Scale and conservation planning in the real world

Conservation planning is carried out on a variety of geopolitical and biogeographical scales. Whereas considerable consensus is emerging about the most appropriate procedures for identifying conservation areas, the spatial implications of conducting conservation planning at divergent scales have received little attention. Here we explore the consequences of planning at different geopolitical scales, using a database of the mammalian fauna from the Northern Provinces of South Africa. The conservation network resulting from treating the region as one unit is compared with networks generated separately for the provinces nested in that region. These outcomes are evaluated in terms of (i) their land use efficiencies, (ii) their spatial overlap, and (iii) the impact of algorithm attributes. Although land use efficiencies are greater on broader scales, on average the spatial congruence between the broad-scale regional network and fine-scale provincial networks was less than 14%. Algorithms using different selection rules fail to improve this disturbing outcome. Consequently, scale has an overwhelming influence on areas identified as conservation networks in geopolitical units. This should be recognized in conservation planning

Information System for ESN Section

Bakalářská práce se zaměřuje především na vytvoření informačního systému pro podporu hlavních procesů Medzinárodního studentského klubu Vysokého učení technického v Brně a jiných sekcí Erasmus Student Network. Práce obsahuje teoretickou část, popis současného stavu, jeho souhrn a návrh informačního systému.Bachelor thesis mainly focuses on designing an information system which supports main processes of International Students Club of Brno University of Technology and other sections of Erasmus Student Network. Thesis contains theoretical part, analysis of current state and proposal of information system.

Ad Fontes: Desiderius Erasmus’ Call for a Return to the Sources of a Unified and Simple Christian Faith

Desiderius Erasmus’ humanism greatly shaped his view of Christianity. He developed a “philosophy of Christ” that led him to seek peaceful reforms from within the Church while attempting to maintain unity. He was a consummate scholar and inspiring figure of his time. Unfortunately, his interactions with Luther did not bring out the best in him, or in Luther for that matter, but there is still much to be learned by modern Christians from Erasmus’ views on reform that can be applied to the modern Church

Harmonious architecture and kinetic linear energy

This is a chapter in a book based upon the work from an Erasmus International Project which took place in Athens in July 2012

Does ERASMUS Student Mobility promote a EuropeanIdentity?

The potential of European student mobility to promote a European identity and,consequently, European integration has long been stressed by transactionalistssuch as Karl Deutsch but was never tested empirically. The EU-funded exchangeprogramme ERASMUS moves more than 150,000 university students annually,and it is still widely assumed it plays a pivotal role in the promotion of a Europeanidentity. Based on the results of a longitudinal survey among ERASMUS and nonmobilestudents I show that reality meets only partly these expectations. WhilstERASMUS enables students to improve their foreign language skills and learnmore about other European countries, it does not foster a European self-identity ora sense of European pride. However, the ERASMUS experience does help Britishstudents to feel more attached to Europe and to acknowledge they have things incommon with continental Europeans.European identity

The Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Intensity and Shareholder Value Creation

Innovation and entrepreneurship have long been regarded as sources of value and wealth creation. Previous research has shown that there is a positive relationship between enterprises’ levels of entrepreneurship and their financial performance. Little research, however, has hitherto focused on measuring the relationship between entrepreneurship and shareholder value creation. In this study the relationship between the entrepreneurial intensity and the shareholder value created by an enterprise is investigated. An adapted corporate entrepreneurship (CE) measurement instrument is applied in order to gauge entrepreneurial intensity, while shareholder value creation is measured by the market adjusted total share return (TSR) and the value based financial performance measure Economic Value Added (EVA). The study is conducted for a sample of enterprises listed in the industrial sector of the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) for the period 2003–2005. The contribution of the study is the focus on the relationship between entrepreneurial intensity and shareholder value creation, rather than purely on the accounting-based financial performance of an enterprise.entrepreneurial intensity, value based financial performance measures, economic value added

Kant and Hegel on Purposive Action

This essay discusses Kant and Hegel’s philosophies of action and the place of action within the general structure of their practical philosophy. We begin by briefly noting a few things that both unite and distinguish the two philosophers. In the sections that follow, we consider these and their corollaries in more detail. In so doing, we map their differences against those suggested by more standard readings that treat their accounts of action as less central to their practical philosophy. Section 2 discusses some central Kantian concepts (Freedom, Willkür, Wille, and Moral Law). In Section 3, we take a closer look at the distinction between internal and external action, as found in Kant’s philosophy of morality and legality. In Section 4, we turn to Hegel and his distinctions between abstract right (legality), morality, and ethical life, as well as the location of his account of action within his overall theory of morality. We discuss the distinction between Handlung and Tat, and non-imputable consequences. The overall aims of our essay are to shed light on some puzzles in Kant and Hegel’s conceptions and to examine where their exact disputes lie without taking a stand on which philosophy is ultimately the most satisfactory.Peer reviewe

Gender gap in the ERASMUS mobility program

Studying abroad has become very popular among students. The ERASMUS mobility program is one of the largest international student exchange programs in the world, which has supported already more than three million participants since 1987. We analyzed the mobility pattern within this program in 2011-12 and found a gender gap across countries and subject areas. Namely, for almost all participating countries, female students are over-represented in the ERASMUS program when compared to the entire population of tertiary students. The same tendency is observed across different subject areas. We also found a gender asymmetry in the geographical distribution of hosting institutions, with a bias of male students in Scandinavian countries. However, a detailed analysis reveals that this latter asymmetry is rather driven by subject and consistent with the distribution of gender ratios among subject areas

Virtual Erasmus - A new chance not only for Europe

Virtual Mobility among two or more educational institutions offers students a virtual trip abroad. There is an opportunity to acquire a number of ECTS-points at one of the foreign partner institutions or through a joint activity which are counted to the student’s degree at his/her home university. This paper is based on the research conducted among ERASMUS coordinators within the EU. The research was part of the MoreVM project which aims at facilitating the virtual mobility, encouraging participation and enhancing efficiency of virtual mobility in higher education. The central focus was on the position of the virtual mobility coordinator, if such exists. There will be an overview of the main research findings reflecting the present situation in managing the virtual mobility. We hope that sharing good experience including the MoreVM project results will increase the development of the virtual mobility which will get similar attention and success as Erasmus physical mobility. Virtual mobility could be a valuable example also for countries outside of European Union.virtual mobility, management, e-learning, Erasmus mobility