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Higher Education Quality Enhancement Process Interrogation : Perceptions of Improvements, Challenges and Effectiveness
Get PDFThe early 21st century saw financial rationalizations by governments resulting in the proliferation of private higher education institutions. Self-regulation which was the 20th and early 21st century practice of higher education institutions was deemed insufficient for assuring quality, thus the adoption of internal and external accountability measures. Global higher education competition coupled with performance concerns of European higher education institutions resulted in policy introduction of Quality Assurance, accountability and now Quality Enhancement in quality management. Where Quality Assurance emphasises regulatory compliance, Quality Enhancement focusses on improvement. This research articulates a Quality Enhancement Process from policies and Quality Managers of a UAE institution. The research elicits the justifications for implementation, how improvements are achieved, the implementation challenges, process effectiveness by identifying the ineffectiveness, the quality practitioner perceptions of improvements to institutional governance and the existence of Quality Culture to support continuous improvements. Managers’ recommendations for improvement of the effectiveness of the Quality Enhancement Process are also explored. The enhancement process continuously employs quality weaknesses of institutional governance, operationalizes the weaknesses, confers unmitigated trust on managers to achieve quality targets, monitor the achievements, analyse the outcomes and re-strategize for improvements. Quality weaknesses are assessed using a 5-pronged strategic and stakeholder assessed weaknesses employing accountability, compliance, internal and external stakeholder reflections. The Quality Enhancement Process is found to achieve transformational changes to the status quo. Although the stakeholders perceive improvement of several aspects of institutional governance but failed to achieve improvement of others, improvements are legitimately achieved from the view of improvements caused by complying with improved regulatory framework. Holistic national improvements are achieved by continuously improving regulatory requirements. Conferring of unmitigated trust on quality practitioners empowers the Quality Managers however, it is also a source of embellishment of achievements, multiplexed outcomes and stakeholder loss of confidence in enhancement. Achievement verifications are thus required
MantleMark : Migrating Watermarks from Multi-View Images to Radiance Fields via Frequency Modulation
Get PDFMulti-view images are essential for modern radiance field reconstruction methods like Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) and 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS). While image watermarking is a crucial data protection and ownership verification technique, it faces unprecedented challenges in multi-view scenarios. Traditional 2D watermarking techniques often fail to maintain detectability in rendered views, while existing 3D watermarking methods are typically limited to specific reconstruction methods and require access to the reconstruction process. To address these limitations, we propose MantleMark, a watermarking framework that migrates watermarks from multi-view images to radiance fields via frequency modulation. Our key insight is constructing a mantle-like Frequency-domain Watermarking Representation in 3D frequency space, which can be projected to create view-dependent watermarking patterns. Relying upon the Fourier Projection-Slice Theorem, we embed these patterns through magnitude spectrum modulation in the image frequency domain, enabling watermarks to migrate into 3D representations. This approach ensures watermark detectability in rendered views regardless of the reconstruction methods used by adversaries. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our method achieves robust watermark detection while maintaining high visual quality across various radiance field-based reconstruction methods
Problematizing the role of artificial intelligence in hiring and organizational inequalities : A multidisciplinary review
Get PDFWhat are the implications of the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment and hiring for organizational inequalities? While advocates suggest that AI is a groundbreaking tool that can enhance hiring precision, efficiency, diversity and fit, critics raise serious concerns around bias, fairness, and privacy. This review article critically advances this debate by drawing on diverse scholarship across computing and data sciences; human resource, management, and organization studies; social sciences; and law. Using a hybrid review approach that combines scoping and problematizing review methods, we examine the implications of algorithmic hiring for organizational inequalities. Our review identifies a multidisciplinary discussion marked by asymmetries in how key concerns are conceptualized; a clear and heightened potential for AI to conceal inequalities in hiring processes; and contestation over the regulation of algorithmic hiring. Building on Acker’s (2006) framework of ‘inequality regimes’, we propose the concept of algorithmically-mediated inequality regimes to highlight AI’s capacity for concealing and reproducing inequalities in hiring through enhanced algorithmic invisibility and the growing legitimacy of AI solutions. We propose an agenda for future research, policy, and practice, emphasizing the need for an interdisciplinary ‘chain of knowledge’ and a multi-stakeholder ‘chain of responsibility’ in AI application and regulation
