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Year: 2021

LU’s new Environment and Sustainability Concentration gives students the tools they need to make a better world

Posted on by Editorial Team

The concept of “Impact with Care” is core to the mission of Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, and its researchers are committed to supporting the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were designed as a blueprint for global peace and prosperity. With this in mind, Lingnan has launched the Concentration in Environment and Sustainability within the existing Master of Cities and Governance (MCG) programme. The new concentration focuses on solving sustainability and environmental problems with reference to the SDGs.

“The concentration gives students the tools to formulate solutions and effectively communicate them to those in business, policymaking, and the government,” says Professor Paulina Wong from Lingnan’s Science Unit, which offers the MCG in tandem with the University’s Graduate School.

“The concentration highlights communication – we teach students the fundamental ideas behind the SDGs, and then we give them the tools to communicate what they have learned to stakeholders in real-world situations,” says Prof Wong.

The core aim of the MCG is to equip students with theoretical frameworks and international and regional perspectives to examine city governance and policy-related issues. The new concentration aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to examine environmental and social issues, such as climate change, sustainable urban development, and social equality.

Most courses are new and have been tailor-made for the concentration. There will be a multi-scale perspective, so environmental issues will be investigated at local and city levels, as well as national and global levels. As exploring solutions to key sustainability and environmental issues requires inclusion of all stakeholder viewpoints, there will be talks by experts from the government, NGOs, academia, and industry.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria are a focus of the concentration. ESG criteria assess a company’s commitment to sustainability and environmental goals, taking account of factors like a company’s stewardship of nature, its treatment of employees, and its transparency. Until now, there here has been no proper training on ESG available in Hong Kong.

“The course will teach students to advise companies how to involve ESG criteria in their strategies,” says Prof Wong. Climate change is another focus. “We offer a short, intensive course about climate change. We want to give students enough knowledge to communicate the issues in a convincing way,” notes Prof Wong.

The emphasis of the Concentration in Environment and Sustainability is on providing students with a broad knowledge of environmental concerns, and this makes it suitable for students from different backgrounds, and with diverse skills and experiences. The in-depth knowledge of environmental and sustainability issues offered by the concentration could lead to employment in areas such as civil service, journalism, project management, corporations, education, and international organisations.

MBA students of Thammasat University receive award at Global Capstone Simulation

Posted on by Thammasat University

MBA students of Thammasat University have received the 4th prize at the Global Capstone Simulation: Spring 2021 challenge after having won the 1st prize at MIT recently. Phuriphat Petdee, Isara Rungvitayakul, Patchara Sukviboon, and Pawarut Nakarin were part of this team.

The Capstone Challenge is the overall business management simulation game competition for organizations. The players play the role of CEO, preparing strategies and making decisions in marketing, production and finance. The scenarios are unlike those in a classroom setting. It challenges students to get practical with their knowledge.

Hundreds of participants from several universities in the United States, Europe, India, Israel joined this competition.

Each year hundreds of leading private companies and universities worldwide use Capstone Simulation Game to develop their own human resources. It is a business management game that also complies with AACSB’s standards in the United States.

Thammasat University wins the first runner-up award for the 2021 Smoke-Free University Project

Posted on by Thammasat University

The fourth-year students from the Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University recently won the first runner-up award for the innovative work “Lung Health Promotion” for the 2021 Smoke-Free University Project organized by the Thai Health Professional Alliance Against Tobacco.

This work is part of the course Special Projects in Health Promotion, Innovative Health Promotion. The team successfully implemented the project with the follow-up, evaluation and expansion plan.

The winning team comprised Kanpitcha Boonkhamchoo, Patima Siripirun, Kornrapak Wiboonthanabat, Surothon Tumprasit, Bongkot Chaokorat, Yada Kimpao, Natchanon Tangpaiboonpongsa, and Kanokrat Sawangsri with Professor Kitrawee Jiraratsathit as the advisor and Pol. Maj. Dr Katiya Ivanovitch as the course coordinator.

Innovation in Cancer Prevention: Bio-robots transporting cordyceps extract

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Researchers from Chulalongkorn University celebrate the success of Active Targeting, a revolutionary innovation in the medical industry using bio–robots to deliver targeted cordyceps extract to halt cancer with reduced side effects.

