Analysis of sustainability presence in Spanish higher education

Purpose: This paper analyzes the presence of sustainability in sixteen Spanish Higher Education curricula in the fields of Education and Engineering. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology employs two instruments: the Sustainability Map and the Sustainability Presence Map. These instruments enable the following: to analyze the number of subjects that develop sustainability and the sustainability presence level in each curriculum; to identify at what domain levels of the learning taxonomy sustainability is most developed; and to analyze whether a correlation exists between the sustainability presence and the number of subjects that develop sustainability in each curriculum. Findings: A wide variety of subjects develop sustainability in a given degree, depending on the university. The presence of sustainability is more homogeneous in education degrees than in engineering degrees. Education degrees have a greater presence of sustainability in the lower domain levels of the taxonomy, while in engineering degrees the lower levels of the taxonomy have a lower presence of sustainability than the higher levels. Finally, a correlation appears to exist between the number of subjects that develop sustainability in the curriculum and the sustainability presence. However, engineering degrees seem to need fewer subjects than education degrees to achieve the same degree of sustainability presence. Originality/Value: This paper proposes a methodology to measure sustainability presence that can be applicable to the curricula of a Higher Education degree if the corresponding Sustainability Map is available. To our knowledge, this is the largest study yet conducted to analyze the presence of sustainability in different Higher Education curricula.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Evaluación de tratamientos de hidrofugación aplicados a piedras calizas de Catedrales Andaluzas

Five types of stone used in Andalusian Cathedrals have been treated with different water-repellent treatments, to evaluate the effects of this products. The stones studied are limestone, calcarenite and dolomite; the products applied are organosilicones and acrylics. In this work properties related with water access and movement through the stone have been measured and compared their values before and after the application of the treatments.Se han tratado varios tipos de piedra utilizados en Catedrales Andaluzas con diversos productos hidrófugos, con el fin de evaluar las características conferidas por los mismos. Los tipos de piedra son de naturaleza caliza, calcarenitas y dolomías; los productos son organosilícicos y acrílicos. En este trabajo se han medido las propiedades relacionadas con el acceso y movimiento de agua en la piedra, comparándose sus valores antes y después de la aplicación del tratamiento

Characterisation of the fabrication process of freestanding SU-8 microstructures integrated in printing circuit board in microelectromechanical systems

The characterisation of the fabrication process to develop freestanding SU-8 structures integrated in printing circuit board in microelectromechanical systems (PCBMEMS) technology is presented. SU-8 microcantilevers, microbridges, microchannels and micromembranes have been fabricated following the described procedure. Adherence between FR4 substrate and SU-8 has been examined using the destructive blister method, evaluating the surface energy. Residual thermal stress has also been analysed for this integration and compared when using other substrates. Moreover, an estimation of the copper wet etching with cupric chloride has been performed in order to understand how this isotropic etching affects the geometry of the copper structures. Finally, stiction has been observed and examined, estimating the adhesion energy responsible for this effect

A Methodology to Analyze the Presence of Sustainability in Engineering Curricula. Case of Study: Ten Spanish Engineering Degree Curricula

This paper presents a methodology to analyze the sustainability presence level in the curriculum of an engineering degree. The methodology is applied to ten engineering degrees of the Spanish university system, taught in three di erent universities. The design used for the research is quantitative and correlational. The analytical instrument used is the engineering sustainability map, which contains the learning outcomes related to sustainability that are expected of engineering students upon completion of their studies. The methodology is used to analyze the curricula of the ten engineering degrees in order to identify what learning outcomes of the engineering sustainability map are developed in each degree. The results indicate that the sustainability competency least present in all the degrees is the “participation in community processes that promotes sustainability,” with an average presence of 23.3%, while the most present is the “application of ethical principles related to the values of sustainability in personal and professional behavior,” with an average presence of 76.6%. In general, learning outcomes related to sustainability have an average presence of 52.1%, so practically half of the cells in the ten engineering sustainability maps are not developed in the degrees under study

