Institutional Changes to Embed Citizen Science in RPOs: The Case of UniSR as an Implementer Partner of the European Project TIME4CS

What is new? Institutional barriers and lack of engagement in research-performing organisations (RPOs) may limit the development and impact of Citizen Science (CS) initiatives. In the present case study, we detail the transformative and multidisciplinary approach of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (UniSR) through the European project TIME4CS, showcasing how tailored roadmaps and mutual learning with other RPOs with established support structures and expertise for CS were able to overcome these challenges. What was the approach? The approach involved several key steps: 1) creation of a de novo research organization area dedicated to Research Development; 2) formation of a multidisciplinary core team to implement TIME4CS activities; 3) mapping the initial and final levels of awareness of CS among UniSR researchers through surveys; 4) developing and implementing a detailed communication plan, including seminars, newsletters, articles, and a repository of CS resources; 5) involvement of UniSR students, professors, researchers but also research support officers in the initiatives; 6) establishment of a contact point for stakeholders interested in CS and in active participation in European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) groups; 7) support to the development of pilot initiatives and projects of CS. What is the academic impact? The academic impact includes increased awareness and engagement in CS initiatives among UniSR researchers. The actions triggered by the TIME4CS project have led to the emergence of several new CS research projects, enhancing UniSR's research excellence and contributing to its strategic goals of internationalization and competitiveness. This case study provides a model for overcoming institutional barriers in the promotion of CS and enhancing research excellence. What is the wider impact? The wider impact of the initiatives includes fostering a more collaborative and inclusive research environment at UniSR. By involving researchers, students, professors, research support officers, and external stakeholders, the project promoted a culture of Open Science and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). The activities also contribute to the broader scientific community by participating in ECSA groups and sharing resources and best practices, potentially influencing other institutions to adopt similar approaches

Researcher Development in a Rapidly Changing World – A Strategic Approach for Navigating Disruption

What is new? The rapidly evolving research landscape, driven by technological advancements, shifting institutional priorities, and increasing accountability, has disrupted traditional approaches to researcher development. Higher education institutions (HEIs) and research management administrators (RMAs) must navigate these complexities while ensuring research excellence, sustainability and global competitiveness. In this dynamic environment, RMAs and researchers have become co-creators, jointly responsible for shaping researcher development. A structured researcher development framework (RDF) is essential for systematically addressing researcher capacity challenges and aligning institutional objectives with national and global research priorities. However, existing RDFs often lack the contextual adaptability required for diverse institutional settings. This paper presents a structured roadmap for RMAs to develop a contextualised RDF that is responsive to institutional realities while maintaining global relevance. What was the approach? Causal layered analysis (CLA) was used to guide the phased process of developing a contextualised RDF and to explore and analyse systemic, cultural and structural challenges in researcher development. From this process, a structured roadmap or blueprint for RDF development emerged, based on five key components – the 5Cs: collaboration, co-creation, contextualisation, consultation and consensus-building. This roadmap provides RMAs with a structured approach to developing institution-specific RDFs systematically. What is the academic impact? The study contributes to research management and administration (RMA) by providing a replicable model for RMAs developing contextually relevant RDFs. Additionally, it highlights the role of RMAs in shaping research ecosystems and emphasises the importance of balancing global best practices with local institutional and national priorities. What is the wider impact? The implications of this study extend beyond a singular institutional setting. The phased model presented here offers a replicable strategy that has the potential to be adapted by RMAs in various higher education contexts, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Future research will focus on developing evaluation instruments to assess the effectiveness and impact of RDFs across diverse academic contexts

Global challenges and global skills: Lessons from the revision of a law degree study plan in Mexico

This article presents the intention, process, and results of a recent revision of the law degree study plan at Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), a university located in Mexico City. It reflects on the main lessons derived from this experience, so that its reading can be useful for other educational institutions that pursue similar purposes. The curricular reform described in this article responds to the need for modernization given the characteristics of current legal practice, as well as the purpose of improving the learning experience of students during their degree through effective and motivating pedagogy, in addition to a balanced workload. The revision process started with a solid exercise of international, external, and internal consultations. The proposal derived from this exercise was subject to an open and collaborative dialogue with university authorities and the faculty of the Law Department. This is how the new curriculum is built, with the purpose of ensuring that graduates of this academic program develop knowledge, skills and attitudes enabling them to act as agents of social transformation, perform successfully in the different areas of the legal profession, and respond appropriately to changes in legal systems

Breaking the silence: Empirical insights on encouraging quiet students to speak out in law classes

For law students, actively engaging in class discussions is crucial not only for their learning but also for their future careers. However, research in legal education and my own teaching experiences reveal that a substantial number of law students remain quiet during class discussions. Existing research on why students are quiet primarily focuses on the context of US law schools, which differs from the settings of other regions in the EU or UK. Using two surveys and one reflective practice (action), this research explores the obstacles preventing quiet students from participating in discussions in the context of a Scotland law school and tries to improve their participation in class discussions. The findings reveal that the obstacles preventing quiet students from speaking out differ from those affecting active students. Quiet students are more likely hindered by subjective factors such as social anxiety or shyness, whereas active students tend to be influenced by objective factors such as whether they have prepared for class discussions. Additionally, as the semester progresses, the inhibiting effects of these obstacles on quiet students decrease significantly, compared with active students. These findings imply that strategies for encouraging quiet students should differ from those for active students. To encourage quiet students to speak up in law classes, lecturers should focus on alleviating subjective anxiety or shyness and helping them quickly become familiar with the course setting. In the end of this article, it further discusses the pedagogical value of class discussion for quite students, despite this is not their comfort zone