Dr. Teerapong Yata, Lecturer of the Biochemistry Unit, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, and Dr.  Waranyu Pooncharoen, Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University have collaborated with the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC) to conduct a research to address this question through a delivery system aided by bio-robots to carry the “Cordycepin” to targeted cancer cells more precisely.

Dr. Teerapong explained that taking cordyceps or cordyceps extracts, as they are sold and consumed today, may have benefits in terms of general health maintenance, but almost no effect in terms of inhibiting cancer cells.

“We have to extract the substance. “Cordycepin” and see how it can be brought to the cancerous tissue in the body, as the intestine can absorb very little of it.  Therefore, NANOTEC has developed bio-robots called the “Nanoparticle Delivery System” to distribute the extract to the targeted location where we want the extract to be active.”

The nanotechnology delivery system is one answer to the cancer treatment problem. By bringing the active substance to its target and helping the body absorb Cordycepin better, the delivery system also reduces the chance of drug residue and toxicity in the body.

“There is no definite conclusion which substance in cordyceps causes side effects or is toxic to the body, such as stomach, liver, kidneys, so if we have a conductor to encapsulate only important substances and target the delivery to destroy only the cancer cells, it will help reduce the side effects, especially the toxic effects on the liver.”

Dr. Teerapong explained further that the “controlled release” of the nanoparticles can reduce potential toxicity affecting the liver or kidney.

The research on “bio-robots” does not stop here. According to Dr. Teerapong, “currently, the process of “active targeting” is being studied.  It is the use of targeted molecules to deliver important substances to the desired organs as precisely as possible. This is because this innovative robot of the future is not created to cure cancer alone, but can also serve to encapsulate substance and deliver it to the area that needs treatment.”

Recently, researchers have started to use bio-robots to transport important substances, both medicines, and vaccines.  Different types of substances need different designs which should be done under the guidance of the doctors.  Moreover, at present, bio-robots are being used to treat animals as well, Dr. Teerapong concluded.

New COVID-19 transmission monitoring model developed in Russia

Posted on by OLGA ROMANOVSKAYA

Scientists at South Ural State University (SUSU) have conducted a CFD study for monitoring the spread of respiratory viruses in closed spaces.

According to the researchers, the new development will prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other viral infections in spaces where people study or work, like educational institutions and offices. The results were published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

Respiratory viral infections are transmitted from person to person primarily through airborne droplets as a result of direct or indirect contact. Distances between people in closed spaces do not always offer protection against viruses due to air circulation. That is why the proper positioning of barriers is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of respiratory viruses in enclosed areas.

SUSU scientists have conducted a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study that allows to analyse droplet flows in the air and to determine the effective location of barriers protecting people in a room.

“The approach of CFD is a combination of computer codes and programs that allows the simulation of different physical and chemical processes. It is used in almost all areas of research, while CFD itself is applied in a wide range of scientific fields – from supersonic aviation to bio-energy and others. The study simulates the real situation in classrooms as accurately as possible”, senior researcher at the Department of Hydraulics and Hydro-Pneumatic Systems at the Polytechnic Institute of the SUSU Afrasyab Khan commented.

According to him, thanks to CFD, enterprises will be able to maintain a normal pace of work and avoid quarantine during adverse epidemiological situations.

“This study is a starting point for detailed examination of various scenarios by using theoretical and experimental approaches. Cooperation is planned at both national and international levels”, the senior researcher noted.

In the future, the scientists plan to develop a strategy based on such CFD studies through which, in different scenarios like offices, railway stations, airports, harbours, and factories, SOP’s will be established to work without shutting the operations down.

Is mimamoru, Japan’s hands-off approach in disciplining schoolchildren, worth a try?

Posted on by Hiroshima University

A study examining Japanese schools’ hands-off approach when children fight showed it could create opportunities for autonomy and encourage ownership of solutions, suggesting a new strategy in handling kids squabbles in other countries.

Called mimamoru, the pedagogical strategy is a portmanteau of the Japanese words mi, meaning watch, and mamoru, meaning protect. It’s generally understood as “teaching by watching” — where adults intentionally let kids handle disagreements by themselves to promote learning through voluntary exploration and actions.

