Environmental and Health Research Methodologies: Integrating a Transdisciplinary Approach in a Higher Education Cross-Cutting Curricular Unit

2021 ◽  
pp. 135-146
Author(s):  
Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis ◽  
Diogo Guedes Vidal ◽  
Ricardo Cunha Dias
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Research Methodologies ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach

scholarly journals A North–South-South partnership in higher education to develop health research capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: the challenge of finding a common language

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Horwood ◽  
Sphindile Mapumulo ◽  
Lyn Haskins ◽  
Vaughn John ◽  
Silondile Luthuli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Nutritional Epidemiology ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
English Speaking

Abstract Background Globally, increasing numbers of higher education institutions (HEIs) in non-English-speaking countries have adopted English as a medium of instruction (EMI), because of the perception that this provides opportunities to attract high-calibre students and academic staff, and engage with the international research community. We report an evaluation of a North–South-South collaboration to develop health research capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by establishing a postgraduate programme in nutritional epidemiology at the Kinshasa School of Public Health (KSPH), where EMI was adopted. We report experiences and perceptions of stakeholders, facilitators and students about using EMI. Methods In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted between October and December 2019 among convenience sampled stakeholders (8), facilitators (11) and students (12) involved in the programme from all three partner institutions (University of Kinshasa; University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; University of Bergen, Norway). Interviews were conducted in participants’ language of preference (English or French), audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English when required. Analysis employed a thematic approach. Results Most participants viewed EMI positively, reporting that studying in English created opportunities to access relevant literature, improve interactions with the scientific community and advance their careers. As a result of adopting EMI, some students had opportunities to present research findings at international conferences and publish their research in English. English-speaking researchers from partner institutions were able to participate in supervision of students’ research. However, inadequate English competency, particularly among students, was challenging, with some students reporting being unable to understand or interact in class, which negatively affected their academic performance. Further, EMI created barriers at KSPH among academic staff who were not proficient in English, leading to poor participation among non-English-speaking staff and lack of integration with other postgraduate programmes. Participants suggested additional English language support for EMI. Conclusion Partnerships between HEIs could be a powerful tool to develop research capacity in low-income countries in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. EMI could be a solution to language barriers faced by many such partnerships, but wide-ranging support to develop English proficiency among staff and students is essential to ensure that the challenges do not outweigh the benefits.

scholarly journals If We Show Them Will They Come? Attitudes of Native American Youth Towards Higher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-105
Author(s):  
Emmerentine Oliphant ◽  
Sharon B. Templeman
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Native Community ◽  
Research Methodologies ◽  
General Validity ◽  
Native Canadian ◽  
Indigenous Ways Of Knowing

Indigenous health research should reflect the needs and benefits of the participants and their community as well as academic and practitioner interests. The research relationship can be viewed as co-constructed by researchers, participants, and communities, but this nature often goes unrecognized because it is confined by the limits of Western epistemology. Dominant Western knowledge systems assume an objective reality or truth that does not support multiple or subjective realities, especially knowledge in which culture or context is important, such as in Indigenous ways of knowing. Alternatives and critiques of the current academic system of research could come from Native conceptualizations and philosophies, such as Indigenous ways of knowing and Indigenous protocols, which are increasingly becoming more prominent both Native and non-Native societies. This paper contains a narrative account by an Indigenous researcher of her personal experience of the significant events of her doctoral research, which examined the narratives of Native Canadian counselors’ understanding of traditional and contemporary mental health and healing. As a result of this narrative, it is understood that research with Indigenous communities requires a different paradigm than has been historically offered by academic researchers. Research methodologies employed in Native contexts must come from Indigenous values and philosophies for a number of important reasons and with consequences that impact both the practice of research itself and the general validity of research results. In conclusion, Indigenous ways of knowing can form a new basis for understanding contemporary health research with Indigenous peoples and contribute to the evolution of Indigenous academics and research methodologies in both Western academic and Native community contexts.

