http://hdl.handle.net/10174/134 2026-04-03T19:34:08Z 2026-04-03T19:34:08Z Viegas, Gabriel Chico Marta, Ana Fragoso, Rui Cambaza, Edegar Manuel http://hdl.handle.net/10174/40735 2026-02-04T12:32:23Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Refining Sustainability Indicators for Sugarcane Production in Sofala Province of Mozambique: A Delphi Approach Authors: Viegas, Gabriel Chico; Marta, Ana; Fragoso, Rui; Cambaza, Edegar Manuel Abstract: The main objective of this article was to select a set of suitable and priority indicators to assess the sustainability of sugarcane production in the province of Sofala, in Mozambique. The Delphi method was used, and the process was conducted in two rounds with the participation of experts from academia, a sugarcane factory and government institutions. From the previous 68 indicators, a total of 38 indicators—which consisted of 9 environmental, 16 economic and 13 social indicators—were selected. Based on the priority of indicators, the following are the seven main sugarcane sustainability indicators, with 100% consensus: water availability during the entire sugarcane production process, sugarcane yield, sugarcane price, evaluation of the production based on market size and prices, sharing production risks between producers and factories, access to adequate protective equipment and wage satisfaction. Monitoring performance through these indicators can provide decision-makers with quantitative information that can contribute towards a sustainable sugarcane production system.

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Neves, M. L. Varela, M. Fragoso, R. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/40690 2026-02-04T11:04:27Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: THE IMPACT OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS' MEANINGS ON UNIVERSITY QUALITY PERCEPTION IN PORTUGAL Authors: Neves, M. L.; Varela, M.; Fragoso, R. Abstract: With the expansion of Higher Education (HE) in Portugal, the student’s profiles significantly diversified (Almeida, 2007; Balsa, Simões, Nunes, Carmo, & Campos, 2001; Freitas, Martins, & Vasconcelos, 2003). Thus, in the same classroom there are students who differ in terms of previous curricular knowledge, motivations, vocational projects and maturity levels, with the addition of “non-traditional students”, which differs in their perception and expectations about the University education. In Portugal, problems associated with the transition and adaptation of new entrants may be exacerbated. To illustrate the expansion of Higher Education (HE) in Portugal , we resort to three factors that differentiate Portugal from other countries: (i) when, for reasons of the numerous clausus system in accessing higher education, about half of the students do not enter the institution and/or course of their first preference; (ii) when most students do not have parents or siblings in the family with the experience of higher education, showing a lack of information about the reality of higher education and/or presenting expectations that are too restricted or, otherwise, fanciful; and (iii) when they choose courses with less social recognition and susceptible to more easily being abandoned by work experiences that arise (Almeida, Araújo, & Martins, 2016; Alfonso-Gil et al., 2013; Alves, Gonçalves, & Almeida, 2012). Considering the evolution of higher education in Portugal the main purpose of this study is to understand the relation between the meanings attributed by higher students and their impact on perception of indicators of quality. The research methodology contemplated the following instruments and dimensions considered in the Questionnaire of significance () and the Inventory of quality in higher education students. The questionnnaire and the inventory were available in an open platform constructed with the specific purpose for this study, during the months of April until September 2022. In terms of data analysis and treatment, in this study we used the MCRLM methodology (Classic Multiple Linear Regression Model) to assess which variables significantly influence the student's perspective. In addition, the relevance of adapting and validating the Higher Education Meanings Scale: Meanings of higher education: Portuguese version of the Meaning Of Education (MOE) questionnaire (Monteiro, A. & Gonçalves, C., 2015). Given the scarcity of instruments capable of measuring the meanings that higher education students attribute to the training they attend, validation is equally relevant for those two instruments in a representative sample of Portuguese public and private higher education students after the covid-19 pandemic that devastated the world and transformed the education world it even more marked by uncertainty. The mains results explained the validation of those two instruments after the covid-19 pandemic and a positive correlations between students' meanings and the perception of qualitity of higher education institution and the dimensions of “interpersonal Learning” and “social source of stress escape”, “openness to the world”, “Self knowledge” “prepare work”, “Economic Independence”, “Next future step”

