Lumina Foundation

This study tests whether women’s empowerment is associated with formal enterprise dynamism in the Philippines using annual World Development Indicators (WDI) data from 2006–2022 (N = 17). Enterprise dynamism is measured by new business density (new limited-liability firm registrations per 1,000 working-age people). Women’s empowerment is operationalized as a composite Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) built from seven WDI indicators capturing women’s economic participation and job quality, autonomy-related constraints, and institutional inclusion (constraint indicators reverse-coded). Using OLS time-series regression with HAC/Newey–West standard errors, WEI is positively associated with new business density in baseline models (β = 0.061, p < .01) and remains positive after conditioning on log GDP per capita and trade openness (β = 0.159, p < .01). Controlling for pandemic disruption yields a large negative 2020 shock (β = −0.089, p < .01) while the WEI association remains positive (β = 0.132, p < .05). Measurement robustness using a PCA-based WEI preserves a positive coefficient (β = 0.123, p < .10), whereas a one-year lag specification provides no evidence of delayed effects (β = 0.002, p = .962; N = 16). Overall, empowerment conditions co-move positively with formal firm entry in the Philippines, while causal interpretation remains limited by the single-country observational design.

First in the Family is a compelling anthology that amplifies the voices of first-generation college students and scholars from around the world. This volume captures deeply personal narratives shaped by resilience, identity, migration, and mentorship. Across diverse contexts—from remote villages to prestigious global universities—contributors share their experiences navigating systemic barriers and cultural expectations to achieve academic success. These transformative stories not only honor the legacy of first-generation learners but also serve as a powerful call for inclusive practices that empower future generations.

Abstract As educators, economic engines, and civic pillars, colleges and universities are essential to the task of responding to rising authoritarianism and reforming democratic institutions to meet the needs of their entire constituencies, especially those who have been historically marginalized. But they must evolve to meet the moment, developing new solutions, engaging new partners, and shrugging off old habits that no longer serve them. In this chapter, I examine higher education and philanthropy as complex adaptive systems. Understanding system dynamics helps explain why philanthropy interested in strengthening democracy largely ignores higher education and why higher education’s efforts have atrophied in recent years. Higher education needs strong relationships outside the academy in local communities, with students and other constituents, and in the broader democracy building movements. Philanthropy can help higher education build such relationships, but private foundations are neglecting colleges in most democracy building efforts. The chapter concludes with recommendations for potential collaborative strategies for redesigning and restoring American democracy.

As photovoltaic (PV) modules continue to evolve, it is important to catch and understand the causes behind new failure modes. Herein, we study n-type monocrystalline silicon PV modules that have been fielded at a utility scale power plant for 5 years, all of which have already degraded to < 90% of the nameplate max power (Pmp). High resolution electroluminescence (EL) and photoluminescence (PL) imaging suggests multiple possible factors contributing to the modules' underperformance, including series resistance issues (Rs) and wafer non-uniformities. Dark lock-in thermography (DLIT) measurements on a selected module suggests two specific module strings have high Rs. We then tabbed out all 60 cells of the same module. Suns-Voc measurements confirm relatively higher Rs values for the cells in these two strings. Multi-irradiance IV scans show the largest underperformance at the cell level for these same cells. This implicates Rs, rather than wafer non-uniformity, to be the largest contributor to the cell and therefore module underperformance.

Higher Education institutions have, in the framework of the Bologna Process, been called to re-define their degree programmes on the basis of the learning outcomes approach. This implies a change of paradigm moving from teacher-centred to student-centred education. The Tuning project was set-up in 2000 to develop — through a bottom-up approach — a methodology to achieve this shift. This methodology proved not only to be relevant for Europe, but also for other world regions, including the USA, where Tuning projects were launched from 2009. In 2010 both in the EU and the USA the need was felt to find out whether the intended modernization of learning was actually taking place and how this process was perceived by its main stakeholders. For this purpose a study was initiated, covering the period 2011 to the beginning of 2016, based on the two-pillar approach of quantitative and qualitative instruments. For the study a robust evaluation instrument was developed, consisting of surveys and in-depth interviews implemented by a research team at a selected group of Higher Education institutions, involving management, teaching staff, student counsellors and students. In this paper the outcomes of the EU part of the study are presented, cross referencing to some of the USA study results. The main outcome of the study is that in general limited progress has been made regarding the intended paradigm shift and that key expectations of the reform Process have not been met. This is both the case for Europe and the USA. Although, good practices have been identified, the actual implementation of the student-centred approach is not proceeding beyond a discourse on the paradigm shift and there is no certainty it will be achieved. For Europe there is also a worrying disconnect between the various tiers of the HE sector, ranging from Ministers to students, regarding the actual penetration of the student-centred approach and the education experience of the students. There has been a failure to engage with and convince academic staff about the necessity and advantages of this paradigm shift. Teaching staff are struggling to adjust to the new concepts and paradigm shift and are challenged by no longer being the “knowledge owners” but rather learning facilitators. It does not help that the vast majority of staff members have not undertaken professional development for HE teaching. Where staff development has taken place, it is too focused on process, rather than the concepts and benefits of a learning outcomes approach. The outcomes of the study should therefore be perceived as a wake-up call because without additional and continued support in particular for the teaching staff the reform process could fail.&#x0D; Published online: 01 June 2016

In the Spring of 2012 a 1950’s vintage natural gas unit located on a lake in Texas encountered multiple condenser tube failures of its Admiralty Brass tubes. Due to time and cost restraints, the option of retubing was not chosen to prepare the unit for the summer run. Instead, the full-length of approximately 5,500 tubes were epoxy coated. This included 1,150 tubes which had been plugged as leakers, but were unplugged and coated using a special leak sealing method of applying the epoxy lining. The coating process was completed in 10 days and all but 55 tubes were sealed by the coating process. These tubes were plugged and the unit was put into service. The unit has been running successfully since the project was completed with no heat rate penalty. The circumstances leading up to this situation are discussed along with the details of the coating process.

In this adaptation of my keynote address at the 2011 NACADA Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, I outline the level of increase in college attainment that must occur between now and 2025 for the United States to remain internationally competitive and meet its changing economic and social challenges. After making the case for why achieving Goal 2025—providing high quality college degrees to 60% of the U.S. working age population—is necessary, I outline how those in higher education can achieve this ambitious goal with an emphasis on the role of advisors in advancing college completion goals for the 21st century student.

ABSTRACT The Kentucky Educational Reform Act of 1990 promised improved academic performance by public schools and greater equity in educational outcomes. The present study relates postsecondary enrollment to school accountability-testing and student poverty. It concludes that nearly a decade after reform began, high schools with large numbers of poor students send a smaller proportion of their graduates to college than do high schools with fewer poor students. Further, impoverished high schools that manage to perform well on the accountability tests lag well behind like-performing affluent schools in postsecondary enrollment. The harmful effects of poverty on education are felt throughout the state and undercut the goals that are embraced by Kentucky educational reform.