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- Engineering Students’ Industrial Internship Experience Perception and Satisfaction: Work Experience Scale ValidationPublication . Nogueira, Teresa; Magano, José; Fontão, Eunice; Sousa, Marina; Leite, ÂngelaAn essential aspect of higher education institutions’ academic curricula for engineering courses is the students’ industrial internship programs. In the literature, it is well accepted that such programs provide valuable learning outcomes and increase the graduates’ employment prospects. Thus, it is paramount to evaluate the internship programs’ quality to identify opportunities to improve their design and implementation. However, that evaluation typically depends on self- designed academic assessment surveys of questionable validity. The purpose of this paper is to assess engineering students’ perceptions of their internship experiences. For that purpose, the validation of a recently adapted version of the Work Experience Questionnaire (WEQ) was carried out on a sample of 447 engineering students that participated in industrial internship programs offered by Portuguese public universities and polytechnic schools. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to confirm the suitability of the model proposed by the WEQ’s authors on this study’s sample. The psychometric qualities were evaluated through convergent and discriminant validity. The results showed that the model fit the sample well, and convergent and discriminant validity was established. The general competencies subscale was the most important for the participants—specifically, the competency of solving problems. Differences concerning the WEQ and gender, company size, and compensation were found and discussed. This study provides researchers in the field with a new tool validated explicitly for engineering students.
- The Impact of Job Satisfaction on the Quality of Life of Formal Caregivers of the ElderlyPublication . Silva, Anabela Almeida; Sousa, Marina; Costa, Alexandra; Gonçalves Martins, Maria Helena; Younis, MustafaBackground/Objectives: Absenteeism refers to the frequent, often unplanned, absence from the workplace. This study examines the interrelations among job satisfaction, quality of life (QoL), and absenteeism among formal caregivers for elderly individuals. With the significant demographic shift toward an aging population, understanding these dynamics is increasingly important. Methods: A sample of 82 caregivers from Portuguese Private Social Solidarity Institutions was used, with QoL assessed through the WHOQOL-Bref and job satisfaction measured via the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). Results: The results reveal that higher levels of job satisfaction are associated with improved QoL and lower rates of absenteeism. Specifically, caregivers with higher satisfaction reported fewer sick leaves and a more favorable perception of their QoL. Conclusions: These findings underscore the need for supportive workplace policies that enhance caregiver satisfaction, ultimately contributing to both caregiver well-being and the quality of care provided.
- Internacionalização do ensino superior: para além da mobilidade internacionalPublication . Sousa, Marina; Nogueira, Teresa; Barata, Ana; Moura, Ana; Félix, Carlos; Escudeiro, Nuno; Costa, VítorA internacionalização não pode ser implementada na ausência do entendimento sobre as mudanças permanentes a que o mundo global está hoje sujeito e o seu propósito deve ser a melhoria da qualidade e dar um contributo significativo para a sociedade. Mesmo na presença de um número considerável de estratégias internacionais, nacionais, regionais e locais que dinamizam a internacionalização através da mobilidade, o número de estudantes em mobilidade internacional na área da OCDE em 2015 representa cerca de 5,6% das matrículas a nível mundial, valor que demonstra que a maioria dos estudantes são-no no seu país de origem. O padrão de mobilidade concentra-se num pequeno conjunto de países, moldado por fatores de proximidade, e os maiores países anfitriões são as economias avançadas de língua inglesa. Proporcionar excelentes oportunidades de mobilidade é fundamental, mas além de oferecer oportunidades para a pequena proporção de estudantes que pode estudar fora, a instituição deve esforçar-se para oferecer, a todos, as competências necessárias para obter sucesso no mundo global. O objetivo desta comunicação é discutir o conceito de internacionalização at-home e a criação de uma cultura promotora da compreensão internacional ou intercultural que não implique necessariamente o envolvimento em programas de mobilidade ou outras atividades além-fronteiras.