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Gomes Neves, L. Varela, M. Fragoso, R. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/40687 2026-02-04T10:48:43Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: A STUDY OF ACADEMIC PORTUGUESE INSTITUTIONS Authors: Gomes Neves, L.; Varela, M.; Fragoso, R. Abstract: This paper aims to assess the engagement perception of higher education students and the quality perception of the respective institutions in Portugal in comparison with the main critical success factors defined as quality criteria for the accreditation. The methodology is based in a sample of 1190 students of the higher education in Portugal. This research is based in education studies considering the influence of student academic engagement in a total of three dimensions on the students' perception of the quality of the higher education. In terms of data analysis and discussion, this study used the Classical Multiple Linear Regression Model methodology to assess which variables significantly influence quality, from the student perspective. As for main results, it is possible to understand the positive and significant correlation between variables of relevance that influence quality from the perspective of students, in the definition of the main critical success factors of higher education institutions.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z Neves, M. L. Varela, M. Fragoso, R. http://hdl.handle.net/10174/40685 2026-02-04T10:47:40Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: THE EXPECTATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS MEANINGS ATTRIBUTED BY HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THEIR ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT IN PORTUGAL Authors: Neves, M. L.; Varela, M.; Fragoso, R. Abstract: With the expansion of Higher Education in Portugal, the student’s profiles significantly diversified (Almeida, 2007; Balsa, Simões, Nunes, Carmo, & Campos, 2001; Freitas, Martins, & Vasconcelos , 2003). Thus, in the same classroom there are students who differ in terms of previous curricular knowledge, motivations, vocational projects and maturity levels, with the addition of “non-traditional students”, which differs in their perception and expectations about the University education. In Portugal, problems associated with the transition and adaptation of new entrants may be exacerbated. To illustrate the expansion of Higher Education in Portugal , we resort to three factors that differentiate Portugal from other countries: (i) when, for reasons of the numerus clausus system in accessing higher education, about half of the students do not enter the institution and/or course of their first preference; (ii) when most students do not have parents or siblings in the family with the experience of higher education, showing a lack of information about the reality of higher education and/or presenting expectations that are too restricted or, otherwise, fanciful; (iii) when they choose courses with less social recognition and susceptible to more easily being abandoned by work experiences that arise (Almeida, Araújo, & Martins, 2016; Alfonso-Gil et al., 2013; Alves, Gonçalves, & Almeida, 2012). Considering the evolution of higher education in Portugal the main purpose of this study is to understand the relation between the expectations and perceptions meanings attributed by higher students and their impact on their academic engagement. The research methodology contemplated the following instruments and dimensions considered in the Questionnaire of academic perceptions and expectations (Almeida, L.; Costa & Araújo, 2012, QPA-EXP) and the Inventory of academic involvement of higher education students (USEI) ( Costa & Marôco, 2014). The questionnnaire and the inventory were available in an open platform constructed with the specific purpose for this study, during the months of April until September 2022. In terms of data analysis and treatment, in this study we used the MCRLM methodology (Classic Multiple Linear Regression Model) to assess which variables significantly influencethe student's perspective. Similar to the relevance of adapting and validating the Questionnaire of academic perceptions and expectations (Almeida, L.; Costa & Araújo, 2012, QPA-EXP) and the Inventory of academic involvement of higher education students (USEI) ( Costa & Marôco, 2014), in the Portuguese context, given the scarcity of instruments capable of measuring the meanings that higher education students attribute to the training they attend, validation is equally relevant for those two instruments in a representative sample of Portuguese public and private higher education students after the covid-19 pandemic that devastated the world and transformed the education world it even more marked by uncertainty. The mains results explained the validation of those two instruments after the covid-19 pandemic and a positive correlations between students' expectations and the performance of the higher education institution, as a continuation of secondary education.

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z