International Journal of Higher Education

To all our Journal’s readers and followers, a warm welcome to our first issue of 2025! I hope this year promises to be more fulfilling, enjoyable and productive for us all. 

In this issue we have papers on higher education practices by authors from the USA, China, Uganda, South Sudan, South Africa and Canada, who share their focus on teaching, learning and assessment in education, and issues of training and human resources in industry and learning institutions.

The first article by Chang and Chang explores the role of video games in English as a Second Language classrooms, focusing on their potential to enhance language acquisition, improve teacher-student interactions, and create enjoyable and meaningful learning experiences. Using a questionnaire-based approach, this research examines how video games can be integrated into ESL teaching to support cross-cultural language learning. They found that Gamified tools such as Gimkit, Quizizz, and Kahoot enhance ESL learning but come with limitations. Overreliance on these tools can narrow teaching methods and hinder critical thinking. These tools often focus on isolated skills like vocabulary, rather than on comprehensive language proficiency, and their competitive nature may conflict with deeper learning goals. To address these, educators should use gamified tools as supplements, choose customizable platforms, provide training, and integrate them alongside traditional teaching methods. The second article by Etomaru and colleagues investigated how curriculum internationalization plays a key role in higher education. This article assesses the practices for curriculum internationalization at the University of Juba, and their findings reveal a limited integration of international, intercultural, and multicultural dimensions in the curriculum, which may hinder the university’s international competitiveness. They recommend that the University of Juba develop a comprehensive strategy and framework to effectively implement curriculum internationalization. 

The third article is from Bargat and colleagues who explored the compatibility and effectiveness of a model for public health and wellness education. They developed the FIRSTmed-ADLX (Focusing –Interacting –Reviewing –Sequencing –Transforming) (Active Deep learner experience) for use as a medical education, public health, and wellness sub-context of the successful FIRST-ADLX framework. Their findings revealed that participants' deep engagement and motivation, coupled with their perception of themselves as learners, greatly assisted them in enhancing their design and facilitation capabilities by applying the domains and principles of the model. Wellness clients exhibited notable transformations in their learning experiences and personal behaviours, particularly in adopting healthier lifestyles and embracing wellness practices. The fourth article from Mathunjwa investigates the link between informal sports participation and academic performance among first-year Sports Science students, focusing on module scores as an indicator of academic achievement. Their findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between informal sports participation and academic performance, offering directions for future research and initiatives aimed at enhancing student well-being and academic success. The final article from St-Amant and colleagues explored the disconnect between subsidies and student enrolment in Quebec, despite the funding being enrolment based. The results show that simply considering linear mechanisms in the models consistently underestimates the funding. They found that the non-linearities were important to explain the funding trends, in particular, the smoothing mechanism, the increase in funding per student and other exceptions leads. Other exceptions included subsidies to increase despite a stagnation or a decline in enrolment. Moreover, the model developed in their article provides a ready-made recipe for forecasts in other jurisdictions. 

What an interesting first issue for 2025! With that, I would like to thank all authors, reviewers and editors for making this issue possible.  Please continue to support us for publications of future issues.

We are seeking submissions for forthcoming issues published in April and June 2025. The paper should be written in professional English. The length of 3000-8000 words is preferred. All manuscripts should be prepared in MS-Word format, and submitted online: http://ijhe.sciedupress.com or sent to: ijhe@sciedupress.com

For any further information about the journal, please log on its website: http://ijhe.sciedupress.com

Deadline for Submission (April Issue): March 25, 2024

Deadline for Submission (June Issue): May 25, 2025