Exploring the best practices of the Youth for Environment in Schools – Organization (YES-O)

Increasing community awareness and knowledge about environmental problems is the primary goal of environmental education. This study explores the best practices of the Youth for Environment in Schools-Organization (YES-O) in selected schools in the National Capital Region, Philippines. A qualitative study involving interviews and focus group discussions directed the collection and analysis of data. The study discovered that the implementation of the YES-O program was successful due to the following best practices: (a) personal advocacy, (b) resource availability, (c) flexibility, (d) integrated school efforts, (e) participatory approach, and (f) monitoring and evaluation strategies, which were all supported by the emerging themes. Meanwhile, capacity building and strong networks emerged as important themes supporting the YES-O program implementation in secondary schools. The schools can continue their practices to sustain the implementation of the program. However, schools should take into account certain indicators that require improvement to enhance their performance. These may include strengthening their networking, linkages, and partnership strategies to better engage and synergize environmental education given the mandated programs, projects, and activities of the YES-O program implementation

Bridging Academia and Enterprise: A Framework for Collaborative Success

Background: University-Enterprise Collaboration (UEC) is an essential aspect of research and innovation involving cooperation between universities and industry or other organisations. UEC can lead to economic growth, job creation, and enhanced research outcomes. However, the complexity and diversity of UECs present challenges in developing a practical framework that can guide the development and implementation of such collaborations. Aim: The aim of this paper is to develop a UEC framework from the key concepts identified in the literature, which can be adapted to various disciplines/contexts. Methods: This research paper is part of an ERASMUS+ project, which aims to strengthen enterprise collaboration for resilient communities in Asia (SECRA). The current paper presents the findings of thematic analysis of existing UEC literature. Results: Thematic analysis of eligible literature (N=84) unveiled four themes and thirty two sub-themes important to UEC. The proposed UEC framework highlights the importance of several structural, cultural, relational and material themes and their underpinning concepts for developing successful UECs. Implications: The findings can inform future research on UECs, guide UEC practice, and provide the foundations for developing successful UECs. However, further research is needed to test the feasibility and validity of the framework in real-world UEC collaborations and to explore the interactions between different themes, subthemes and underlying concepts