Country-level correlates of educational achievement: evidence from large-scale surveys

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 163-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia He ◽  
Fons J. R. Van de Vijver ◽  
Alena Kulikova
2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-103
Author(s):  
Erika Majoros ◽  
Monica Rosén ◽  
Stefan Johansson ◽  
Jan-Eric Gustafsson

AbstractInternational comparative assessments of student achievement are constructed to assess country-level differences and change over time. A coherent understanding of the international trends in educational outcomes is strongly needed as suggested by numerous previous studies. Investigating these trends requires long-term analysis, as substantial changes on the system level are rarely observed regarding student outcomes in short periods (i.e., between adjacent international assessment cycles). The present study aims to link recent and older studies conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) onto a common scale to study long-term trends within and across countries. It explores the comparability of the achievement tests of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and previous IEA studies on mathematics in grade eight. Employing item response theory, we perform a concurrent calibration of item parameters to link the eight studies onto a common scale spanning the period from 1964 to 2015 using data from England, Israel, Japan, and the USA.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward R. Jones ◽  
Michelle T. H. van Vliet ◽  
Manzoor Qadir ◽  
Marc F. P. Bierkens

Abstract. Continually improving and affordable wastewater management provides opportunities for both pollution reduction and clean water supply augmentation, whilst simultaneously promoting sustainable development and supporting the transition to a circular economy. This study aims to provide the first comprehensive and consistent global outlook on the state of domestic and industrial wastewater production, collection, treatment and re-use. We use a data-driven approach, collating, cross-examining and standardising country-level wastewater data from online data resources. Where unavailable, data is estimated using multiple linear regression. Country-level wastewater data are subsequently downscaled and validated at 5 arc-minute (~ 10 km) resolution. This study estimates global wastewater production at 359.5 billion m3 yr−1, of which 63 % (225.6 billion m3 yr−1) is collected and 52 % (188.1 billion m3 yr−1) is treated. By extension, we estimate that 48 % of global wastewater production is released to the environment untreated, which is significantly lower than previous estimates of ~ 80 %. An estimated 40.7 billion m3 yr−1 of treated wastewater is intentionally re-used. Substantial differences in per capita wastewater production, collection and treatment are observed across different geographic regions and by level of economic development. For example, just over 16 % of the global population in high income countries produce 41 % of global wastewater. Treated wastewater re-use is particularly significant in the Middle East and North Africa (15 %) and Western Europe (16 %), while containing just 5.8 % and 5.7 % of the global population, respectively. Our database serves as a reference for understanding the global wastewater status and for identifying hotspots where untreated wastewater is released to the environment, which are found particularly in South and Southeast Asia. Importantly, our results also serve as a baseline for evaluating progress towards many policy goals that are both directly and indirectly connected to wastewater management (e.g. SDGs). Our spatially-explicit results available at 5 arc-minute resolution are well suited for supporting more detailed hydrological analyses such as water quality modelling and large-scale water resource assessments, and can be accessed at: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.918731 (Jones et al., 2020). A temporary link to this dataset for the review process can be accessed at: https://www.pangaea.de/tok/6631ef8746b59999071fa2e692fbc492c97352aa.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-254
Author(s):  
Edward R. Jones ◽  
Michelle T. H. van Vliet ◽  
Manzoor Qadir ◽  
Marc F. P. Bierkens

