Living with COVID-19 and Sustaining a Tourism Recovery—Adopting a Front-Line Collaborative Response between the Tourism Industry and Community Pharmacists

While the COVID-19 pandemic evolves and new variants emerge, destinations and cities look to tourism recovery, cautiously rebooting and re-opening borders. Since the start of the pandemic, dramatic lockdowns have been employed, resulting in dire economic and social consequences to the tourism and hospitality industry and creating the need for a more feasible and sustainable response in the post-pandemic era. Pandemic vigilance and resilience at the societal level have become key in pandemic preparedness. However, due to the complexity of managing COVID-19, no clear cross-disciplinary collaborative framework for tourism recovery has been developed. Cross-sector collaboration to collectively integrate resources, capabilities, and experiences should be prioritised to spearhead tourism recovery plans. With insight on public health, pandemic preparedness, and community access, we hypothesised that cross-industry collaboration between the tourism industry and the pharmacist profession is relevant to the measures adopted for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. To examine this hypothesis, this study aimed to explore perceptions from key stakeholders in the tourism and the pharmacist sectors on cross-industry collaboration towards COVID-19 management and the “know-how” in developing, adopting, and advancing such a partnership. This exploratory study adopts and advances the ‘Four Cs’ conceptual framework of communication, cooperation, coordination, and collaboration. In terms of our hypothesis, interview responses with tourism executives and CPs confirm the framework’s suitability and the importance of an interdisciplinary collaborative approach between CPs and the tourism sector to craft a sustainable pathway to recovery from COVID-19 and future pandemic measures as borders re-open and international mobility increases. A tourism recovery strategy from this pandemic can occur more judiciously through a collaborative partnership with an extensive network of pharmacists within communities and popular tourism sites, as CPs have valuable healthcare resources and the ability to track and communicate healthcare alerts to tourism destination recovery efforts.

INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY AND EDUCATIONAL TOURISM. CASE STUDY: ERASMUS PROGRAM AT U.S.A.M.V. IAȘI

Regardless of which perspective is analysed, in or out - going, the educational tourism in the city of Iasi is strongly related to its status as a regional center of educational polarization. Our objective is to analyse and inventorize the evolution of Erasmus international mobilities of “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi between 2013 and 2019. These mobilities, along with school trips, travels for seminars, conferences or symposiums, language schools and educational events shape the educational tourism in the city of Iasi. Our study is based on the statistical provided by the International Relations office of the university. The first step in our research was the investigation of the specialised literature, we continued with the analysis of the statistical data related to this subject and the creation of graphic and cartographic materials. The study area is the city of Iasi. The interpretation of the obtained results highlights a series of transformations, as the increase in the number of Erasmus+ international mobilities. This is a sign that educational tourism has a growing interest from students of this university, being an important element of the tourism development strategy of the city.

Functions of digital learning within the international mobility programme – perspectives of university students and staff from Europe

This paper is based on research studies conducted in the academic community of students and staff members (teachers, researchers and administrative staff) from 16 European universities that focus on digital learning in international mobility. The context of our qualitative study is digital learning during an international mobility scheme when university staff and students do not go abroad for their mobility programme but take courses offered by a partner university from home. By taking the perspectives of both of these academic groups, we aimed to arrive at a clearer understanding of how the digital environment supports digital learning within mobility, ascertain the functions of digital learning and describe the opportunities and challenges that are presented to students engaged in international mobility. Empirical data was gathered using questionnaires and focus group interviews. This study puts forward the assertion that distinctive features of learning in a digital environment within international mobility are systems thinking, self-directed learning and focus on course content. Digital learning environments support motivation to learn, and independence in gaining knowledge. In international digital learning, the online courses of which are characterized by their innovative pedagogical and assessment practices, students and staff become more autonomous in their learning, and more willing to open up to meeting the challenges encountered in various educational settings. Digital learning in the context of mobility means giving meaning to one’s own activity in a digital environment and extension of the course content, meaning oral expression such as discussing and interacting with teachers and peers.

Academic mobility development among university students during COVID-19 pandemic

The aim of the article is to study the academic mobility of students in the context of internationalization of education, exchange of experiences and gaining additional knowledge and skills between participants in the process of academic mobility. The research methodology is to use methods of questionnaires, surveys, interviews among students to study the prospects, advantages, disadvantages and opportunities of academic mobility. The results of the study cover the internal and external mobility of university students and provide an opportunity to assess the dynamics of quantitative indicators of international mobility. Factors influencing the academic mobility of students and graduate students are identified. The types of academic mobility that are the most common among university students are identified and the importance of academic mobility for the success of student learning and future career development is clarified. The internationalization of higher education stimulates the quality of education, the diversity of education, and the free exchange of educational resources. This, in turn, generates opportunities for students to experience a "global village" along with an appreciation for other cultures - one of the many "hidden" benefits.

