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In this article, we explore the drivers of students' success in a first-year university statistics course. Using a unique sample from Westminster International University in Tashkent, we discover that student engagement with their studies is reflected in their class attendance and in the use of online resources, which continue to play an important role in their academic performance. Moreover, we discovered that socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, employment, and language of instruction of prior schooling are significant in explaining student academic outcomes. These factors have important policy implications for both the university and the broader national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-communist transition of urban public transport in Eastern Europe and Central Asia is examined in this paper through the unique case of transport development in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The paper discusses legislative changes and changes in governance, and the evolution of the major modes of transport in terms of ownership, scale and reliability. Political economy constraints and socio- economic considerations have played an important role in how the reforms were approached and enforced both in early stages and Later as a response to negative spilllover effects from earlier reforms. Policy recommendations are made concerning the problems of transition to a post-independence urban transport system in Tashkent. Comparative Economic Studies (2011) 53, 721-755. doi: 10.1057/ces.2011.18; published online 7 July 2011 Keywords: Urban transport, municipal transport, Tashkent, post-communist countries, transition, Uzbekistan JEL Classifications: P21, P25, L91, L98, INTRODUCTION The late 1980s and early 1990s brought about a historical transformation to the people of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, both politically and economically. The fall of the Eastern [...]

Following the introduction of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS), CO2 emissions have become a tradable commodity. As a regulated party, emitters are forced to take into account the additional cost of carbon emissions in their production costs structure. Given the high volatility in the carbon price, the importance of price risk management becomes unquestionable. This study is the first attempt that has been made to calculate hedge ratios and to investigate their hedging effectiveness in the EU-ETS carbon market by applying conventional, recently developed estimation models. These hedge ratios are then compared with those derived for other markets. In spite of the uniqueness and novelty of the carbon market, the results of the study are consistent with those found in other markets – that the hedge ratio is in the range of 0.5–1.0 and is still best estimated by simple regression models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]