Abstract. Continually improving and affordable wastewater management provides opportunities for both pollution reduction and clean water supply augmentation, while simultaneously promoting sustainable development and supporting the transition to a circular economy. This study aims to provide the first comprehensive and consistent global outlook on the state of domestic and manufacturing wastewater production, collection, treatment and reuse. We use a data-driven approach, collating, cross-examining and standardising country-level wastewater data from online data resources. Where unavailable, data are estimated using multiple linear regression. Country-level wastewater data are subsequently downscaled and validated at 5 arcmin (∼10 km) resolution. This study estimates global wastewater production at 359.4×109 m3 yr−1, of which 63 % (225.6×109 m3 yr−1) is collected and 52 % (188.1×109 m3 yr−1) is treated. By extension, we estimate that 48 % of global wastewater production is released to the environment untreated, which is substantially lower than previous estimates of ∼80 %. An estimated 40.7×109 m3 yr−1 of treated wastewater is intentionally reused. Substantial differences in per capita wastewater production, collection and treatment are observed across different geographic regions and by level of economic development. For example, just over 16 % of the global population in high-income countries produces 41 % of global wastewater. Treated-wastewater reuse is particularly substantial in the Middle East and North Africa (15 %) and western Europe (16 %), while comprising just 5.8 % and 5.7 % of the global population, respectively. Our database serves as a reference for understanding the global wastewater status and for identifying hotspots where untreated wastewater is released to the environment, which are found particularly in South and Southeast Asia. Importantly, our results also serve as a baseline for evaluating progress towards many policy goals that are both directly and indirectly connected to wastewater management. Our spatially explicit results available at 5 arcmin resolution are well suited for supporting more detailed hydrological analyses such as water quality modelling and large-scale water resource assessments and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.918731 (Jones et al., 2020).


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Barragán-Escandón ◽  
Esteban Zalamea-León ◽  
Julio Terrados-Cepeda

Previous research has assessed the potential of solar energy against possible demand; however, the sustainability issues associated with the use of large-scale photovoltaic deployment in urban areas have not been jointly established. In this paper, the impact of photovoltaic energy in the total urban energy mix is estimated using a series of indicators that consider the economic, environmental and social dimensions. These indicators have been previously applied at the country level; the main contribution of this research is applying them at the urban level to the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Cuenca is close to the equatorial line and at a high altitude, enabling this area to reach the maximum self-supply index because of the high irradiation levels and reduced demand. The solar potential was estimated using a simple methodology that applies several indexes that were proven reliable in a local context considering this particular sun path. The results demonstrate that the solar potential can meet the electric power demand of this city, and only the indicator related to employment is positive and substantially affected. The indicators related to the price of energy, emissions and fossil fuel dependency do not change significantly, unless a fuel-to-electricity transport system conversions take place.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Walter

This article analyses the visibility of European Union (EU) citizens in EU news during the 2009 European Parliament election. It argues that the presence of EU citizens in EU news is vital for responsiveness of European governance. First, the theoretical notion of EU citizens is considered. Next, a new way of defining EU citizens is proposed: EU citizens are divided into national and supranational EU citizens. The visibility of EU citizens in EU news of 27 EU member states is analysed aiming to explain cross-country differences. The paper is based on a large-scale content analysis of TV and newspaper articles gathered during the 2009 European Parliament election. To explain different levels of visibility, a multi-level analysis is carried out. The results suggest that EU citizens are visible in the EU news, yet, their presence strongly varies across countries. The findings indicate that explanations for different levels of visibility can be found at both the media and country level.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha S. Singh ◽  
Orit Abrahim ◽  
Chiara Altare ◽  
Karl Blanchet ◽  
Caroline Favas ◽  
...  

AbstractHumanitarian organizations have developed innovative and context specific interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as guidance has been normative in nature and most are not humanitarian specific. In April 2020, three universities developed a COVID-19 humanitarian-specific website (www.covid19humanitarian.com) to allow humanitarians from the field to upload their experiences or be interviewed by academics to share their creative responses adapted to their specific country challenges in a standardised manner. These field experiences are reviewed by the three universities together with various guidance documents and uploaded to the website using an operational framework. The website currently hosts 135 guidance documents developed by 65 different organizations, and 65 field experiences shared by 29 organizations from 27 countries covering 38 thematic areas. Examples of challenges and innovative solutions from humanitarian settings are provided for triage and sexual and gender-based violence. Offering open access resources on a neutral platform by academics can provide a space for constructive dialogue among humanitarians at the country, regional and global levels, allowing humanitarian actors at the country level to have a strong and central voice. We believe that this neutral and openly accessible platform can serve as an example for future large-scale emergencies and epidemics.