Analysis of integrated mobility in college campus in urban areas

Los estudios de transporte urbano se han caracterizado por centrarse en el análisis de los problemas de movilidad entre dife-rentes zonas, buscando principalmente la minimización del tiempo de viaje. En los últimos años han cobrado gran importancia los efectos negativos (externalidades) que la movilidad urbana gene-ra, entre ellos los aspectos ambientales. La movilidad con motivo de viaje a campus o centros universitarios supone un gran núme-ro de los desplazamientos realizados dentro de la ciudad. En este estudio se describen los patrones de movilidad de los estudiantes, trabajadores y residentes en un campus universitario integrado en un entorno urbano. Se realiza una evaluación del consumo ener-gético y las emisiones de contaminantes emitidas a la atmosfera provocados por estos desplazamientos, y así tener un mayor nivel de concienciación sobre el daño producido al medio ambiente. De las conclusiones obtenidas en este trabajo se debe destacar que aunque existan modos de transportes más sostenibles, menos contaminaste y más económicos, las personas se resisten a utili-zarlos mientras existan infraestructuras que permitan el uso de otros modos más contaminantes y menos sostenibles, ya sea por el tiempo, comodidad o porque les cuesta cambiar de hábitos. Para poder incentivar estos usos más sostenibles, primero hay que concienciar a las personas de la contaminación que están pro-duciendo e igualmente facilitar, incentivar y potenciar los modos más sostenibles; y por otro lado, penalizar los más contaminantes y menos sostenibles• Urban transport studies have been characterized by focusing on the analysis of mobility problems between different areas, mainly looking to minimize travel time. In recent years, negative effects (externalities) of urban mobility have become very important because of environmental aspects. Mobility to campus or universities represents a large number of journeys within city. In this study, mobility patterns of students, workers and residents in an integrated urban campus environment are described. An assessment of energy consumption and emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, caused by these displacements, to have a higher level of awareness of damage caused to environment was proposed. The paper conclusions are that although there are ways more sustainable, less polluted and more economical transport, people are reluctant to use them. Thereason is that while there are infrastructures that allow use of other more polluted and less sustainable modes due to the cost time, convenience or because people costs to change their habits. To encourage more sustainable transport, firstly we make awareness people of the pollution and to facilitate, encourage and promote most sustainable modes and secondly to penalize most polluting and less sustainable transport

Education for Sustainable Development in Spanish University Education Degrees

This work presents an analysis of student perception of Spanish university education degrees regarding their training in sustainable development. A sample of 942 students was used. The methodology consists of analyzing the results of a survey answered by the first- and fourth-year students from nine education degree courses in four Spanish universities. Comparison of the perception of learning by fourth-year students against those of the first year enables improvements in learning regarding sustainability to be ascertained. The questionnaire consists of 18 questions concerning four sustainability competencies: C1-Critical contextualization of knowledge, C2-Sustainable use of resources, C3-Participation in community processes, and C4-Ethics. Two composite indicators are defined to analyze the absolute learning (achieved on completion of their studies) and the relative learning (achieved with respect to what should have been achieved) declared by the students in each competency, degree and university. The results show that students declare an improvement in all their sustainability competencies, although the results of the final learning are far from those expected: they have learned only 27% of what they should have learned. Moreover, the learning achieved in the four competencies depends on the degree and the university

Education for sustainable development in Spanish higher education: an assessment of sustainability competencies in engineering and education degrees

Purpose: This paper aims to present a methodology for analysing the extent to which students of a university degree perceive that they have received a good education for sustainable development (ESD). The methodology enables us to quantify this perception, which, in turn, allows us to determine: to what extent the objectives related to ESD are achieved in the degree, and to compare the learning in ESD perceived by students of different degrees. The methodology is applied to nine engineering degrees and nine education degrees in the Spanish university system. Design/methodology/approach: ESD is analysed from the students’ learning perception. This perception is measured by comparing the responses of first- and fourth-year students to a questionnaire about their sustainability competencies. Two indicators have been designed to analyse the results. The first indicator, learning increase, measures the declared learning difference between fourth- and first-year students. The second indicator, learning percentage, measure the amount of learning as reported by fourth-year students compared to how much they could have learned. Findings: The results show that the average learning percentage perceived by students is higher in engineering degrees (33%) than in education degrees (27%), despite the fact that the average learning increase declared by students at the end of their studies in both areas of knowledge is similar (66%). Engineering students report having achieved higher learning than education students in all sustainability competencies, with the exception of ethics. Originality/value: This paper analyses ESD from the student’s perspective. Furthermore, to the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study that compares the perception of ESD between engineering and education students. This comparison allows us to determine the different approaches that university Professors take to ESD according to the discipline they teach.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under Grant EDU2015-65574-R, and by Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) under grant number RTI2018-094982-B-I00, from study design to submission.Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::4 - Educació de QualitatPostprint (author's final draft

Calculation Method for Equilibrium Points in Dynamical Systems Based on Adaptive Sinchronization

