Die Akkreditierung - eine Leistungsbeurteilung mit System? : die Überprüfung der Qualität der universitären Ausbildung am Beispiel AACSB

Die zunehmende Intensität des interuniversitären Wettbewerbs erhöht die Bedeutung des Qualitätsmanagements. Die Qualität von Forschung und Lehre wird durch Evaluationen er-fasst. Evaluation ist Teil einer Akkreditierung, bei der vor allem geprüft wird, ob die Qualität eines Studiengangs vorgegebenen Mindeststandards entspricht. In der deutschen Hochschul-landschaft gibt es bisher kein etabliertes Modell zur Qualitätsmessung und -verbesserung. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt ein Instrument zur Messung der Qualität von (wirtschaftswissen-schaftlichen) Fakultäten vor. Das behandelte Modell, das AACSB (The International Asso-ciation for Management Education)-Modell zur Leistungsbeurteilung und Akkreditierung, besticht durch seine erschöpfende Behandlung aller mit der Qualität einer Fakultät verbunde-nen Themenkomplexe. Es geht damit weit über eine bloße Evaluation von Studium und Lehre hinaus. Im Hinblick auf Rigorosität und Handhabbarkeit ist es u.E. den bisher entwickelten Konzepten überlegen. empirischen Studie zu quantifizieren

Spatial Patterns of Recent Ukrainian Refugees in Germany: Administrative Dispersal and Existing Ethnic Networks

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, many people have fled the war and left their home country. By the end of January 2023, more than one million Ukrainian refugees had been registered in Germany alone. In contrast to refugees from other countries of origin in Germany, Ukrainian citizens can choose their place of residence if they have either found private accommodation with family members or friends or do not claim state support. However, little information exists on where within Germany Ukrainian refugees have moved and why certain regions are potentially more attractive than others. There exists a substantial literature on the location choices of migrants in general, showing that the existing level of immigrant concentration is an important determinant, while economic factors have a smaller effect - if not in the initial location choice after immigration, then at least in later location decisions. Whereas these studies mainly focus on labour migrants, research on refugees' location choices is still scarce, because refugees are usually assigned to specific places of residence by the authorities in many European countries. In the context of forced migration, spatial patterns may therefore largely be related to administrative decisions. In this paper, we aim to answer the question of the settlement patterns of recently arrived refugees from Ukraine in Germany by using current data from the Central Register of Foreigners. These patterns are modelled on the NUTS-3 level and consider the proportion of previous Ukrainian migrants living within those regions as well as additional economic, demographic, and geographical factors. Spatial regression models show that, on the one hand, Ukrainian refugees indeed settle where the number of Ukrainians is already high. The empirical analyses also indicate a correlation between the spatial patterns of refugees in general and Ukrainian refugees, suggesting that dispersal policies may play a role in explaining settlement patterns. Furthermore, affordable housing and lower rents are important explanatory variables

Treating Persistent Ectopic Pregnancy by Methotrexate Using a Sliding Scale: Preliminary Experience

To assess the clinical utility of prescribing a sliding scale regimen for methotrexate administered in cases of persistent ectopic pregnancy, a prospectively designed clinical trial was performed. Patients (n = 37) previously operated on for ectopic pregnancy by laparoscopic salpingostomy and found to have persistent disease were enrolled into the study. Methotrexate was given intramuscularly at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight, with the number of doses administered depending on the presenting level of serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG). Group 1 (n = 27), levels of 10–1500 mIU/ml, received a single dose; group 2 (n = 5), levels of 1500–2500 mIU/ml, received two doses 3 days apart; group 3 (n = 5), levels > 2500 mIU/ml, received three doses 3 days apart. Patients were followed with weekly transvaginal ultrasound examinations, and serum β-hCG and progesterone measurements. Results noted resolution in all three treatment groups without the requirement of surgery or further treatment: group 1, 19.9 ± 1.7 days; group 2, 35.2 ± 4.5 days; group 3, 49.0 ± 1.0 days. All patients remained asymptomatic, and no adverse side effects from the drug were experienced. We conclude, although preliminary, that a sliding scale approach to prescribing methotrexate based on the initial serum titer of β-hCG to treat persistent ectopic pregnancy is easy to use, efficacious, and likely results in complete resolution of the condition. In most cases, even with presenting levels of β-hCG > 2500 mIU/ml, persistent disease will resolve within 50 days of initiating care

Establishing a pre-clinical growing animal model to test a tissue engineered valved pulmonary conduit

Background: Many valvular pathologies of the heart may be only sufficiently treated by replacement of the valve if a reconstruction is not feasible. However, structural deterioration, thrombosis with thromboembolic events and infective endocarditis are commonly encountered complications over time and often demand a re-operation. In congenital heart disease the lack of small diameter valves with the potential to grow poses additional challenges and limits treatment options to homo- or xenograft implants. Methods: In this study, a chronic sheep model (24 months follow-up), a self-constructed valved conduit was created out of a tissue engineered (TE) patch (CorMatrix® Cardiovascular, Inc, USA) and implanted in orthotopic right ventricular (RV)-pulmonary artery (PA) position. Thereafter, the sheep were regularly monitored by clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic examinations to evaluate cardiac function and the implanted RV-PA-conduit. Discussion: Here, we summarize the study protocol and our experiences during the perioperative phase and the follow up period and explain how we constructed a valved conduit out of a commercially available TE patch. Trial registration: License number: ZH 284/14