The International Spillover Effects of Pension Reform

This paper explores how pension reforms in countries with PAYG schemes affect countries with funded systems. We use a two-country two-period overlapping-generations model, where the countries only differ in their pension systems. We distinguish between the case where a reform potentially leads to a Pareto improvement in the PAYG country, and where this is impossible. In the latter case the funded country shares both in the costs and the benefits of the reform. However, if a Pareto-improving pension reform is feasible in the PAYG country, a Pareto improvement in the funded country is not guaranteed.international spillover effects, pension reform

The Radical Open Access Collective: building alliances for a progressive, scholar-led commons

The Radical Open Access Collective launched its new website earlier this week. Open access has always been about more than just improving access to research, and Janneke Adema and Samuel A. Moore here highlight what the Radical OA Collective can offer. A focus on experimentation with new forms of publishing and authorship; the promotion of traditionally underrepresented cultures, languages, and publics; and an understanding of publishing as a relational practice, highlighting and caring for the relationships involved throughout the process, all form part of the Radical OA Collective’s underlying philosophy

Flexible Pension Take-Up in Social Security

Abstract: This paper studies the redistribution and welfare effects of increasing the flexibility of individual pension take-up. We use an overlapping-generations model with Beveridgean pay-as-you-go pensions, where individuals differ in ability and life span. We find that introducing flexible pension take-up can induce a Pareto improvement when the initial pension scheme contains within-cohort redistribution and induces early retirement. Such a Pareto-improving reform entails the application of uniform actuarial adjustment of pension entitlements based on average life expectancy. Introducing actuarial non-neutrality that stimulates later retirement further improves such a flexibility reform.

Development and evaluation of the Measure of the International Learning Environment Status (MILES) in international higher education

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an instrument to assess international students' perceptions of the international learning environment called 'Measure of the International Learning Environment Status' (MILES). We based the development of the MILES on a solid theoretical framework from Moos by addressing three domains to measure the quality of the international learning environment, namely goal direction, relationships, and system change and system maintenance. We have designed and constructed the instrument in three steps. Firstly, we have collected items from relevant existing instruments and grouped them into the three domains via content analysis. Secondly, we applied a Delphi procedure involving international higher education experts from different stakeholder groups and from different cultural backgrounds to identify and reach consensus on the items comprehensively covering important elements of the international learning environment. Thirdly, we carried out an initial questionnaire evaluation. The final MILES consisted of 47 items with 13 in the first domain, 17 in the second and 17 in the third domain. The content of the domains was clearly in line with Moos theoretical framework and we interpreted the sets of items as goal direction, relationships, and supporting services, respectively. This study provides a comprehensive and systematically developed instrument for future research to better understand international students' perspectives towards the international learning environment that are supported by stakeholders from a range of cultures.</p

The development and validation of a short form of the STERLinG:A practical, valid and reliable tool to evaluate teacher competencies to encourage reflective learning

Background: To optimize response rates, it is important to have brief, comprehensive instruments.Aims: We have developed and validated a short form of an instrument for measuring students' perceptions of teachers' competencies to encourage students' reflective learning in small groups (the STERLinG).Methods: Based on statistical and content criteria, the original 36-item STERLinG was reduced to 15 items: three scales with five items each. This mini-STERLinG was validated. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed and internal consistencies were calculated.Results: The instrument was completed by 501 respondents (63%). The original instrument structure was confirmed with 62.6% explained variance. Reliabilities were high with 0.91 for the entire mini-STERLinG and 0.87, 0.85 and 0.81 for its subscales.Conclusions: The mini-STERLinG was found to be a feasible, valid and reliable instrument.</p

Stimulating undergraduate medical students’ scientific careers: the Groningen concept

For many medical students entering medical school, becoming a physician-scientist is not the first career opportunity they depicted for themselves. Most students start medical school with the idea of becoming a professional medical doctor using scientific knowledge in direct patient care and in the development of protocols and guidelines. With the rapid growth of scientific knowledge and the fast development of new medical techniques and treatment options, the need for more physician-scientists is more urging then ever.[...

The effect of sea‐level rise on estuary filling in scaled landscape experiments

When sea-level rise slowed down in the middle Holocene, fluvial and coastal sediments filled the newly created accommodation, whilst others remained largely unfilled because of limited sediment supply. In view of current and future rapid sea-level rise, the question arises how estuarine systems will adapt and whether the land-level rise may keep up. Besides geological data and conceptual models of large-scale and long-term estuary filling, little is known about the filling process during sea-level rise on the decadal-to-centennial time scale that is relevant for society. This study focusses on how sea-level rise affects the morphological and hydrodynamic development of filling estuaries. To this end, scaled laboratory experiments were conducted in a tilting flume facility that creates bidirectional tidal currents and develops entire estuaries. A net importing estuary with sand, mud and vegetation was formed that was subjected to linear sea-level rise. Findings show less of the imported sand was deposited landward following sea-level rise than in an experiment without sea-level rise. The bay-head delta and the flood-tidal delta retained nearly enough sediment to keep up with sea-level rise, whilst the tidal embayment in between drowned except for the highest vegetated bars. Sea-level rise also reduced vegetation survival and sprouting potential, as prolonged inundation increased mortality, negating the potential eco-engineering effect. This resulted in lower vegetation coverage with sea-level rise than under constant sea level. These findings suggest that sea-level rise may cause natural systems to drown even if nearly sufficient sediment is available to fill the newly created accommodation, particularly in areas further away from the fluvial and marine sediment sources. Finally, depending on the sea-level rise rate, the flood-tidal delta may show back-stepping like fluvial deltas, but in the reverse direction towards the sea

pMel17 is recognised by monoclonal antibodies NKI-beteb, HMB-45 and HMB-50 and by anti-melanoma CTL.

Recently, we cloned the cDNA encoding the melanocyte lineage-specific antigen gp100 and demonstrated that gp100 is recognised by three different monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) used to diagnose malignant melanoma. In addition, we showed that tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL 1200) from a melanoma patient reacted specifically with cells transfected with the gp100 cDNA. Molecular characterisation of the gp100 cDNA revealed that the gp100 antigen is highly homologous, but not identical, to another melanocyte-specific protein, pMel17. Here, we report that cells transfected with pMel17 cDNA also react with all three MAbs used to diagnose malignant melanoma, NKI-beteb, HMB-45 and HMB-50. Moreover, pMel17 transfectants are specifically lysed by TIL1200. These data demonstrate that antigenic processing of both gp100 and pMel17 give rise to peptides seen by anti-melanoma cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and are therefore potential targets for immunotherapy of malignant melanoma

A conducive learning environment in international higher education:A systematic review of research on students’ perspectives

Higher education institutions (HEIs) strive to meet international students' needs and expectations regarding their learning environments. Current literature covers a wide range of needs, expectations, and HEIs' responses. However, there doesn't seem to be a consensus about the needs and expectations to be addressed. A coherent theoretical framework may help HEIs identify areas of need and provide additional resources and comprehensive services. We performed a systematic review to obtain an overview of international students' needs, expectations, and experiences regarding their learning environments as described in the literature. We categorized students' perspectives into dimensions. Subsequently, we investigated whether these dimensions related to the three key domains outlined in the theoretical framework and the coverage of these key domains by HEIs. Sixty-three studies were eligible for inclusion. We identified 18 dimensions of international students' needs, expectations, and experiences that could be mapped onto the framework. Based on these results, the content of the three domains could be summarized as goal direction, relationships, and supporting services. Thirteen studies covered one domain, 14 covered two domains, and 36 covered three domains. To provide optimal support, HEIs should cover all three domains. Our study may help to better understand and optimize learning environments for international students