An Evaluative Study of a Blended Learning Model Implemented in a Vocational Training Organisation in Saudi Arabia
Get PDFThis study evaluated the effectiveness of a Blended Learning model implemented in vocational English training within a Saudi Arabian oil company’s industrial training department. The research addressed a significant underexplored area in existing literature by examining the intersection of Blended Learning, vocational English, and educational model evaluation through qualitative methods grounded in Social Constructivism and Situated Learning theories. The study employed a qualitative case study methodology, gathering data from 36 participants including current English students, teachers, job skills trainees, and technical trainers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and email-based qualitative questionnaires, then analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to explore stakeholder experiences and perceptions of the Blended Learning model’s effectiveness. Five key themes unfolded from the analysis. First, the interplay between modalities revealed that face-to-face instruction excelled in developing oral communication skills and providing immediate feedback, while self-directed learning enabled personalised pacing and written skill development. However, successful integration required careful pedagogical design to prevent fragmentation and foster learner motivation. Second, vocational English skills development showed varying effectiveness across domains, with functional workplace communication and oral skills developing successfully, though gaps existed between academic vocabulary and job-specific terminology. Third, the learning environment and social dynamics proved crucial, with teachers serving as essential facilitators and peer interaction offering valuable collaborative learning opportunities. Fourth, technology integration offered significant opportunities for flexible learning and skill practice, but technical reliability issues and over-reliance on automated tools sometimes undermined authentic engagement. Finally, implementation effectiveness revealed both benefits and challenges, with stakeholders providing valuable recommendations for enhancement including greater workplace relevance and optimised technology integration. These findings showed that effective Blended Learning in vocational contexts needs more than combining delivery modalities; it requires thoughtful pedagogical design that makes use of each component’s key strengths while boosting authentic connections to workplace communication demands. The research also revealed tensions between personalisation and standardisation, individual and social learning processes, and technological convenience versus authentic skill development. Key contributions include advancing social constructivist understanding of knowledge construction across blended modalities, extending Situated Learning theory in technological contexts, and providing practical guidance for vocational English curriculum design. The study also emphasised that authenticity in learning contexts significantly influences engagement and skill transfer, as activities closely simulating workplace demands generated superior outcomes. Additionally, the research offered practical recommendations for educational practitioners, curriculum designers, institutional leaders, and industry partners, emphasising the importance of strategic skill allocation across modalities, industry-specific content development, and sustainable evaluation approaches. This investigation affirms that effective vocational education requires careful attention to specific professional communication demands, thoughtful integration of pedagogical approaches, and ongoing industry engagement to ensure continued relevance in preparing learners for workplace success
Association between air pollution exposure, physical activity, and risk for cardiometabolic multimorbidity incidence : a cohort study from China
Get PDFCardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) has emerged as a major threat to health among older adults, yet the effects of air pollution and physical activity on CMM remain insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to examine the associations between air pollutant exposure, physical activity, and CMM risk, and to analyze the potential moderating and mediating roles of physical activity in the relationship between pollutants and CMM. This study utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2015-2020, including 17,718 participants. We assessed exposure levels to PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, and O3, and categorized physical activity into four levels (Q1-Q4) based on metabolic equivalent quartiles. Cox regression models were employed to analyze the effects of pollutants and physical activity metabolic equivalents