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This paper examines the quality evaluations of the Greek Universities highlighting those which offer a full-fledged study program of primary education. There are eight principles-criteria according to which each university is evaluated. For each principle, scores may range from 1 (noncompliance with the principle) to 4 (fully compliance). I present and compare results of the Greek university evaluations completed by the Hellenic Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (HQA). Surprisingly, no university has been graded as non-compliant in any of the eight principles-criteria. These evaluations are performed by an alleged “external” and “independent” committee. For all practical purposes, they are, nevertheless, based on subjective and biased opinions of academics affiliated with international universities with links to Greece and its universities. Independent and evidence-based evaluations paint a different picture. Universities which get perfect scores in the quality evaluation processes perform badly in the pertinent international ranking systems. As a case study, their primary education departments have lower research performance with high variability between faculty members and departments. Given that one criterion of evaluating quality is research, then not all Greek universities can be evaluated as highly performing research institutions, either in absolute or relevant terms. This criterion of quality is not satisfied by the primary education departments of Greek universities. According to this evidence, using the HQA as an agency to assess and accredit quality is useless. It should be abolished. A new system should be based on objective criteria such as independent teaching evaluations and research performance. These do not require any committee to evaluate performance and can be constructed on evidence-based policy. The latter relies solely on rigorously established objective facts.

The EU Water Framework Directive demands maintaining or attaining good quality of the water bodies within the territory of the member states, which is strictly connected with the planning process of the water resources management. The water management plans have to include the assessment of the water body quality condition and further propose the actions to be implemented to enhance the quality of the European water resources. In order to answer the question of whether there is a risk of failure to achieve the WFD objectives, an assessment of the current status should be carried out, followed by an estimate on how likely achieving a good water status in the future is. One of the most popular valorization methods used for the water quality assessment is the River Habitat Survey (RHS) that enables the determination of two indicators, which summarize many single basic parameters, to assess the hydromorphological properties of rivers in a numerical form. Two indices are used most widely: Habitat Modification Score (HMS), which defines the range of transformations in river morphology and Habitat Quality Assessment (HQA), which is based on the presence and diversity of natural elements of the stream and river valley. The application of the above mentioned numerical indices allows calculating the hydromorphological quality status of the studied section following the expectations of the Water Framework Directive. Five ecological classes are distinguished. RHS is described as objective, suitable for statistical analyses, multidirectional and applicative method. However, the final valorization results are strongly affected by the presence of vegetation, which varies during the whole year. This contribution describes the analysis and comparison of the RHS results over the four seasons, namely: spring, summer, autumn and winter of three small lowland rivers in Poland (Zielawa, Zwoleńka and Zagożdżonka). It was unequivocally found that the value of the HQA parameter varied during the seasons, and the changes in its numerical value mainly depended on the condition, development level of vegetation, and the number of species observed. It was demonstrated that depending on the season, the Habitat Quality Assessment variation could change in about 5% of the maximal value, which could lead to a step from one hydromorphological class to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the aquatic habitats on typical low hills in the Yitong River in Northeast China by applying the River Habitat Survey (RHS) method. The status of river habitats was evaluated on the basis of Habitat Quality Assessment (HQA) and Habitat Modification Score (HMS). The quality of habitats and the spatial distribution pattern of human disturbances were also analyzed. Results demonstrated that the HQA of 51 sites was between 24 and 66. On the basis of HMS, we found that 7.8% of the reaches are kept natural and 19.5%, 41.2%, 27.5%, and 3.9% of the reaches suffer from slight destruction, distinct degradation, serious degradation, and serious damage, respectively. HQA also exhibited a significantly negative correlation with HMS. HQAs did not evidently differ among upstream, midstream, and downstream habitats along the Yitong River. By contrast, HMS varied significantly. The upstream and midstream habitats were mainly influenced by water conservation structures. The downstream habitat was mainly affected by intensive land development for agricultural and construction purposes and by hydraulic structure construction in river embankments, discharge pipe installation, and bridge construction. Therefore, RHS results can intuitively reveal the conditions affecting river habitats and the factors causing river habitat degradation.

This study investigated the aquatic habitats on typical low hills in the Yitong River in Northeast China by applying the River Habitat Survey (RHS) method. The status of river habitats was evaluated on the basis of Habitat Quality Assessment (HQA) and Habitat Modification Score (HMS). The quality of habitats and the spatial distribution pattern of human disturbances were also analyzed. Results demonstrated that the HQA of 51 sites was between 24 and 66. On the basis of HMS, we found that 7.8% of the reaches are kept natural and 19.5%, 41.2%, 27.5%, and 3.9% of the reaches suffer from slight destruction, distinct degradation, serious degradation, and serious damage, respectively. HQA also exhibited a significantly negative correlation with HMS. HQAs did not evidently differ among upstream, midstream, and downstream habitats along the Yitong River. By contrast, HMS varied significantly. The upstream and midstream habitats were mainly influenced by water conservation structures. The downstream habitat was mainly affected by intensive land development for agricultural and construction purposes and by hydraulic structure construction in river embankments, discharge pipe installation, and bridge construction. Therefore, RHS results can intuitively reveal the conditions affecting river habitats and the factors causing river habitat degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was a hydromorphological valorisation of the river valley in the Roztocze region using the British method - River Habitat Survey (RHS). As a result of field research two numerical indicators HMS (Habitat Modification Score) and HQA (Habitat Quality Assessment) were identified and purity water classes were defined. The river did not fulfil the requirements of the Water Framework Directive, because its state was defined as poor and moderate. On the base of physical and chemical parameters, in the majority of water studied the watercourses were classified to the first class of purity. Only in one segment waters were below the first class, or even out of class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]