Collaborations Practice Implementation on Education for Sustainable Development in Host Universities of Regional Centres of Expertise, Kenya

The study sought to assess the scope of collaborations practice implementation on education for sustainable development (ESD) in host universities of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) in Kenya as well as the challenges faced thereof. The study was conducted using a mixed methodology with concurrent model of triangulation and descriptive survey research design to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The study established that host universities had made efforts to implement RCE collaborations practice on ESD through creation of new partnerships. Cooperation and coordination among the stakeholders was well supported by the host universities through collaborative governance where stakeholders were involved in decision making. The study recommended that host universities of RCEs should be more intentional in creating awareness on RCEs and ESD through university community outreach programs in order to build capacity in social learning and networking on ESD.

Governance Practice Implementation on Education for Sustainable Development in Host Universities’ Regional Centres of Expertise, Kenya

Institutional management refers to the effective running of different programmes and activities of an institution. This study sought to assess governance practice implementation on education for sustainable development (ESD) in host universities’ Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) in Kenya. The study employed mixed methodology and concurrent model of triangulation and descriptive survey research design to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The target population was from 8 acknowledged RCEs in Kenya. This included 8 RCE coordinators, 270 lecturers conversant with ESD and 150 representatives of partner institutions making a total of 428 respondents. Purposive and simple random sampling was used to come up with the study sample of 93 respondents comprising of of 3 RCE coordinators, 60 lecturers, and 30 representatives of partner institutions. Research tools used were open and close-ended questionnaires, interview schedule and document analysis checklist. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively using SPSS version 23 and presented using tables, frequencies, percentages and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Qualitative data was thematically analysed and presented verbatim and as narratives using MS Word. Mixing and interpretation of data was then done. The study established that despite numerous challenges, RCE host universities had implemented RCE governance practice on ESD through establishment of governance structures and appointment of coordinators. Financial and infrastructural resources were found to be a main challenge in implementation of governance practice on ESD. Anticipated beneficiaries of the study findings and conclusion include the management of RCE host universities, RCE coordinators, Ministry of education and County governments. The study recommended that host universities in Regional Centres of Expertise should initiate innovative methods of raising funds from both government and private sectors to establish a funding mechanism for ESD activities and programs in the RCEs. The appointment of RCE coordinators needs to be removed from the host university Vice Chancellors and a committee of partner representatives tasked with the appointment.

Patient’s thoughts and expectations about centres of expertise for PKU

Background In the Netherlands (NL) the government assigned 2 hospitals as centres of expertise (CE) for Phenylketonuria (PKU), while in the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany no centres are assigned specifically as PKU CE’s. Methods To identify expectations of patients/caregivers with PKU of CEs, a web-based survey was distributed through the national Phenylketonuria societies of Germany, NL and UK. Results In total, 105 responded (43 patients, 56 parents, 4 grandparents, 2 other) of whom 59 were from NL, 33 from UK and 13 from Germany. All participants (n = 105) agreed that patients and/or practitioners would benefit from CEs. The frequency patients would want to visit a CE, when not treated in a CE (n = 83) varied: every hospital visit (24%, n = 20), annual or bi-annual (45%, n = 37), at defined patient ages (6%, n = 5), one visit only (22%, n = 18), or never (4%, n = 3). Distance was reported as a major barrier (42%, n = 35). 78% (n = 65) expected CE physicians and dieticians to have a higher level of knowledge than in non-CE centres. For participants already treated in a CE (n = 68), 66% requested a more extensive annual or bi-annual review. In general, psychology review and neuropsychologist assessment were identified as necessary by approximately half of the 105 participants. In addition, 66% (n = 68) expected a strong collaboration with patient associations. Conclusion In this small study, most participants expected that assigning CEs will change the structure of and delivery of Phenylketonuria care.

Diagnostic algorithm in transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy

Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis is a restrictive cardiomyopathy ((ATTR-CM), caused by an extracellular deposition of insoluble amyloid fibrils in the myocardium. It is a life threatening disease with life expectancy of 2 to 6 years after diagnosis. There are two types – hereditary and wild type. Recent data reveal that the wild type ATTR-CM is a common cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, especially in elderly men. Hereditary ATTR amyloidosis is not so rare in Bulgaria. Five different mutations have been diagnosed, the most common being p.Glu89Gln, identified in 62 unrelated families with 117 patients and 72 mutation carriers. ATTR-CM diagnosis is often delayed or even missed, however its early recognition has become very important as a new drug, which is a transthyretin stabilizer is now available and other drugs are under development. Updated knowledge about the clinical presentation, diagnostic algorithm, available and future therapeutic options for ATTR-CM are a prerequisite for an early identification, timely treatment and better prognosis of the affected patients. The diagnosis requires a multidisciplinary approach with the participation of experienced specialists, multimodality imaging, well equipped histopathological and genetic laboratories. Establishing centres of expertise could improve the management of the patients with ATTR-CM.

