Making Policy, Building Pedagogy II

Abstract: Countries in Asia account for most of the global burden of malnutrition in all its forms. Multiple forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity, coexist, posing a significant challenge to the health systems of developing countries and regions. 2021 Global Nutrition Report showed that progress in addressing malnutrition is slow and unequal, and no country is on course to meet all ten of the 2025 global nutrition targets. In recent years, China has successively promulgated a number of nutrition-related policies. Analysis of policies and programmes of MCN policies and interventions in China allows us to better understand and enhance the design and implementation of intervention programmes. There have been some reviews of MCN policy and intervention reviews in China. However, they were subject to major methodological flaws. In China, no research has systematically explored the relationship between MCN policy and other policies. Therefore, my PhD research is aimed to summarize, evaluate, and compare existing MCN policies and interventions in China and interview stakeholders involved in developing and implementing nutrition policies/programmes, which are important to better understand programmes’ successes, challenges, and improvements needed in China to achieve the nutrition-related goals.

Abstract: Education systems across the globe are increasingly characterised by high demand for quality and effectiveness. This study will attempt to explore the education process in two secondary schools with the intention of understanding perceptions towards School Self Evaluations (SSEs). More precisely, this study will explore attitudes to SSE by assessing teachers’ and headteachers’ attitudes towards items related to the education process. This research aims to understand the potential role of SSE in increasing the quality of education process in Azerbaijan and the stakeholder’s perspectives toward SSE, the participants will be the headteachers and teachers from two secondary schools in Azerbaijan. Focusing on the quality of the education process, this study aims to explore stakeholders’ views about the nature and purpose of SSE in two different schools. To partially understand the differences between institutions with and without SSE, two schools - one privately-run ( implementing SSE ) and one state-run (not implementing SSE). The study is conducted using a mixed method approach. Data will obtain from headteachers and teachers during the quantitative phase of the study with a survey questionnaire, and these stakeholders were interviewed during the qualitative phase. This research will employ non-random sampling techniques for both phases. Covering multiple stakeholders in the sample will allow me to obtain a rounded picture of several issues related to SSE. More specifically, policymakers are in a position to provide detailed information about the intended purpose of SSE, whereas the teachers and head teachers are ideally suited to provide information that would give insight into the strengths and weaknesses of SSE and its impact on the teaching process. In addition to these features, it is worth noting that there is little scholarly work on the way evaluation is carried out in schools both in Azerbaijan and Caucasus region. Thus, this study, by identifying prevalent attitudes to SSE in two schools (despite the issues with external validity), can both help to encourage research on SSE and offer policy recommendations. Indeed, such recommendations could be invaluable for a newly established agency - Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (TKTA) services.