This study aimed to explore the factors that contribute to the high level of competitiveness among students in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The expectancy value theory has suggested that the fear of failure (FOF) and a highly perceived value for achievement (expectancy value belief (EVB)) are the key drivers of competitiveness. To examine…

The study aimed to identify precompetitive anxiety profiles and analyze the impact of those profiles in their reasons to adhere to running. A sample of 473 Spanish Amateur Athletes participated in the study. Results revealed the emergence of three profiles: (a) a high precompetitive anxiety profile characterized by high cognitive and somatic…

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between preschoolers' competition styles, anxiety levels, and their parents' parental styles. The sample of the study consists of 400 preschool children and their parents. The Demographic Information Form, Parenting Style Scale, Preschool Competition Questionnaire, and Anxiety Scale for…

This research addresses two important developments in the academic field: First, universities are transforming into organisational actors, gaining more responsibilities and capacities for strategic action, and second, competition has reached a new level. An important driver of competition and universities' development towards strategic actorhood…

Emerging studies on university stratification have often attributed the developmental gaps between universities to the popularization of new public management in contexts where market mechanisms prevail in higher education governance. However, less attention has been paid to how state powers continue to mediate university stratification alongside…

Presently there are approximately 50 million ballroom dancers in China, and over 100 tertiary institutions offering bachelor's degrees majoring in ballroom dance. It was this context and the growth of tertiary ballroom dance education and the prosperity of ballroom dance competition in China that prompted this research question: What are tertiary…

Initiatives to build research universities to have world-class universities, the creator and the disseminator of scientific knowledge in knowledge-based economies, are among the most important policy reactions in higher education systems. With an increase in demands on greater accountability, transparency, and efficiency, studies investigating the…

This study explores the production, dissemination, and reception of the discourse of educational excellence and internationalisation in Japan's Designated National University Corporation System. The study frames the policy initiative within the longstanding goals of the Japanese government and demonstrates how the work of Michel Foucault helps…

In the past, students' participation in science competitions has been positively associated with their aspirations to pursue a career in science. Previous studies, however, were predominantly focused around successful competitors, overlooking the largest group of participants: those who are faced with early elimination. We therefore aimed to…

Competition in higher education is intensifying worldwide and gaining increasing scholarly attention. However, it is not always easy to observe how competition actually takes place. Our research focuses on one example where competition becomes not only visible but also analyzable: State-led funding contests exemplified by the Excellence Initiative…

Background: Socio-emotional skills are critical to life outcomes such as achievement, well-being and job success. However, existing research has mostly focused on the consequences of socio-emotional skills, with less attention devoted to the role of school climate in the deployment of these skills. Aims: This study investigated the role of school…

The aim of the work is to improve the system of training of highly qualified athletes engaged in Kazakh-Kures. The research was conducted from 2017 to 2019. During this time, our Baluans participated in the Asian and World Championships and showed good results. December 15-16, 2019. For example, the Kazakh Kuresi World Championship was held in the…

In this paper, we engage with the Research Excellence Framework (REF) -- the UK government's national policy tool for competitive allocation of scarce research funding. Success on the terms of the REF provides guaranteed income for UK Universities for a 6- or 7-year period -- and as a result, we suggest that the REF operates as an asset-like…

In the 21st century, developing resilience and coping skills is crucial for personal progress, a fact underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic. Past research has shown that participation in competitive sports and individual personality traits significantly influence the development of these skills. However, limited studies have explored this in…

Arts design has been proven to enable designers to have a meaningful learning of STEAM, but research on a checklist for assessing Arts design based on evaluating entries in a STEAM contest is still rare. Therefore, this study developed a checklist for assessing Arts design for evaluating miniature robots in a STEAM contest. Using an example of…