Internationalization and english language in a public institution

Internationalization is defined as an integration process of international, intercultural or global dimensions with educational purpose and offers. There are many dimensions of educational institutions internationalization from research partnership to international mobility. Among the several requirements for students to participate in exchanging programs promoted by international universities and organizations is English language proficiency. On the other hand the proficiency level requirements can vary according to the mobility programs which set the minimum English level. One example is the SAKURA Science High School Program promoted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) which selected science and technology students to participate in an exchanging program in Japan. In order to be selected, applicants needed to have B1 (CEFRR) as minimum English proficiency level. Thus this study aims to investigate if Brazilian students of an educational institution have such required level to successfully take part in mobility programs. The qualitative methodology of this research includes documents analysis - internationalization documents and English course program - and questionnaires to students and English teacher. The results show that students are expected to achieve B1 level by the end of high school according to the English subject program. However students believe that they do not have such level in speaking skill which would be one of the main skill in JST program. Most of them classify their level in A2. Furthermore the English teacher claims that although some students have already achieved B1 or even higher level the majority is at A2.Thus in order to allow more students to participate in mobility programs the institution should invest in extra-curricular English courses to increase study hours and focus more on developing speaking skills.

Connection between basic values and emigration attitudes of Russian youth

The ambiguity and inconsistency of the data on the connection between emigration attitudes and metavalues spurs the research on the relation between emigration attitudes and basic values. Hence, the problem of studying the deterministic character of youth attitudes to emigration is seen as of relevance. The purpose of this research is to determine the nature of the connection between basic values and emigration attitudes. Hypotheses: 1. The basic values that make up metavalues act as the predictors of emigration attitudes. 2. The basic values constituting the contrastive metavalues of Preservation and Openness to Change are simultaneously connected with emigration attitudes, and the nature of their connections is different. 3. The basic values constituting the metavalue of Self-Affirmation have a positive correlation with emigration attitudes. The study is carried out on a sample of respondents (N = 646) aged 17 to 35, including 78% (504) of women. The research applies the “Scales of Migration Attitudes” (S. A. Kuznetsova, I. Yu. Kuznetsov, A. V. Feshchenko) modified to study emigration attitudes. The study also uses PVQ-21–ESS7 versions of the questionnaire measuring individual values (Sh. Schwartz) which enables to document the degree of expression of values. Finally, the research makes use of the method of multiple linear regression analysis. The results show that the attitude of the subject is the most pronounced one among all other components of emigration attitudes (the attitude of the loved ones, the expectations of the loved ones). Basic values have a major impact on the revealed connections between emigration attitudes and metavalues. For example, the values of tradition and security have a negative correlation with the metavalue of Preservation. The values of stimulation have a positive correlation with the metavalue of Openness to Change. The values of power have a positive correlation with the metavalue of Self-Affirmation. Evidently, young adults are more likely to plan to emigrate due to their personal attitudes and motives rather than to those of their close environment. Attitudes towards emigration are expressed by those young adults who: 1) are less focused on traditions and customs but appreciate security; 2) strive to enrich their lives with new sensations and emotions; 3) appreciate material well-being. The results of the study reveal the factors contributing to the emergence of attitudes to emigration in young adults. The results of the study can be used to predict international mobility of young adults. Additionally, they are of importance for the psychological work with potential emigrants.

Structural Embeddedness in Transnational Social Fields: Personal Networks, International (Im)Mobilities, and the Migratory Capital Paradox

In this article we focus on individuals’ structural embeddedness in transnational social fields (TSFs) and examine how this is related to patterns of international mobility. The main argument is that the structure of TSFs matters for (im)mobility trajectories, and thus all actors (migrants, non‐migrants, and returnees) need to be examined as a whole to obtain a deeper understanding of the role of social networks in processes of transnational mobility. Taking the case of Romanian migrants in Spain as a TSF connecting their place of origin (Dâmbovița in Romania) with their destination (Castelló in Spain), we analyze survey data for 303 migrants, non‐migrants, and returnees, sampled through an RDS‐like binational link‐tracing design. We then categorize types of personal network using an international mobility scale to assess the degree of structural embeddedness in the TSF. An important contribution is the rigorous operationalization of TSF and assessment of the level of migratory capital of each individual. Our results reveal that migratory capital is not always linked positively with high mobility patterns and that its role is strongly related to the overall composition and structure of the TSF.

Psychological Factors of Youth Emigration Intentions: A Review of International Studies

The psychological factors of the emigration intentions of young people, the growth of which is observed today in various countries of the world, are analysed based on the data of numerous international studies. The scientific significance of this analysis, on the one hand, is due to the lack of Russian psychological works that systematize and popularize the relevant information, on the other hand, it is associated with the need to subsequently correlate the results of international and Russian studies in order to identify common supra-cultural and specific psychological factors that affect the emigration intentions of young people. The psychological driving forces of the emigration intentions of young people considered in international studies are diverse and correspond to different levels of personality activity (individual, interpersonal and macrosocial). They correlate with general groups of factors contributing to emigration. The factors reflecting the emerging opportunities for emigration are related to positive attitudes towards emigration in general, the consideration of emigration as a way to achieve significant goals, a low degree of attachment to the country of origin, dissatisfaction with the existing living conditions, and positive attitudes towards the country where young people intend to move to. The psychological factors associated with the availability of social support include the support they receive from their families as well as relevant interpersonal contacts they have abroad. The group of factors related to personal resources for overcoming emerging obstacles correlates with expressed career aspirations, high motivation for power and achievements, insignificant motivation for affiliation, extraversion, openness to new experience, desire for risk, change and new impressions, openness to the world and cultural differences, readiness to interaction with others, faith in other religions and nationalities, self-efficacy, ability to cope with the ambivalence of emerging emotions and feelings, a high level of education, proficiency in foreign languages, and experience of international mobility. The obtained data can be used to conduct empirical psychological studies on the driving forces of the emigration activity of young people in Russia and other countries.