Proof of concept - Community Land Trusts

This ‘proof of concept’ report seeks to examine and quantify the progress made by Community Land Trusts (CLTs) now that there are a significant number of homes on the ground. Through the evidence of the case studies it will also look at the lessons learnt

Can price transparency contribute to more affordable patient access to medicines?

No abstract available

Perceptions of pedagogy for employability at a transnational university

The pressure on higher education institutions to produce graduates ready to enter national or international labour markets with the requisite transferable skills to perform graduate level jobs has never been greater. The role of higher education in supporting the knowledge economy by adhering to employability led curricula is, however, a contentious one. Countries need a highly educated and skilled population to both use and disseminate knowledge, and research centres such as universities are vital in the creation of new knowledge and the adaptation of existing knowledge to suit local, national and international demands. While education policy may be guided by national governments and their economic, social and cultural ideals, there are counter arguments to the employability agenda. It has been argued that many highly specific skills can only be developed in genuine work situations, not in the classroom. It is also unclear how or whether the explicit teaching of employability skills improves performance in the workplace. The promotion of the employability agenda could be seen as eroding more traditional roles of higher education, including providing opportunities for individual betterment and the promotion of cultural understanding, liberal views, diversity and open-mindedness, especially where education policy seemingly promotes economic imperialism, and where responsibility for employment and employability is shifted primarily to individuals. This qualitative case study draws on reflections on teaching and learning from students and lecturers on undergraduate degree courses at Westminster International University, Tashkent, a transnational university in Uzbekistan. Using Cultural-Historical Activity Theory as the tool for analysis, this ongoing research is investigating lecturers’ and students’ understandings of employability pedagogy, how employability pedagogy is integrated in curricula of different undergraduate degree courses, and how lecturers mobilise their perceptions of employability pedagogy to construct classroom activity systems

Understanding academic language using the science that makes the news

This article reports on a study examining changes that scientific texts undergo when they are re-written for different audiences. The study tracks the language and semiotic transformations made to original texts as they travel across different spaces and times, and offers suggestions for pedagogical applications in an EAP context

‘Because sometimes your failures can also teach you certain skills’: Lecturer and student perceptions of employability skills at a transnational university

This exploratory study investigates lecturers’ and students’ understanding of the concepts and language underpinning higher education strategies of developing employability skills. While a solid grounding in discipline-specific knowledge and skills is what most graduate degrees aim at providing, employability skills are increasingly becoming an important factor when evaluating prospective employees. Embedding the acquisition of employability skills into higher education courses has emerged as a response to industry demands for work-ready graduates. The forces of internationalisation and globalisation mean that employers the world over are looking for graduates with additional soft skills, abilities and achievements. The context for this study is Westminster International University, Tashkent (WIUT), a transnational university in Uzbekistan. By means of a qualitative case study, the views of lecturers and students were investigated and common themes and perspectives identified. The main findings indicate that although students and lecturers share similar perspectives on the importance of employability skills, the purpose of employability focused pedagogy is not easily communicated to students. Furthermore, students feel that a more systematic approach to recognising and demonstrating employability skills would help them in their transition from education to work

The accidental global professional: A series of conflicts in teaching academic skills in higher education

This article critically reviews the literature relating to the teaching of academic skills in the context of increasing globalisation, internationalisation and marketisation. By situating the author as a “global professional”, this review traces a series of conflicts that have impacted on teaching and professional development. These conflicts are background to a career pathway that has developed in a haphazard and accidental fashion, resulting in a number of different professional identities. By rationalising these conflicts as natural transitions in professional development, it is argued that the forces of global change in education have been pivotal in shaping the author’s, pedagogical knowledge, professional identity and research interests

Lecturer and student perceptions of employability skills at a transnational university

This is an EdD Institution Focused Study which investigates, in a localised context, lecturers’ and students’ understanding of the concepts and language underpinning Higher Education strategies of developing employability skills. The context is Westminster International University, Tashkent (WIUT), a transnational university in Uzbekistan. In the 21st century it has become widely recognised that employability skills are a valuable asset that graduates must acquire to secure graduate level employment. The embedding of employability skills into course and curriculum design is aimed at reducing the perceived shortfall in the ability of graduates to perform tasks needed in the workplace. While a solid grounding in discipline-specific knowledge and skills is what most graduate degrees aim at providing, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) Employer Skills Survey 2011 ranked employability skills as the most important factor when evaluating job applicants. The forces of internationalisation and globalisation mean that employers the world over are looking for graduates with additional skills in areas such as social intelligence, cross-cultural competency and transdisciplinarity. Using an interpretive and constructivist system of qualitative data analysis, this study will generate new perspectives on the concept of employability skills, with implications for practitioners in transnational educational institutions

From Employment to Employability: Uzbekistan and the Higher Education Skills Agenda

This article outlines the origins of employability as a concept related to higher education, and its impact on Uzbek higher education policy. By arguing that the recognition of employability arose out of changes in global employment demands, and is aligned to global theories of human capital, it can be asserted that the topdown Uzbek government driven changes in higher education policy have reinforced the employability agenda. Although it is debatable whether a top-down enforced employability agenda is beneficial in terms of pedagogy, many universities are incorporating pedagogy to develop employability in their programmes. It is argued that ideas of pedagogy for employability can be best exploited if linked to the ideas of pre-professional and graduate identity, and even more so if both lecturers and students understand how learning environments can be used to best effect. Also highlighted is the fact that debates surrounding employability have taken place over recent years in primarily Anglo-Saxon contexts, and that there is a need for research in a more diverse range of higher education institutions, particularly in Central Asia

Noise of a model helicopter rotor due to ingestion of turbulence

A theoretical and experimental investigation of the noise of a model helicoper rotor due to ingestion of turbulence was conducted. Experiments were performed with a 0.76 m dia, articulated model rotor for a range of inflow turbulence and rotor operating conditions. Inflow turbulence levels varied from approximately 2 to 19 percent and tip Mach number was varied from 0.3 to 0.52. Test conditions included ingestion of a atmospheric turbulence in outdoor hover as well as ingestion of grid generated isotropic turbulence in the wind tunnel airstream. In wind tunnel testing, both forward flight and vertical ascent (climb) were simulated. Far field noise spectra and directivity were measured in addition to incident turbulence intensities, length scales, and spectra. Results indicate that ingestion of atmospheric turbulence is the dominant helicopter rotor hover noise mechanism at the moderate to high frequencies which determine perceived noise level

High temperature, short term tensile strength of C6000/PMR-15 composites

Tensile tests were conducted on 0 unidirectionally reinforced Celion 6000 graphite fibers in PMR-15 polyimide matrix. Tensile strengths for coupons subjected to short and long term uniform temperatures were obtained. Thick coupons, heated on one side to produce significant transient through thickness temperature gradients, were tested and compared to the strength of specimens with uniform temperature distributions. All coupons were radiantly heated and reached maximum test temperatures within 15 sec. Tensile loads were applied to the coupons after 15 sec of elevated temperature exposure. Loading rates were selected so that specimen failures occurred within a maximum of 45 sec after reaching the test temperature. Results indicate that significant tensile strength remains beyond the material post cure temperature