Transformation of higher education: the transdisciplinary approach in engineering

2003 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Ertas ◽  
T. Maxwell ◽  
V.P. Rainey ◽  
M.M. Tanik
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach

Proposing a master’s programme on participatory integrated assessment of energy systems to promote energy access and energy efficiency in Southern Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 622-641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheddi Kiravu ◽  
François Diaz-Maurin ◽  
Mario Giampietro ◽  
Alan C. Brent ◽  
Sandra G.F. Bukkens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Integrated Assessment ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Energy Access ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multi Scale

Purpose This paper aims to present a new master’s programme for promoting energy access and energy efficiency in Southern Africa. Design/methodology/approach A transdisciplinary approach called “participatory integrated assessment of energy systems” (PARTICIPIA) was used for the development of the curriculum. This approach is based on the two emerging fields of “multi-scale integrated assessment” and “science for governance”, which bring innovative concepts and methods. Findings The application of the PARTICIPIA methodology to three case studies reveals that the proposed transdisciplinary approach could support energy and development policies in the region. The implementation of the PARTICIPIA curriculum in three higher education institutions reveals its ability to respond to the needs of specific contexts and its connection with existing higher education programmes. Practical implications Considering energy issues from a transdisciplinary approach in higher education is absolutely critical because such a holistic view cannot be achieved through engineering curricula. Deliberate and greater efforts should be made to integrate methods from “multi-scale integrated assessment” and “science for governance” in higher education curricula to train a new breed of modern-day energy planners in charge of coming up with solutions that are shared by all relevant stakeholders. Originality/value This paper presents an innovative higher education curriculum in terms of the attention given to energy access and energy efficiency that affect the southern Africa region and the nature of the methodology adopted to face these issues.

Implementing clinical academic careers in nursing: an exemplar of a large healthcare organisation in the United Kingdom

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Gerrish ◽  
Hilary Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Academic Careers ◽  
Healthcare Organisation ◽  
Close Collaboration ◽  
External Resources ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Research Leadership

The drive to establish clinical academic careers in nursing in the United Kingdom has gained momentum in recent years, spearheaded by opportunities presented by the Higher Education England/National Institute for Health Research integrated clinical academic pathway. However, embedding clinical academic careers within a healthcare organisation is challenging. This paper outlines the approach that one large NHS Trust has taken to developing a framework for clinical academic careers in nursing. The internal and external resources that are drawn upon to support the implementation of the framework are outlined and some of the practical challenges of making the framework a reality are discussed. The development, implementation and sustainability of the framework are dependent on professional, managerial and research leadership together with close collaboration between the healthcare organisation and higher education institutions.

scholarly journals The Formation of Human-geo-kosmodimensional Thinking in Engineering Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-96
Author(s):  
Irina Gerasimova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Joint Solution ◽  
The Future ◽  
Training Specialists

Globalisation processes covering a planetary nature, and the planetary community, create new problems of synergetics education. Threats increasing global risks are forcing the scientific community to shift towards cooperation and joint solution of planetary problems. In this paper the author develops the idea of forming a multidimensional thinking, appropriate to the future of civilization. The concept of convergence is used as key to the integration of humanitarian and technological in engineering education. The author develops the idea of transdisciplinary approach in training specialists for higher education. New approaches in the formation of the methodological thinking in the project activities offer, the main characteristics of which will be the ability to anticipate risks.

A literature review on total quality management (models, frameworks, and tools and techniques) in higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naga Vamsi Krishna Jasti ◽  
V. Venkateswaran ◽  
Srinivas Kota ◽  
Kuldip Singh Sangwan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Management ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Total Quality Management ◽  
The Body ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Research Methodologies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Tools And Techniques

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of total quality management (TQM) models, frameworks, and tools and techniques in higher education (HE) over the last thirty years from 1991 till 2020, based on a literature reviewDesign/methodology/approach30 articles from 52 journals were used to perform this detailed literature review. For the detailed analysis, the focus was only on articles related to TQM in higher education and specifically related to models, frameworks and tools and techniques. The study has investigated the growth of research articles, research streams, research methodologies, models and frameworks in the higher education sector and tools and techniques related to those.FindingsThis review addresses the progress and gaps in the application of TQM in HE, including the shift in global research in this area from the USA and Europe to Asia in recent years. The articles have been classified into four research methodologies and two research streams which have been reviewed in detail. The findings include reasons for multiple models/frameworks in HE proposed by researchers over the years and the importance of tools and techniques used in TQM implementation.Originality/valueThis study, which tries to bring a perspective to the main trends in TQM application to higher education wrt models, frameworks, tools and techniques over the last thirty years, is expected to add to the body of knowledge in this area and help future researchers to focus on the relevant areas identified in this paper.

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