Economic literacy among beginning higher education economics students in Japan and Germany and its socio-demographic influencing factors

In view of cross-national student mobility and increasing internationalization of the labor market, a common understanding of economic concepts as well as awareness for country-specific factors influencing economics education is essential. Therefore, the development of instruments that allow for comparable investigation across countries is crucial. The present study describes economic education in Japan and Germany and explores the specific conditions for access to higher education in each country. On this basis, we examine the level of economic literacy (using TEL-IV) at the beginning of higher education among 232 German and 198 Japanese students of Business & Economics and the impact of personal influencing factors thereon. Overall, comparable entry levels can be observed, whereby each student group shows different response patterns. Predicting economic literacy, primarily gender and interest reach significance. A final outlook regarding the significance of cross-national studies is given, taking limitations and implications of this study into account.

Internationalization Policies and Strategies From the Comparative Standpoint of Student Mobility in Slovenian and Turkish Higher Education

This chapter explores the development and implementation of internationalization policies, strategies, and practices from the standpoint of student mobility. It considers Slovenia and Turkey as the two countries forming the European Higher Education Area which have not received much attention from comparative researchers dealing with higher education. To this end, it initially investigates each country case individually by analyzing student mobility in national and institutional internationalization policies and strategies and its implementation in practice. On this basis, it provides the necessary background for the continuing debate, in which it evaluates the main similarities and differences in the field from the comparative perspective of both countries examined. Methodologically, the chapter is based on a thorough analysis of multiple documentary sources and most recent secondary data obtained from national and international statistical databases.

The Main Problem Areas of International University Students: A Qualitative Analysis on Azerbaijan Students

The international student mobility, aiming to create and sustain international integration has been an essential part of the education market in the 21st century. However, while such international student exchange programs contribute to the students and the cities hosting them, they bring along some problems. The aim of this study is to identify the main problem areas that international university students are likely to encounter. By applying the qualitative research method, the phenomenological research design was used in the study since it aims to reveal the problems of students based on their individual experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with the Azerbaijani students studying at Akdeniz University selected as the research sample, which were then descriptively analyzed. The main problems were identified as “economic problems, inability to understand the local language, problems with accommodation, feeling cheated and intimidated, being inexperienced, lack of knowledge about the formal procedures, cultural diversity, lack of support, and exclusion”. The problems regarding finance and accommodation emerged as the most frequently mentioned problems. The main strategies to overcome these problems are also discussed.

A Review of the Current and Emerging Trends of Higher Education Institutions in Developing Countries

Higher education in developing countries is experiencing and embracing changes due to globalization and market development and advancement. In this regard, a review of existing works related to the current status and emerging trends of higher education institutions is useful to provide insight on the current researches. The paper is divided into several sections of the review. A general understanding of the context of higher education, the impact of globalization and higher education in developing countries are highlighted in this review. The paper provides a discussion, and a review of the challenges higher education institutions face in the Malaysian context as a developing country. Literature on the challenges related to student mobility, the academic profession, and information and communication technologies are presented. The fundamental challenges have made it possible to understand the state of higher education and stimulate further research, growth and development for the nation.

Pandemic: Legal and Social Response

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the world and accelerated processes that could have taken decades without a pandemic. In this paper, the authors discuss the public and government responses to the new normal, nowadays reality, and most importantly, the legal regulations that have been enacted in different countries in response to the challenges. The paper discusses in detail issues related to security measures, social distance, gender issues, abortion, education and student mobility, employment, and entrepreneurship. A pandemic that has survived more than a year needs to be addressed. The decision-makers made efforts to create a provision for the influenza virus after it became prominent in society. The intention is not to be pessimistic but to be optimistic enough to create provisions for the future. Countries are aiming to achieve their commitments to recover from the pandemic. A pandemic demands a legal response as well as a social response. The research paper aimed to divert the attention of the readers to the untouched aspects of the law that are related to emergency situations, including pandemics. In the paper, we discuss the paradox of the pandemic, lockdown, and post-lock- down situations, as well as protests/riots, gender-based violence, healthcare, and education topics related to the changes that have taken place due to the pandemic.

Intercultural exchanges among pre-service teachers in Israel and Sweden as a path of introduction into the epistemology and practice of teaching

This paper presents the outcomes of a short intercultural exchange project involving pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher training establishments in Sweden and Israel. The project comprised three online meetings recorded in Zoom in which student teachers gave feedback on each other’s project assignments involving lesson planning and the use of spoken English in the classroom. The sessions were moderated by a highly experienced teacher trainer with contributions from other teacher trainers in the institutions involved. With restrictions imposed on physical meetings and student mobility by the Covid-19 pandemic, the exchange helped to shed light on a number of perennial issues in English language teaching methodology and offers a feasible model for future sustainable virtual exchanges in EFL teacher training.