2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 1321-1325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gretchen M. Cooley ◽  
Oriol Mitja ◽  
Brook Goodhew ◽  
Allan Pillay ◽  
Patrick J. Lammie ◽  
...  

WHO has targeted yaws for global eradication by 2020. The program goals are to interrupt the transmission in countries where yaws is endemic and to certify countries as yaws free where yaws was endemic in the past. No new rapid plasmin reagin (RPR) seroreactivity in young children is required for certification of elimination at a country level. We sought to evaluate whether antibody responses to specific treponemal antigens measured in a high-throughput multiplex bead array (MBA) assay differentiate past versus current infection and whether a nontreponemal lipoidal antigen test can be incorporated into the MBA. Serum and dried blood spot specimens collected for yaws surveillance projects in Ghana, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) were run on MBA to measure antibodies against recombinant p17 (rp17) and treponemal membrane protein A (TmpA) treponemal antigens. Results were compared to standard treponemal laboratory (TPPA or TPHA [TPP(H)A]) and quantitative RPR test data. Of 589 specimens, 241 were TPP(H)A+/RPR+, 88 were TPP(H)A+/RPR−, 6 were TPP(H)A−/RPR+, and 254 were negative for both tests. Compared to TPP(H)A, reactive concordance of rp17 was 93.7%, while reactive concordance of TmpA was only 81.9%. TmpA-specific reactivity showed good correlation with RPR titers (R2= 0.41;P< 0.0001). IgG responses to the lipoidal antigen used in RPR testing (cardiolipin) were not detected in the MBA. Our results suggest that TmpA can be used as a treponemal antigen marker for recent or active infection and potentially replace RPR in a high-throughput multiplex tool for large-scale yaws surveillance.


1981 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 105-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison d'Anglejan

Such are the vicissitudes of economics, politics, and Acts of God, that the provision of appropriate schooling for disparate refugee or migrant populations presents an enduring challenge for educators and policy–makers. The challenge is not a new one in that large scale migrations of people have been taking place since the earliest times in recorded history. However, it is heightened in today's world by our recongnition of the critical role which formal education plays in determining an individual's capacity to benefit from and to contribue to the society in which he lives. Such are the vicissitudes of economics, politics, and Acts of God, that the provision of appropriate schooling for disparate refugee or migrant populations presents an enduring challenge for educators and policy–makers. The challenge is not a new one in that large scale migrations of people have been taking place since the earliest times in recorded history. However, it is heightened in today's world by our recongnition of the critical role which formal education plays in determining an individual's capacity to benefit from and to contribue to the society in which he lives. This is as true for Third World countries as it is for modern industrialized ones. Given that educational achievement is a fundamental determinant of social and occupational mobility, it makes sense for the State to do whatever possible to ensure that migrants are provided every opportunity to become fully participating members of society rather than remaining marginal or disfunctional.


2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 69-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
IVAN M. MANEV ◽  
TATIANA S. MANOLOVA

This review maps research on entrepreneurship in transitional economies since the start of institutional reforms. Data came from 129 academic journal articles published between 1990 and 2009. 62 articles reported research on macro (country) level, discussing the nature and speed of reform, credit constraints, assistance programs and the role of small business for economic development. 67 articles studied micro (firm) level factors, but only 14 of them employed data analytical methods to study what explains entrepreneurial success, suggesting a role for networking, industry experience and entrepreneurial orientation. We suggest more research on understanding the context of entrepreneurship, with a special focus on the informal institutional environment and industry structure. Also, future research can explore topics such as strategic agendas, opportunity identification and entrepreneurial cognition, which have been rare to date. We particularly emphasize the need for rigorous and replicable large-scale empirical studies.


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