Investments in Food Safety Risk Assessment and Risk Analysis as a Requirement for Robust Food Control Systems: Calling for Regional Centres of Expertise

Risk Assessment is the scientifically-based process that characterizes the possible human health implications of hazards found in food. This scientific approach is part of the risk analysis paradigm that governs the food decision-making process. It is a prerequisite for the development and execution of robust and consistent food safety regulatory decisions. This paper reviews food regulatory decision-making scenarios where risk assessment plays a key role. It discusses challenges associated with the access to capacity and competencies from various disciplines necessary to enable risk assessment and overall risk analysis. The paper illustrates the urgent need for the provision of additional support to capacity building initiatives in this area by means of mutually beneficial resource-sharing with the objective to establish regional and/or sub-regional centres of food regulatory science, including expertise in risk assessment. Regional Centres of Expertise may be the answer to provide the needed competencies and up-to-date tools to operationalize food regulatory systems, where food risk analysis is the foundation of decision-making, as advocated by the guidance of the Codex Alimentarius commission. It may also be the response to support economic regional integration, where food and agrifood trade needs to be supported by the removal of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) constraints and through achieving a more coordinated and harmonious food safety standard setting framework, at the regional level.

Educating for Interdisciplinary Competences: A VIVES-Framework

Situating interdisciplinarity in VIVES. Nowadays professionals function in a society that is changing faster and faster. They face complex questions and challenges for which a mere (mono)disciplinary approach is no longer sufficient (Holley, 2017; Spelt, Biemans, Tobi, Luning, Mulder, 2009). For VIVES, it is therefore both a necessity and an asset that students are equipped with solid domain specific knowledge and skills as well as with broader competences, the so-called competences for the 21st century. One of those broader competences is the competence for interdisciplinary cooperation.VIVES is investing a lot in interdisciplinarity. In our VIVES-research (VIVES, 2016), we explicitly choose for interdisciplinary centres of expertise. Also in the lab-approach of education, our make-lab, a care-lab and a simulation-lab are seen as real hubs for interdisciplinarity. In our VIVES-vision on education, we aim to prepare student for the jobs and the society of tomorrow (VIVES, 2014). That is why we so strongly stress the importance of interdisciplinary competences in our policy documents: the VIVES vision on education, the VIVES-competences for the 21st century and the VIVES-framework for quality assurance of our study programmes (VIVES, 2018). Our educational policy plan for the period 2017-2022 points out the necessity to create enough space for interdisciplinary cooperation in the curricula and demands that every study programme is cooperating interdisciplinary with at least one other study programme in at least one course (VIVES, 2017).

The Relevance of Intellectual Capital in Shared Service Centres

In the context of shared services, considering the intrinsic characteristics of the concepts service and sharing, organizational knowledge can assume different levels of relevance depending on the models adopted, from the most conventional to the most recent models considered as new forms of shared services. These are: Centres of Competence, Centres of Excellence, Centres of Expertise and Technical Centres. According to Nonaka, the creation of new knowledge takes place in a continuous process of transformation of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. Marciniak correlates the new models of shared services with the tacit and explicit knowledge. Domingues presents in the SSAM model the concept of intellectual capital as the driving force of innovation and quality service effectiveness. This article, using a qualitative approach and constructivist paradigm, develops exploratory research that aims in new directions and horizons at the confluence of these three models (Nonaka, SSAM and Marciniak) in knowledge management at shared service centres.

Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs), Green Economies and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as Dialogue: Who is Expert?

As a central part of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) from 2005 to 2014 Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) serve as agents of education for sustainable development through multi-stakeholder networks with an interest in the advancement of sustainable societies. In this article, the question is raised about the nature of ‘expertise’ found among RCE programmes directed towards the development of local green economies; and further, the implications of expertise with respect to the practice among RCEs of education for sustainable development worldwide. Regional Centres of Expertise have put into practice a range of approaches to ESD, some based on a knowledge-transfer approach to learning, which positions post-secondary education as well as other authoritative technical and research institutions as the principal overseers of knowledge and expertise; however, social learning through the facilitation, or convening, of dialogue has also been adopted as an approach to learning that is inclusive of civil society and marginalized others, with implications for social and environmental justice.