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This article contributes to a preliminary historical and decolonial analysis of teaching and research in the field of education and international development at the UCL Institute of Education. The preliminary analysis, published as 'Education, decolonisation and international development at the Institute of Education (London): a historical analysis' by Elaine Unterhalter and Laila Kadiwal, appeared in the Special 120th Anniversary Issue of London Review of Education. That article and our response to it focus on the work of the Centre for Education and International Development, and its preceding organisational forms from 1927 onwards. In a responsive critique, we consider the evidence, methods, analysis and conclusions offered by Unterhalter and Kadiwal and identify a wide range of additional material on curriculum, staff, students and international partnerships that will be of value to future historians. Contemporary decolonial analysis is important for interpreting the history and for the future positioning of the Centre for Education and International Development, and the wider field of study. We conclude by identifying challenges for ongoing work in this area.

With the continuous increase in food production to support the growing population, ensuring agricultural sustainability using crop‐protecting agents, such as pesticides, is vital. Conventional pesticides pose significant environmental risks, prompting the need for eco‐friendly alternatives. This study reports the synthesis of new amide‐based insecticidal active ingredients from biomass‐derived monomers, specifically furfural and vanillin. The process involves reductive amination followed by carbonylation. The synthesis of the furfural‐based carbamate yield reaches a cumulative 88 %, with catalysts Rh/Al2O3 and La(OTf)3 being recyclable at each stage. Insecticidal activity assessments reveal that the furfural carbamate exhibits competitive performance, achieving an LC50 of 254.22 μg/cm2, compared to 251.25 μg/cm2 for carbofuran. Ecotoxicity predictions indicate significantly lower toxicity levels toward non‐target aquatic and terrestrial species. The importance of the low octanol‐water partition coefficient of the biobased carbamate, attributed to the oxygen heteroatom and electron density of the furan ring, is discussed in detail. Building on these promising results, the synthesis strategy was extended to six other biobased aldehydes, resulting in a diverse portfolio of biomass‐derived carbamates. A techno‐economic analysis reveals a minimum selling price of 11.1 $/kg, only half that of comparable carbamates, demonstrating the economic viability of these new biobased insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyathostomins are common digestive tract parasites of grazing horses that spread through contact with horse feces. Horse feces are colonized by a variety of organisms, some of which could serve to reduce parasite loads in horse pastures. Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.; Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae (BSFL) could be an ideal candidate for biological control of cyathostomins, due to their near-global distribution, low risk of pathogen transmission, ability to develop on a variety of nutrient-poor substrates (including horse manure), and dramatic effect on microbial communities that cyathostomins depend on. Here, using controlled feeding bioassays, we evaluated the effect of BSFL on cyathostomin egg densities in horse manure while also tracking BSFL performance on manure relative to standard grain-based diets. We found that BSFL consumed less substrate, were slower to reach the prepupal stage, and ultimately yielded less biomass when reared on horse manure compared to grain-based diets. However, BSFL reduced average cyathostomin egg densities in horse manure by over 3-fold. Overall, our results suggest that despite horse manure being a poor substrate for BSFL growth, BSFL effectively reduce cyathostomin egg loads in infected horse manure, though the mechanisms by which they do this are uncertain. While BSFL are known to transform the microbial communities within a diversity of rearing substrates, their effect on larger, parasitic organisms in animal manures may be underappreciated. Promoting the decomposition of infected horse manure with BSFL might be a promising approach to managing parasite populations among grazing horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professor John Keith Philip Watson, a prominent figure in Comparative and International Education, passed away in November 2024 at the age of 85. Throughout his career, he made significant contributions to the field through his research, publications, and mentorship. Professor Watson's legacy extends beyond academia, as he was also known for his dedication to his family and his role as a supportive colleague and friend. His impact on education and educational leaders worldwide will be greatly missed. [Extracted from the article]

Drawing upon recent work for the Commonwealth Secretariat and our ongoing comparative research, this article focuses upon the nature, impact and implications of contemporary development challenges for education in small states. It is argued that the post-Jomtien era has been dominated by international goals and targets that have focussed predominantly upon basic education, an area of strength for many small states. During this era, many small states found themselves ahead of other nations in terms of access to basic education. They were, therefore, extending the boundaries and parameters of many international educational agendas, pressing ahead and often challenging the focus of international development trajectories. In this article we argue that, because of this, small states have much innovative and pioneering experience to share with those who are now considering the possible nature and direction of post-2015 global education agendas. This includes a rationale for the strengthening of educational research capacity within small states, and an acknowledgement of the fact that small states have much to share with each other, and to contribute to wider development discourse and educational policy deliberations worldwide. (Contains 2 tables.)

This article reports on the findings of original field research carried out in the small island developing state of Fiji, in the South Pacific. A North-South research partnership was built upon previous collaboration between team members and, in so doing, pioneered the blending of Pacific and Western research approaches sensitive to a postcolonial positioning. The study interrogates practitioner perspectives on: the nature and quality of teachers and teaching in Fiji; the challenges of teachers' work and lives; priorities for successful qualitative reform; and theoretical implications for the processes of education policy transfer and qualitative improvement. The analysis draws upon work on the politics of aid and international development, revealing tensions between existing learner-centred policy frameworks and emergent neoliberal and performativity oriented initiatives influenced by international surveys of student achievement, related league tables and the experience of the regional reference societies of Australia, New Zealand and India.

This paper reflects upon Peter Jarvis's contribution to comparative scholarship and the linked fields of comparative education and comparative adult education. Both have their own historical developments, literatures, issues and concerns; both have been influenced by Peter's substantial works for close to fifty years--a period in time when the increasing demands of the global market economy have changed adult education beyond all recognition. His specific contribution to comparative scholarship is, we argue, that he has been an early and persistent voice locating and advancing the boundaries of adult education within the broader field of comparative education--long before the global concept of lifelong learning broke down seemingly distinct barriers between many domains of educational scholarship. Such fundamental changes are reflected in many of Peter's publications, and here we reflect on this in exploring the distinctive nature and impact of his contribution to comparative and international scholarship.