“This study aims to understand the reason why Japanese early childhood educators tend not to intervene, and how and in what contexts they do,” said study author and Hiroshima University Associate Professor Fuminori Nakatsubo.

A total of 34 Japanese and 12 US early childhood educators participated in focus groups that used modified video-cued multi-vocal ethnography methods to scrutinize the non-intervention strategy. Their findings are published in the Early Childhood Education Journal.

The study noted that allowing children to experience feelings of physical pain or guilt can be a teachable moment that physical fights do not solve any problem.

The researchers, however, clarified that “watching” doesn’t mean that adults ignore children’s safety. Japanese educators intervene when the risk of physical harm caused by fighting outweighs the benefit for children to learn. This story was first published on the Hiroshima University website.

EdUHK Policy research contributes information for Health Care reforms in Mainland China and Hong Kong

Posted on by eduhk

The healthcare systems of the mainland and Hong Kong face similar challenges of spiralling costs in the face of increasing demand from a more prosperous and ageing population and a surge in non-communicable diseases. Hong Kong government reforms aim to reduce the burden on the overstretched public healthcare system.

The public policy research by Dr Alex He Jingwei, Associate Professor and Associate Head (Research and Development) at the Department of Asian and Policy Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, has contributed to knowledge informing large-scale reforms in both mainland China and Hong Kong and generated public debate.

His work provided a significant reference in a major government-supported reform blueprint for the mainland’s healthcare system, much of it now being implemented in the State Council’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), engagement with policymakers, and media engagement in mainland China and Hong Kong, reaching an audience of at least a billion people.

In the past decade, healthcare costs in China have grown 5 to 10 percentage points higher than GDP growth. Without reforms, healthcare costs are expected to increase five-fold by 2035 and account for over 9% of GDP, up from 5.6% in 2014. Therefore, Dr He’s research has focused on healthcare costs and sustainability in Hong Kong and mainland China.

He has conducted research across three main areas which have played an important role in informing both policy and the public debate: (1) doctor-patient relationships in mainland China; (2) healthcare governance in mainland China; and (3) private health insurance in Hong Kong.

In a survey of 506 doctors in Shenzhen, Dr He found that when the doctor-patient relationship was poor, doctors were more likely to practice “defensive medicine”, involving over-prescription of drugs and diagnostic tests to avoid liability and future medical disputes. These practices have had a negative impact on the healthcare system’s capacity and sustainability.

In his research on healthcare governance in mainland China, Dr He identified how the limited capacity of the social health administration impeded policy reforms, in particular practices desired by policymakers for cost-effective strategic and third-party purchasing of health care funded by universal social health insurance. While the government set up a broad network for social health insurance, poor administrative capacity has prevented the desired outcomes, such as cost containment. He developed further insights into healthcare in mainland China through a comparative review of health financing reforms in Hong Kong and Singapore.

In Hong Kong, spending on healthcare is predicted to take up as much as 27% of the government budget by 2033, as the population ages and relies on the public service for about 90% of inpatient care. Dr He has conducted research to inform the planning of health financing and long-term care reforms by conducting surveys on the public’s attitude to the government’s preferred policy option for voluntary healthcare insurance and their willingness to pay for private insurance.

Dr He’s research in mainland China has improved understanding of areas of the healthcare system that need reform and has had a significant impact on policy design and implementation. A blueprint for reforms, from the high-profile study conducted for the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, and the Chinese Government, “Healthy China: Deepening Health Reform in China, Building High-Quality and Value-Based Service Delivery”, cited six of his articles, making him one of the most extensively cited researchers informing the study. The report has been highly valued by the Chinese government as an important reference for health policy and reform, as evidenced by Liu Yandong, Vice Premier of the State Council of China.

In Hong Kong, Dr He’s studies informed policy debate, having an impact on government and industry understanding of public attitudes to health finance reform, and informing policy making. A senior policymaker at the Food and Health Bureau invited him to present and discuss the findings of his research on voluntary health insurance. Dr He was also invited to brief the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers, a key stakeholder in health financing reform.

Dr He has contributed to improving public awareness of health-reform options through extensive media engagement in Hong Kong and mainland China. His research on the doctor-patient relationships and broad health policy reform options achieved local and international media attention, reaching an audience of more than one billion.

