Worldwide there is an increase in competition between higher education institutions seeking to ascertain their position in the world ranking, resulting in universities introspectively reflecting on their image and student satisfaction. This is especially the case in the Gulf Cooperation Countries, where there has been significant growth in higher education institutions. This study examines the factors that influence Qatar University's image among undergraduate students and predicts factors impacting students' satisfaction, influencing the university's image. Results from 2,618 students' responses to a 57-item student satisfaction questionnaire indicate that the university's services are factors that influence students' view of QU, and the students' satisfaction directly contributes to a positive perception of Qatar University. The impact of university services on students' perception of QU is further discussed based on gender, nationality, student classification, and major.

Background Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of viruses that originated in China. In December 2019, a strange case of pneumonia was reported in Wuhan, which then was diagnosed to be COVID-19. In Singapore, the first positive case was reported on January 23, 2020. Aim This study aims to study the recovery time from COVID-19 in Singapore between January 23 and March 13, 2020. Methods It's a retrospective study from January 23 until March 13, 2020 for 187 cases with COVID-19 infection. Data of the instances were collected to identify the factors affecting the recovery time from COVID-19. Several parametric models were fitted and the best predictor model was selected using the Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Results Out of 187 patients, 96 (51.34%) were cured. The mean (±standard deviation) survival time was 9.40±7.17 days. Based on BIC, the exponential regression model was the weakest and the Weibull model was the best for fitting to data. According to the Weibull model, age (HR=1.01) and nationality (HR=0.76) had significant statistical effects (α=0.05) on patient recovery time. Conclusion According to the findings of the study, younger patients recover faster compared to elderly patients, and the Singaporean patients cure more quickly than non-Singaporean patients.

Premise Climate change is having major impacts on alpine and arctic regions, and inter‐annual variations in temperature are likely to increase. How increased climate variability will impact plant reproduction is unclear. Methods In a 4‐year study on fruit production by an alpine plant community in northern Sweden, we applied three warming regimes: (1) a static level of warming with open‐top chambers (OTC), (2) press warming, a yearly stepwise increase in warming, and (3) pulse warming, a single‐year pulse event of higher warming. We analyzed the relationship between fruit production and monthly temperatures during the budding period, fruiting period, and whole fruit production period and the effect of winter and summer precipitation on fruit production. Results Year and treatment had a significant effect on total fruit production by evergreen shrubs, Cassiope tetragona, and Dryas octopetala, with large variations between treatments and years. Year, but not treatment, had a significant effect on deciduous shrubs and graminoids, both of which increased fruit production over the 4 years, while forbs were negatively affected by the press warming, but not by year. Fruit production was influenced by ambient temperature during the previous‐year budding period, current‐year fruiting period, and whole fruit production period. Minimum and average temperatures were more important than maximum temperature. In general, fruit production was negatively correlated with increased precipitation. Conclusions These results indicate that predicted increased climate variability and increased precipitation due to climate change may affect plant reproductive output and long‐term community dynamics in alpine meadow communities.

Background: Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new strain of viruses that originated in China. In December 2019, a strange case of pneumonia was reported in Wuhan, which then was diagnosed to be COVID-19. In Singapore, the first positive case was reported on January 23, 2020.Aim: This study aims to study the recovery time from COVID-19 in Singapore between January 23 and March 13, 2020.Methods: It's a retrospective study from January 23 until March 13, 2020 for 187 cases with COVID-19 infection. Data of the instances were collected to identify the factors affecting the recovery time from COVID-19. Several parametric models were fitted and the best predictor model was selected using the Bayesian information criterion (BIC).Results: Out of 187 patients, 96 (51.34%) were cured. The mean (±standard deviation) survival time was 9.40±7.17 days. Based on BIC, the exponential regression model was the weakest and the Weibull model was the best for fitting to data. According to the Weibull model, age (HR=1.01) and nationality (HR=0.76) had significant statistical effects (α=0.05) on patient recovery time.Conclusion: According to the findings of the study, younger patients recover faster compared to elderly patients, and the Singaporean patients cure more quickly than non-Singaporean patients.

The sudden and prolonged disruption to learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of traditional higher education and revealed the need for a rapid transformation. Lessons from the pandemic have made it clear that the future of higher education will rely heavily on e-learning and the agility of institutions to seamlessly transition between face-to-face, blended/hybrid, and fully online learning. As institutions begin their post-pandemic planning, the online experiences of different groups of learners during the pandemic offer valuable insight into what is working and what isn’t. Consequently, this study explored the effect of learners’ sex and discipline (STEM/non-STEM) on students’ perceptions of (1) course design, (2) assessment, (3) student behavior, (4) instructor behavior, and (5) tools and technologies during forced online learning. Additionally, the researchers investigated the effect of sex and discipline on students’ overall satisfaction with remote learning and explored the influence of students’ perceptions on satisfaction. Study participants were 1,825 undergraduates at eight universities in Qatar. Using the QLT evaluation rubric, the researchers adapted a 27-item survey to measure students’ perceptions of key aspects of quality online teaching and learning and to gauge overall satisfaction. Using a SEM approach, study results showed that (1) male students had more positive perceptions of instructor behavior, assessment, and tools and technologies compared to females, (2) males were more satisfied overall with their remote learning experiences, (3) students in STEM disciplines had significantly more negative perceptions of all the aspects of online learning explored in the study, (4) students in STEM disciplines were significantly less satisfied overall with remote learning, and (5) students’ perceptions of tools and technologies, assessment, and course design most influenced their overall satisfaction. These findings have important implications for faculty development and post-pandemic planning in higher education in general and the Gulf in particular.