Education

Researchers from Newcastle University, led by Dr Kheng Lim Goh, have developed a cost-effective Cellular Automata (CA) model for predicting marine plastic movement. Findings from model predictions align well with traditional particle-tracking models, suggesting its potential as a valuable tool for assessing marine plastic pollution and mitigation strategies.

A team of researchers from universities in Thailand and Malaysia have collaborated to develop a unique kind of bioplastic sheet that is good for the environment and can decompose naturally. They made this bioplastic sheet using a byproduct of the bromelain industry which used the leftover pineapple stems from agricultural waste. This new type of bioplastic sheet has the potential to be used as single-use packaging material, as an alternative to the use of harmful plastic sheet, contributing to a more sustainable way of doing business and promoting a circular economy.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are ice-free Arctic summers, how monkey malaria gets transmitted, and over 300 new species discovered in the lower Mekong.

A delegation led by President Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) met with officials of Cambodia’s Directorate General of Higher Education (DGHE) of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, in Phnom Penh, last month. The purpose of the visit was to follow up on discussions held during DGHE representatives’ visit to EdUHK in February 2023, and to strengthen educational collaboration between the University and the Cambodian Government.

- Business agreement for implementing and operating a Semiconductor Contracting Department - After recruiting students starting from 2024, those selected as scholars will have the opportunity to join Samsung Electronics.

Dr Daniel Fung King-tat, Assistant Professor at the Department of English Language Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, has written a book chapter entitled ‘Students’ Experience in Online Teaching and Learning: An Investigation into EMI Classroom Interaction, Willingness to Communicate and Classroom Enjoyment’. The chapter, which was featured in the book The Use of Technology in English Medium Education, explores students’ views and experiences by comparing online and face-to-face classes.

This study by Dr Chrysa Keung Pui-chi, Assistant Professor at the Department of Education Policy and Leadership, The Education University of Hong Kong, examined the relationships between leadership practices, professional learning communities, teachers’ efficacy beliefs and perceptions of whole-child development in the context of kindergarten education.

Osaka Metropolitan University researcher demonstrates that social and educational indicators strongly affect the population decline rate. This indicates that municipalities that invest more in education for children tend to have lower population decline rates. Surprisingly, educational indicators have a greater influence than economic indicators, such as the financial strength index. Some Asian countries, such as South Korea and China, will experience population declines as a result of low birth rates and aging populations.

地球外生命が発見されれば、宇宙における私たちの存在意義に変化をもたらすだろう。しかしその探索に関する報道の在り方は、科学者やメディアにとって未だに大きな課題である。

東京工業大学地球生命研究所（ELSI）のサイエンスコミュニケーションコースでは、大学院生が多様な対象に研究を伝えるための実践的なスキルの習得を目指す。

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are glowing worms named after ghosts, bacteria that can create plastic from thin air, and a water source on the moon.

An international team of scientists is helping to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere by exploring different natural fibres and blending the natural fibres in plastics to make light-weight and strong green composite materials for the construction and automotive industries.

· Duke-NUS sleep scientists’ analyses show associations between early classes, less sleep, poor attendance and reduced grade point average. · Studies in secondary and junior college students have shown that later start times can have positive impacts on grades.

Scientists in Singapore converted fruit waste into a solar absorber called Mxene to develop an efficient and sustainable water desalination process.

Scientists from Alliance University, Bangalore, Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, Inha University, Hanyang University, South Korea, and Newcastle University in Singapore have developed a new and straightforward approach to turn used COVID-19 facemasks into potential absorbent materials that can be employed for carbon capture from atmosphere.

An international interdisciplinary team of researchers hailed from India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand has successfully developed a method of using chitosan from terrestrial insects to manufacture eco‐friendly polymer composite parts using the 3D printing method.

Finding extra-terrestrial life would transform how we view our place in the Universe, but reporting on the search for it poses challenges for scientists and the media.

IDRC’s Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar (K4DM) initiative launched its second phase in Bangkok with a Knowledge Marketplace that brought together partners and stakeholders concerned about research and higher education in Myanmar.

A science communication course at the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) in Japan provides graduate students with practical skills to communicate research to a diverse audience.

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) has teamed up with the University of Lapland in Finland to develop digital pedagogy, through the UNITWIN/UNESCO Network.

A team of researchers from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Pahang has successfully developed an electrospinning method for producing Nylon Nanofibres for use in carbon fibre composites to enhance the impact properties of carbon composites.

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) has begun its partnership with Cambodian universities and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in a World Bank project to build the capacity of higher education teachers for inclusive and quality learning and teaching in the Southeast Asian country.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a robotic hand with a magic touch, a solution to reduce the negative effects of screen time in children, and a team charting dung beetles.

Scientists from Oil Crops Research Institute (OCRI) of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Anhui Agricultural University (Anhui, China), Newcastle University in Singapore, and Huizhou Comvikin Biotechnology Co., Ltd (Guangdong, China) have developed a green and efficient approach to synthesize highly liposoluble and antioxidant L-ascorbyl esters by immobilized lipases.

This year’s roster is the third cohort to be inducted into the Hall of Master Academic Clinicians, an honour conferred on exceptional clinician-educators at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre.

In response to the Hong Kong SAR Government’s “Hello, Hong Kong” campaign, the School of Graduate Studies (GS) of Lingnan University (LU) in Hong Kong presents the “Hello, Welcome to our Graduate Programmes” campaign, offering generous support to students coming to join its postgraduate programmes.

Tree rings forecast extreme weather in central Asia, Squid 🦑and chemistry make versatile hydrogels, James Webb telescope reveals the earliest galaxies & Reducing negative effects of screen time. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus our latest journalist resource "Experts for Media: Antimicrobial Resistance "🦠.

Scientists from two Asian universities, namely Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Newcastle University in Singapore, have completed a study to understand how the mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composite laminates could be compromised by moisture seepage.

Dr Wang Cong, Assistant Professor at the Department of Chinese Language Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), has been awarded funding of HK$1.95 million under the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong Joint Research Scheme, to support her project ‘Language Contact and Areal Diffusion of Sinitic Languages in the Greater Bay Area (GBA)’. Parallel funding of about €226,000was awarded to Dr Qi Chong at Université Paris Cité, the co-principal investigator of the project.

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) has won three gold medals and two silver at the 2022 International Innovation and Invention Competition. The winning innovations cover different application areas, such as emotion recognition, EdTech for music and sport, and intelligent public health education.