Purpose: This study aims to properly and objectively assess the students' study progress in bachelor programmes by applying statistical process control (SPC). Specifically, the authors focused their analysis on the variation in performance rates in business studies courses taught at a Spanish University. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative…

The issue of renewable energy sources that have great potential to give solutions to the longstanding energy problems of India has been considered. It has been stated that renewable energy sources are an important part of India's plan to increase energy security and provide new generation with ample job opportunities. India's plans to move towards…

Interest is growing in educational designs that blend MOOCs with on-campus teaching and researchers are seeking to incorporate the spirit of a MOOC into a hybrid model. This article reports on the current experience of a higher education institution embarking on blended learning models. The aim of this article is to present a case study and to…

Research into the acquisition of generic competences was carried out with the undergraduate social science programmes offered by the Ramon Llull University, Barcelona (Spain). For these programmes an innovative methodology called "cross-course seminars" has been developed. Its focus is, amongst others, on developing generic competences.…

In Europe, under the roof of the Bologna process, the emerging concept of the "knowledge-based society" has its pillars in the so-called European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the European Research Area (ERA). This new kind of society demands a new role for the universities and associated stakeholders, and could provide an ideal…

This paper presents the main functions that university plays in society and describes the seminar methodology created at Ramon Llull University. Specifically the article focuses on and explains how seminars help to promote complex knowledge in students. An empirical study with students participating in seminars is designed to assess the…

The authors carried out a 4-year qualitative analysis of a case study in higher education. An undergraduate course based on the principles of computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) was designed, implemented, and evaluated. The process was developed by a community of practice, formed by quite a number of researchers coming from the…

This study on reforms and new trends in medical undergraduate education in Europe consists of nine national reports. In these reports prominent medical educators assess the current situation in their respective home countries: Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. In…

Describes the evolution of a course concerning the role of Spain in the Americas. Suggests that Spain has had a strong influence on the region. Explains that students participated unexpectedly well within the course's discussion seminar format. Includes an appendix setting out assigned readings and a course syllabus. (SG)

This article summarizes results of a 1989 comparative survey of undergraduate education in five European countries, in terms of structures, organization and content of courses, admissions policies, access to education, and trends and prospects in student numbers. The countries reviewed were the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom,…

The University of the Balearic Islands (Spain) has continued in recent years to extend and broaden its efforts in the revitalization of its undergraduate education program. The University's location (it covers three different islands) makes it a particularly appropriate testbed for examining the application of information technologies to…

This study examined the predictive factors of demand for degrees and academic performance at the University of the Basque Country (Spain). The study followed two cohorts of university students from secondary education to the completion of the third year of higher education. The data analyzed included secondary school qualifications, selectivity…

The major results of a World Health Organization consultation meeting which was organized to examine ways and means of improving the status of substance abuse education for health professionals in some European countries is presented. Conference participants included researchers, psychiatrists, advisers, clinicians, health administrators, and…

The Reform of Secondary Education carried out in Spain in recent years has given rise to an increased number of options for students. This study empirically analyzed the consistency between options chosen by students in secondary education and the later demand for degrees at the higher education level. The sample consisted of two cohorts of…