[ES] En este trabajo se propone un sistema de control equivalente a un método numérico para el cálculo de los puntos de equilibrio de sistemas dinámicos, donde dichos equilibrios pueden ser empleados como señal de referencia en diversas técnicas de control. El procedimiento propuesto está basado en la sincronización adaptativa entre un oscilador y un modelo de referencia conducido por las variables de estado del oscilador. Se realiza un análisis de estabilidad y se propone un algoritmo de cálculo simplificado. Finalmente, se muestran resultados satisfactorios de simulación numérica.[EN] In this work, a control system is proposed as an equivalent numerical procedure whose aim is to obtain the natural equilibrium points of a dynamical system. These equilibrium points may be employed later as setpoint signal for different control techniques. The proposed procedure is based on the adaptive synchronization between an oscillator and a reference model driven by the oscillator state variables. A stability analysis is carried out and a simplified algorithm is proposed. Finally, satisfactory simulation results are shown.Prian Rodríguez, M.; López Sánchez, MJ.; Moreno Verdulla, JF. (2017). Método para Cálculo de Puntos de Equilibrio en Sistemas Dinámicos Basado en Sincronización Adaptativa. Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática industrial. 15(1):79-85. https://doi.org/10.4995/riai.2017.8845OJS7985151Alligood, K.T., Sauer, T. & Yorke, J.A., 1997. "Chaos: An Introduction to Dynamical Systems", Springer, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59281-2Astrom, J., Wittenmark B., 2002. "Adaptive Control". Addison Wesley.Axelsson, O. 1996. "Iterative solution methods". Ed. Cambridge University.Axelsson, O. 2010. "Milestones in the Development of Iterative Solution Methods". Hindawi Publishing Corporation. Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering.Volume, Article ID 972794, 33 pages.Barlas, Y., Yasarcan H., 2001. "A Method for Finding Equilibrium Points of a Non-Linear Dynamic" Model. 2001. The 19th International System Dynamics Conference. Atlanta, Georgia, USA.Broyden, C. G. 1965. "A class of methods for solving nonlinear simultaneous equations". Mathematics of Computation, 19, págs. 577-593.Conde, C., Winter, G., 1990. "Métodos y Algoritmos Básicos del Álgebra Numérica". Ed.: Reverté.Fletcher, R., 1987. "Practical methods of Optimization". Ed. John Wiley and Sons.González, R., Prian, M., Fernández, M.A. Rojas, J. L., Romero, E., 2005. "A symmetric piecewise-linear chaotic system with a single equilibrium Point". International journal of bifurcation and chaos, vol. 15, no. 4 pp. 1411-1415. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218127405012612Guckenheinmer, J., Holmes, P., 1983. "No linear oscillations, Dynamical Systems and Bifurcatios of Vector Fields". Springer-Verlang, New York.Khalil H. K., 2002, "Nonlinear Systems". Prentice Hall.Kincaid, D., Cheney W., 1994. "Análisis numérico. Las matemáticas del cálculo científico". Ed. Addison-Wesley Iberoamericana.Krishchenko, Alexander P., 1995. "Stabilization of equilibrium points of chaotic system" Physics Letters A, 203, 350-356. https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9601(95)00454-BLópez, M. J., Verdulla F. M., Prian, M., 2007. "Chaos control based on nonlinear state feedback and linear H-infinity controller synthesis". WSEAS Transactions on Systems. Issue 1, vol. 6, pp. 68-75, ISSN 1109-2777.Lorenz, E. N., 1963. "Deterministic non periodic flow". Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, vol. 20 pp. 130-141. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0469(1963)0202.0.CO;2Pecora, L.M., Carrol, T. L., 1990. "Synchronization in chaotic systems". Phys. Rev. Lett., pp. 821-824. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.64.821Rössler O. E., 1979. "Continuous chaos - four prototype equations". Annals New York, Acad Sci; 316:376-92. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1979.tb29482.xSundarapandian, V., 2011. "Adaptive control and synchronization of Rössler prototype-4 system". International Journal of advances information Technology (IJAIT), Vol. 1, No. 5

Physical Activity Programmes in the Treatment of Addictions: A Systematic Review

Background: The scientific literature was reviewed with the aim of determining the current state of the research on relationships between physical activity programmes and addiction treatment. Methods: The search was carried out in the WOS, Scopus and PubMed databases, restricting the publication language to English and Spanish, and it was limited to studies conducted in the last 5 years, i.e., between 1 January 2016 and 31 November 2021, selecting only open-access articles with physical activity programmes for the treatment of addictions to harmful substances. Results: Of the 38 initial articles selected, a total of 10 articles were ultimately included, as they met the established eligibility criteria after performing a more exhaustive analysis. The results show a positive relationship between physical activity and adherence to addiction cessation treatment. Conclusions: Physical activity has been incorporated into coadjuvant treatments in combination with other pharmacological or behavioural treatments. These results strengthen the importance of promoting physical activity in rehabilitation and substance-withdrawal treatments. Complementarily, physical activity programmes improve other health variables that influence the quality of life, such as sleep quality and mood, and reduce the risk of social exclusion. Physical activity also directly reduces a sedentary lifestyle, which is responsible for more than 40 diseases and chronic disorder