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Purpose: Based on an in-depth comparison of 20 multicultural university curricula, this article aims to provide practical and implementable suggestions about how to improve such curricula in order to ensure highest and globally compatible academic quality. The recently founded developmental Master's curriculum "Global Studies" (GS) at the University of Graz, Austria serves as a case study. Design/methodology/approach: Through an academic web-based process of authoring and reviewing, over a dozen students and practitioners in Global Studies have compiled this analysis. Such an approach shows that education technologies significantly enhance peer-oriented scientific culture. Further networking among universities from every continent, and their students, is also facilitated. Findings: Analyses conducted by over 50 contributors during 2010-2013 show first that the Graz-based curriculum has achieved international quality standards by spanning multiple faculties, disciplines, professional roles, and perspectives regarding globalisation. Secondly, suggestions for improvements pertaining to nine aggregated issues are provided: partner universities, semester abroad, interdisciplinarity, didactics & lectures, practicals, languages, electives, admission of students, and exams. Practical implications: The present specific recommendations serve as valuable evidence-based and authentic input for quality assessment procedures at Graz University, and similarly for other academic curricula elsewhere. Social implications: Peer-oriented higher education profits greatly from student input that has undergone an academic peer review procedure. Such quality assurance is favourably implemented via collaborative education technologies such as web platforms with discussion fora. Originality/value: Students as the core target group in higher education institutions express their own opinion and are valued as experts and stakeholders in a genuinely democratic procedure. (Contains 2 figures.)

Introduction: Morbidity and mortality conferences (M&MCs) are an instrument for learning from past complications, unexpected follow-ups and deaths in hospitals and are important for improving patient safety. However, there are currently no quantitative data on the implementation of M&MCs in Austria. The aim of the study was to determine the status quo of the M&MCs in Austria. Materials and methods: A national cross-sectional study was conducted by means of a survey of 982 chief physicians of surgical disciplines, internal medicine, anesthesiology, intensive care, gynecology/obstetrics and pediatrics. The questionnaire focused on overall goals, structure and procedures of hospital M&MCs. Results: Of the 982 contacted chief physicians, 314 (32.0%) completed the survey. Almost two thirds of the respondents, i.e. 203 (64.7%), had already implemented M&MCs. Of the 111 chief physicians who had not yet introduced M&MCs, 62 (55.9%) were interested in introducing such conferences in the future. Of the 203 respondents that had implemented M&MCs, 100 stated that their M&MC could be improved. They reported issues with "shame and blame" culture, hierarchical structures, too little knowledge about the capability of M&MC and, in particular, time constraints. Overall, the participating chief physicians showed that they are striving to improve their existing M&MCs. Discussion/Conclusion: While we found a relatively high number of already implemented M&MCs we also identified a large heterogeneity in the format of the M&MCs. A highly structured M&MC including guidelines, checklists or templates does not only considerably improve its outcome but can also alleviate the main limiting factor which is the lack of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Vitamin D is well known for its effects on bone mineralisation but has also been attributed immunomodulatory properties. It positively influences human health, but in vivo data describing vitamin D effects on the human gut microbiome are missing. We aimed to investigate the effects of oral vitamin D supplementation on the human mucosa-associated and stool microbiome as well as CD8 T cells in healthy volunteers. Methods: This was an interventional, open-label, pilot study. Sixteen healthy volunteers (7 females, 9 males) were endoscopically examined to access a total of 7 sites. We sampled stomach, small bowel, colon, and stools before and after 8 weeks of vitamin D supplementation. Bacterial composition was assessed by pyrosequencing the 16S rRNA gene (V1-2), and CD8 T cell counts were determined by flow cytometry. Results: Vitamin D supplementation changed the gut microbiome in the upper GI tract (gastric corpus, antrum, and duodenum). We found a decreased relative abundance of Gammaproteobacteria including Pseudomonas spp. and Escherichia/ Shigella spp. and increased bacterial richness. No major changes occurred in the terminal ileum, appendiceal orifice, ascending colon, and sigmoid colon or in stools, but the CD8 T cell fraction was significantly increased in the terminal ileum. Conclusion: Vitamin D modulates the gut microbiome of the upper GI tract which might explain its positive influence on gastrointestinal diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease or bacterial infections. The local effects of vitamin D demonstrate pronounced regional differences in the response of the GI microbiome to external factors, which should be considered in future studies investigating the human microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]