on CMM, with restricted cubic splines for dose-response analysis. Additionally, Baron & Kenny's method was applied to evaluate the mediating effect of physical activity. During the follow-up period, 741 participants developed CMM. After multivariate adjustment, all pollutants were significantly associated with increased CMM risk, with SO2 (HR=2.768, 95% CI: 2.526-3.033) showing the most significant impact. Higher levels of physical activity demonstrated pronounced protective effects. Dose-response analyses revealed non-linear relationships between pollutants and CMM (P for nonlinear < 0.001), while physical activity exhibited a protective non-linear relationship with CMM (P for nonlinear = 0.037). Mediation analysis identified significant partial mediating effects of physical activity in the relationships between pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and O3) and CMM, with mediation proportions ranging from 5.71% to 19.88%, with NO2 showing the highest mediation proportion (19.88%). Long-term exposure to air pollutants is significantly associated with increased CMM risk, while higher levels of physical activity confer substantial protective effects. Pollutants may partially increase CMM risk indirectly by inhibiting physical activity
Pharmacological strategies for preventing post-stroke seizures and epilepsy
Get PDFStroke is the most common cause of new-onset seizures and epilepsy in the older population, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Post-stroke seizures (PSS) are traditionally divided into early and late seizures, occurring before and after 7 days post-stroke, respectively. A single late seizure is sufficient to diagnose post-stroke epilepsy. This narrative review discusses approaches to diagnosing and treating PSS, as well as the various pharmacological agents available. Although current evidence is limited, we suggest that levetiracetam and lamotrigine may be preferred agents for preventing acute seizure recurrence. Statins, GLP-1 agonists, eslicarbazepine, perampanel, and losartan have not been evaluated yet and need further study on their ability to prevent first-time seizures in stroke patients. While clinical trials of antiseizure medications can be costly, further research into biomarkers of epileptogenesis could facilitate more feasible clinical trials to enhance the evidence base for antiseizure medications in post-stroke seizures and epilepsy
Optimisation of bus timetables : An adaptive large neighbourhood search-based matheuristic with a novel operator weight
No full textThis study develops an adaptive large neighbourhood search (ALNS) based matheuristic to an acyclic bus timetabling problem with time-dependent travel time and demand data. Two types of repair operators are proposed: a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) operator that solves a restricted version of the problem where decision variables are defined by a destroy operator, and a heuristic operator that shifts buses’ departing times. Their mixed usage induces the challenge of allocating computation time to different operators with significantly different execution times. Noticing that existing operator selection mechanisms may allocate excessive time to slow operators, this study establishes a novel formula called the inverse-square rule. Computational results on a part of the Copenhagen Network show that (1) the ALNS-framework with the proposed inverse-square rule outperforms exact solution methods across all instances, (2) using a fast heuristic repair operator and a slow MILP repair operator is substantially better than using either one alone, and (3) on average, the inverse-square rule demonstrates better performance than other inverse-power formulas
Beyond the Dip : Silent and Non-Silent Fano Resonances in Quantum Systems
No full textThis study presents a theoretical investigation of quantum interference effects on charge transport in a series of bithiophene-bridged molecular derivatives, each functionalized with terminal thiol anchor groups. Using a combined density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green’s function (DFT-NEGF) approach, we demonstrate that the electrical conductance is primarily governed by the amplitude of the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) at the anchoring sites, as predicted by the orbital product rule. Furthermore, we show that introducing pendant atoms (oxygen) onto a carbazole core creates localized electronic states that interfere with the delocalized backbone, generating distinct Fano resonances in the transmission spectrum. Derivative 3, engineered with two oxygen atoms, exhibits a complex quantum interference landscape featuring a pronounced second Fano resonance and a suppressed, “silent” resonance. Crucially, we reveal that the Fano resonance associated with the highly localized HOMO is extremely sensitive to minute fluctuations in the molecule–electrode binding configuration, rendering it experimentally silent. In contrast, a hypothetical symmetric junction achieves perfect unitary transmission due to quantum interference enforced by spatial symmetry. This work provides a detailed blueprint for designing molecular-scale quantum interference devices and highlights the critical role of structural fluctuations in determining measurable conductance