For the full article of the impact case study, please visit here.

Members of the UiTM Faculty of Medicine discuss ethics of collusion in the Asian Healthcare setting at UKCEN 2021

Posted on by leny

Clinical ethics is a relatively new field in the Malaysian healthcare setting. While there are currently limited established clinical ethics services in Malaysia, ethically challenging cases have been brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 pandemic, and new services are expanding rapidly to meet these needs.

UiTM’s Hospital Clinical Ethics Consultation Service (CECS), run by the Medical Ethics & Law (MEL) Department of the UiTM Faculty of Medicine,  was established in January 2020. To remain current in managing clinical ethics cases during the pandemic and as part of their clinical ethics training, the CECS participated in the UK Clinical Ethics Network (UKCEN) 19th Annual Conference, which was held virtually on 18 June 2021.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Ethical Expertise in the NHS” and featured a half-day pre-conference workshop on Disagreement in Healthcare Ethics. The conference featured renowned speakers such as Dave Archard, Joshua Hordern and Daniel Sokol. The focus was to explore the idea of ethical expertise applicable to the UK National Health Service (NHS) comprising training, equal access and how such services could be improved. Parallel sessions were also held to explore ethical expertise inside the clinical ethics committees as well as education and ethical expertise.

Additionally, a team of final year students from the faculty, led by Muhammad Shahril Mohd Taufik and supervised by the Coordinator of CECS, Dr Mark Tan Kiak Min, also presented a poster titled “Collusion in an Asian Healthcare Setting: Ethical Lie or Unethical Love?” at the conference. The other contributing members were Nur Saradilla Othman, Nurul Husna Ramli and Muhammad Shafiq Nazri. Together with other poster presenters from the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge and the University of Leeds in the UK, the team had a good experience discussing their work with an international audience and learning about the role of Clinical Ethics in the NHS.

TPU improves ranks in QS World University Rankings

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

Tomsk Polytechnic University has ranked 395th in the QS World University Rankings 2022 and entered 31% of the best world universities.

TPU improved its ranks in several key metrics in the 2022 rankings. According to the Faculty Student Ratio, TPU entered the top-100 world universities (ranked 93d) rising by 28 ranks. This TPU ratio (16,9 professors per 100 students) surpasses the worldwide average number (8) by over two folds.

Moreover, the university improved two more key metrics: Citations per Faculty and International Students Ratio (30 out of 100 at TPU, meanwhile, the worldwide average number is 9.3). TPU eventually changed its ranks from 401st to 395th in the overall rankings.

The QS World University Rankings 2022 includes 1,300 universities (1,002 in the previous rankings) from 93 countries. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford and Stanford University ranked the first, second and third relatively. Russia is represented by 48 universities, 16 out of them first entered the rankings.

During 11 years, TPU has risen in the QS institutional rankings by 156 ranks and extended its presence in the QS World University Rankings by Subject: from one in 2016 to 10 in 2021. This year, TPU ranked 23d in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021: Engineering – Petroleum, shown the best result among Russian universities.

The rankings methodology is based on the assessment of university performance in six metrics: Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Citations per Faculty, Faculty/Student Ratio, International Faculty Ratio and International Student Ratio.

Thammasat University students compete in John Molson Undergraduate case competition

Posted on by Thammasat University

Thammasat Business School was invited to be a part of John Molson Undergraduate case competition  2021 along with other 28 undergraduate business schools from over the world.

John Molson Undergraduate case competition is the largest international undergraduate case competition organized by the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. The competition is a weeklong event and consists of multiple levels of challenges in both short and long cases.

The team comprised of four BBA students: Kanlyaruk Tantisirivat, Nichamon Pananurak, Nueaprae Doungsri ), Arnon Ariyawatkul. Even though the entire competition was conducted virtually, that did not make the competition less challenge since our team was requested to solve 3 cases: 3-hrs, 5-hrs, 24-hrs long, throughout the week without physical meeting due to the competition’s policy.

The team finished with second place in the division. The team emphasises that apart of the success, they value the  the new skills they learned during the competition.

The team appreciates the guidance and support of their advisors, Prof. Supawat Likittanawong and Dr Worapong Janyanyuen.