to capture and further develop this research agenda. In the context of neoliberal academia and its narrow insurance-based conception of research ethics and safety, we argue that cooperative and ethical research can be done and developed further both in the cracks and margins of the system, and in a gradual reform process within it. Starting with a survey of existing traditions and recent advances towards cooperative research, we proceed to unpack what cooperative research looks like in practice and how it benefits the involved parties. The article then explores structural and epistemic obstacles that cooperative research faces within the current institutional, body, and geo-politics of knowledge production. It also reflects on future avenues to productively deal with the inherent contradictions of cooperative research, not only by embracing the “ethos of critique”, but also by trying to make (even small) changes within the Western knowledge production system by promoting, and rendering more legitimate, alternative forms of knowledge and storytelling.

Teachers’ Recruitment Procedure in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects

Nigeria is equally befallen with numerous challenges in its public-school teacher recruitment drive that negatively infiltrate its education system. This paper discusses the challenges experienced in recruiting teachers in public schools in Nigeria. Some forms of obstacles presented are characterized by bureaucratic bottlenecks, flaws in transparency, lack of adequate funding, and nepotism among others. This paper attempts to explore the chances to improve the method of recruiting teachers through policy reforms, increased financing and merit-based choosing criteria. The challenges include bureaucratic bottlenecks, impunity, lack of transparency, inadequate funding, and nepotism. The reform process would promote responsiveness to policy in recruitment through the possibility of further funding and the use of merit selection, and there would be far-reaching change in the process of online recruitment. If these problems are solved, and opportunities gradually positioned in their rightful places, the teacher recruitment process in Nigeria will be better and as such, the quality of education in this country will progress. Based on this, it is advised that any obstacles in the current selection process be routinely reviewed and fixed.