Research Project Management: Defining Roles and Responsibilities from Practice/Experience

What is new? There is a widespread lack of clarity and consensus regarding the role of Research Project Managers (RPMs) in collaborative research projects, which this paper aims to address. This is the most extensive attempt to define the role of a Research Project Manager (RPM) in collaborative research projects. What was the approach? The paper draws on the authors' combined experience managing collaborative research projects, synthesising insights from theoretical frameworks and practical implementations in diverse research environments. What is the academic impact? The paper provides a much-needed definition of the Research Project Manager's role, distinguishing it from related roles in the Research Management and Administration (RMA) field. It contributes to RMA and project management by offering a framework that clarifies the RPM's responsibilities, which have largely been underexplored in academic literature. What is the wider impact? For research and management practitioners, this paper highlights the critical role of RPMs in ensuring project success, from ideation to execution. It underscores the importance of well-defined project management practices in collaborative research to meet the expectations of funding agencies and ensure scientific outcomes

The art of the possible: Designing a small-scale transnational learning experience for law students in Denpasar, Indonesia, and London, UK

The article reports on the design phase of a small-scale transnational learning experience, bringing together 20 law students from Udayana University, Indonesia and The City Law School, London, UK. We reflect on how our backgrounds and previous experience as educators; the scope and scale of available resources; practical matters, especially time zones; and ethical considerations all fed into the design of the learning experience. Our conclusion is that attention is needed to all these design-constraining or enabling elements, both those which apply to any kind of learning experience and those which are the choice of the educators who do the designing. Our hope is that well-designed transnational legal education will enhance the learning experiences of a generation of students who are living in an interconnected world, within which they will eventually make their careers

Teaching Academic Writing Skills: A Narrative Literature Review of Unifying Academic Values through Academic Integrity

Academic integrity continues to concern educators worldwide. Furthermore, general guidelines for ensuring academic integrity do not seem to encompass all the angles that are required to be taken into consideration when exploring the factors that contribute to multicultural students’ decision to adhere to the norms and values of academic integrity.  This literature review focuses on how academic values can be unified through academic integrity, and specifically explores factors and perspectives of utilising academic integrity to unify academic values when teaching academic writing. The dimensions of academic values explored in this paper are: a) beliefs and attitudes of multicultural undergraduate students and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), b) the value of academic performance in academic writing classes, c) exploring the development of multicultural students’ authorial voice while maintaining academic integrity, and d) using technology to encourage academic integrity in academic writing classes. Over 56 identified sources were chosen carefully to ensure unbiased approaches to the issues of academic integrity and development of academic writing skills. The authors explored the issues from a variety of perspectives. The gap noticed in the review of literature is the disconnection between academic values and academic integrity. The authors make recommendations for future research.

Liberty and the Legal Services Act: The new qualifying regime for solicitors in England

Seeking to assure consistent standards, and to promote diversity, the solicitors profession in England has adopted two different approaches to qualification, terminating in a capstone examination.  One is by a funded government apprenticeship of 5-6 years, and the other is almost entirely open.  Candidates in the latter may in principle choose how to prepare for the examinations and compile the necessary work experience in up to four different organisations.  This article shows how the two routes are characterised by different concepts of “liberty”.  Further, it uses Fraser’s axis of recognition and retribution and Youngs’ concept of oppression, to interrogate the extent to which each is capable of contributing to a statutory obligation to promote diversity in the profession.  Whilst there are overlaps, it concludes that, in principle, an apprentice achieves qualification because of their job, but a candidate in the open route may need to do so despite their job

Exploring the dynamics of collaborative research: Publication trends in the LUE IMPACT projects in France

What is new? This study takes an interest in the dynamics of collaborative research as they materialize through publications conducted within the LUE IMPACT initiative at Lorraine University of Excellence, France, over the period 2016-2024. What was the approach? Using bibliometric data from HAL and OpenAlex databases, it studies publications in terms of co-authorship and with regard to their underlying organizational (cross-laboratory) and cognitive (cross-discipline) proximity. What is the academic impact? The study underscores the increasing number of multi-authored and multi-laboratory publications in the seven projects of the LUE IMPACT framework, as well as the diversity of the disciplinary fields involved. It also shows, however, that disciplinary proximity was by far the catalyst that underpinned co-publications. Narrow interdisciplinarity appeared to be the “optimal level” of disciplinary collaboration; but this equilibrium turned out to cover an underlying disequilibrium among discipline domains. What is the wider impact? This study offers key benefits to research management and administration by providing a data-driven understanding of collaborative research dynamics within institutional initiatives. It equips research administrators with evidence-based guidance to refine collaboration strategies, and maximize the outcomes of funded projects

Review of Chapter 5.19 of The Emerald Handbook of Research Management and Administration Around the World: The Profession of Research Management and Administration in the Baltic Countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania

This is a review of Chapter 5.19 of the Emerald Handbook, focused on Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania