Regional migration governance: contributions to a sustainable international migration architecture

Technical and financial capacities of regional organizations ought to be improved so that they can tackle regional migratory challenges effectively and in line with global regulatory requirements. This is not only true for security-relevant areas such as the protection of borders or migration control but also for the implementation of regional standards pertaining to the freedom of movement and, in particular, for the protection of refugees and vulnerable migrants. It also applies to promoting the positive effect migration has on human development. Regional and inter-regional dialogue forums help to mediate conflicts between different national interests and can strengthen the overall coherence of international migration policy. Building up these forums ought to be promoted, the exchange between national, regional and global actors intensified, and the inclusion of civil society actors in regional cooperation formats improved. Regional organizations have developed groundbreaking norms and standards in very different areas of refugee and migration policy, for instance ECOWAS in West Africa or IGAD in East Africa. In the preparation of the global compacts for migration and on refugees, they have so far primarily been able to provide their input in the consultation phase. To give their positions more weight, they should be granted the right to contribute their own texts in the negotiation phase. It is also important to grant them an active role in the review and follow-up process of the two global compacts

The Loupe : tangible augmented reality for learning to look at Ancient Greek art

With the advent of digital museum interactives as a widely available learning offer in all types of museums, including history of art and archaeology museums, an ongoing debate has been established: Do these - usually screen-based - museum interactives assist visitors in focusing on museum objects and artefacts? Or do they distract and take away the attention from the real museum objects on display? We present the Loupe, a tangible Augmented Reality prototype in form of a magnifying lens, which allows museum visitors to get information in context about museum artefacts. We detail the design and content creation process that was employed in order to create a thematic tour for the the Greek Gallery of Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam. An evaluation study with 22 adult participants was carried out, using both qualitative and quantitative evaluation methodologies, so as to explore the utility and usability of the Loupe as well its learning and affective impact. Our findings suggest that the acceptance of the Loupe as a museum interactive and learning resource, was related both with its qualities as a tangible as well as with the structure of the content and the narratives revealed

Municipal Development Policy in Germany: Current Trends, Challenges and Recommendations for Further Promotion

How has municipal development policy in Germany continued to unfold over the last few years, and where do things stand today? What has been achieved, and what are the challenges for municipal development engagement? Moreover, how can German municipalities be further supported in maximising their contribution to globally sustainable development up to 2030 and beyond? These questions are addressed in two complementary investigations: a study by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), and an evaluation by the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval). This policy brief presents the key findings and recommendations of both investigations

Persistent sensitivity disorders at the radial artery and saphenous vein graft harvest sites: a neglected side effect of coronary artery bypass grafting procedures

Objective: The use of radial artery conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is associated with improved long-term patency and patient survival rates as compared with saphenous vein conduits. Despite increasing popularity, relative incidence of local harvest-site complications and subjective perception of adverse long-term sequelae remain poorly described. Methods: To allow for direct comparison, we investigated a consecutive series of patients in whom both the radial artery and the saphenous vein had been harvested for isolated CABG during a 36-month period. Patients were identified from a prospective database that collects baseline clinical information. The patients' own perceptions were assessed by a standardized direct telephone survey regarding any persistent functional impairment from their arm and leg operation sites. Results: Out of 1756 CABG patients during the study period, 168 (10%) were eligible (78% men, median age: 60.1 ± 9.6 years, range: 29.6-82.4 years). Of these, 123 (73%) could be contacted and interviewed at a median follow-up time of 2.5 ± 0.9 years. Surgical wound complications at harvest sites (arms and legs) had occurred in 3% and 12%, respectively, and persistent symptoms (arms and legs) were self-reported as follows: chronic pain (5% and 8%), numbness (32% and 34%) and paresthesia/dysesthesia (14% and 7%). Overall, 39% of the patients reported persistent discomfort at the arm and 39% at the leg. Both sites were simultaneously affected in 21% (P = n.s., paired testing). Logistic regression modeling showed that patients with adverse long-term sequelae were younger (P < 0.005), had a higher body mass index (P < 0.05) and a lower EuroSCORE (P < 0.001) at the time of operation (EuroSCORE, European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation). Perioperative wound complications, however, did not predict persistence of symptoms. Conclusions: Persistent harvest-site discomfort occurs with astonishing frequency after CABG surgery and affects arms and legs equally. Although usually considered a minor complication, long-term limitation to quality of life may be substantial, particularly in younger and relatively healthy patients. Thus, harvest-site discomfort clearly belongs to the list of possible post-CABG complications of which patients need to be awar

Satisfaction-induced travel: Do satisfying trips trigger more shared micro-mobility use?

Most studies on travel satisfaction assumed it as an outcome of travel choices. However, travel choices may also be affected by people's satisfaction with travel. Ignoring this potential reverse effect will lead to an biased understanding on the link between travel behavior and subjective wellbeing. This research examined the influence of travel satisfaction on travel behavior, using questionnaire survey data on shared micro-mobility services in three European cities in 2022. The research findings suggest that travel satisfaction can serve as both pull factors and push factors of travel mode choice. A high satisfaction with shared micro-mobility trips encourages people's future use of these services. A relatively low satisfaction with daily travel also prompts the non-users to try shared bikes/e-bikes as alternative transport modes. Our research provides direct evidence on the feedback effect of travel satisfaction on travel behavior

Regionale Migrationsgovernance: Impulse für eine nachhaltige internationale Migrationsarchitektur

Vor dem Hintergrund zunehmender Flüchtlings- und Migrationsbewegungen befindet sich die globale Migrationsgovernance im Umbruch. Im Zuge dessen droht der Beitrag regionaler Akteure und Kooperationsformate zu einer nachhaltigen migrationspolitischen Zusammenarbeit vernachlässigt zu werden. Gerade in Afrika spielen Regionalorganisationen bei der Steuerung und der Entfaltung des positiven Entwicklungspotentials der Migration eine wichtige Rolle. Sie können Impulse setzen, um die internationale Zusammenarbeit in der Migrationspolitik zu stärken und die Lebensbedingungen von Migranten zu verbessern. Die Staatengemeinschaft sollte dies in den 2018 anstehenden Verhandlungen über zwei globale Abkommen zu Flucht und Migration berücksichtigen. Die deutsche und die europäische Entwicklungspolitik können sich dafür einsetzen, dass regionale Beiträge umfassender einbezogen werden, indem sie den Ausbau migrationspolitischer Kapazitäten auf regionaler Ebene fördern, die Beteiligung der Zivilgesellschaft vorantreiben und regionale Akteure in die Review- und Follow-up-Prozesse der globalen Abkommen zu Flucht und Migration einbinden. (Autorenreferat