The University of Gloucestershire is a public university based in Gloucestershire, England. It is located over three campuses, two in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester, namely Francis Close Hall, The Park, Oxstalls and The Centre for Art and Photography being near to Francis Close Hall. In March 2021 the university purchased the former Debenhams store in Gloucester City Centre, wth a new campus due to open there in 2023.The university is the recent successor of a large number of merged, name-changed and reformed institutions of further and higher education. Its history spans nearly two centuries. It originates from the merger of two distinct strands of educational provision in Gloucestershire being that provided by Local Government and that founded by the Anglican Church. The university traces its earliest civic history to the Cheltenham Mechanics' Institute in 1834, and to the Cheltenham Training College in its Church history, established in 1847, by the Reverend Francis Close. Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education was created in 1990 from the two distinct strands. In October 2001, the college was awarded university status.The university provides almost 100 undergraduate courses and around 57 taught post-graduate courses within eight schools.A 10-year memorandum of understanding exists between the university, Gloucestershire College and South Gloucestershire and Stroud College to support access to higher education.
As financial systems face mounting exposure to economic, environmental, and geopolitical shocks, the definition of Corporate Sustainability (CS) is undergoing a fundamental transformation. This paper advances the field by reconceptualizing CS to include resilience-defined as the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from systemic disruptions-as a core dimension. This theoretical shift raises questions about the sustainability classification of ethically oriented investment frameworks-particularly Islamic and ESG indices-which have traditionally been considered sustainable due to their normative commitments to ethical governance, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship. By placing resilience at the heart of sustainability evaluation, this study provides a novel conceptual lens to distinguish between ideological alignment, structural similarity, and functional convergence in ethical finance. To empirically test this expanded framework, our paper analyzes the behavior of Islamic and ESG markets across eight major crises from 2004 to 2024, encompassing financial, macroeconomic, geopolitical, and public health crises. Using risk-adjusted return metrics, Value at Risk (VaR), Dynamic Conditional Correlation-GARCH models, and Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregression (TVP-VAR), we assess risk, connectedness, and hedging effectiveness. Findings reveal complementary resilience profiles: the Islamic market outperforms the ESG market during financial and macroeconomic crises, while ESG exhibits greater robustness during energy-related and geopolitical shocks. Both indices show strong spillover dynamics and mutual hedging benefits, primarily through exposure to clean energy, commodities, and general equities. In doing so, the paper offers a multidimensional, resilience-based redefinition of sustainable finance, challenging conventional ESG classifications and advancing a more adaptive understanding of what it means to be truly sustainable in an era of global volatility.
Geoarchaeological survey and palaeoenvironmental analyses were conducted in the floodplain of the river Ure to the north of the Roman town of Isurium Brigantum (Aldborough, North Yorkshire) as part of a complementary campaign of geophysical survey and excavations (2018-2024). This involved an intensive coring survey to understand the development of the valley and the environmental context of the settlement. A large palaeochannel was discovered south of the present day canalized river which was sampled for palynological, physical and geochemical analyses, with portable OSL determinations, and radiocarbon and OSL dating. The sedimentological analysis revealed riverine activity from the Late Mesolithic period (ca. 4600-4300 BC) through Roman and Medieval times. A 6 metre deep, multi-process fluvial system was present with evidence of active and low/slow flow phases in earlier prehistoric times, followed by prolonged periods of overbank alluviation from the Iron Age onwards, and particularly coincident with the Roman occupation of Isurium. By the Roman period, there was a shallow channel in a wide floodplain, slowly filling with alluvium, necessitating the construction of a lengthy road-bridge structure, before shifting northwards. This was set against progressive woodland diminution and extensive human impact during the late prehistoric, Roman and early historic periods.
This study aimed to determine the effect of ego depletion (i.e. mental fatigue or self-control exhaustion) on hostage and crisis negotiators’ capacity to communicate empathy. Two randomized controlled experiments with a within-subjects design assessed the ego depletion effect on 52 police negotiators during a simulated hostage situation. Experiment 1 employed a validated manipulation task established in ego depletion literature, while Experiment 2 used the cold pressor task, borrowed from medical literature. Empathy was measured using self-reports, validated third-party assessments, and testing. Experiment 1 failed to induce ego depletion, while Experiment 2 successfully induced ego depletion. However, no statistically significant differences in empathy were observed between experimental and control conditions. The findings do not provide evidence that ego depletion reduces empathic responding in crisis negotiators under the conditions tested. Instead, they suggest that any effects of ego depletion on empathy may be context-dependent. Factors such as training and professional role may play a moderating role, although these were not directly examined. Accordingly, the results should be interpreted as exploratory and highlight the need for further research.
Human capital is a critical resource for new ventures; the distinct differences between general and specific human capital in the context of founder gender remain underexplored. Drawing on human capital theory, we investigate how general human capital (GHC) and specific human capital (SHC) influence new venture performance and whether these effects are moderated by founder gender. Informed by feminist perspectives, which highlight gendered barriers, we explore how the benefits of human capital might differ for male and female entrepreneurs. Analysis of longitudinal data from the Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (GATE) study reveals that GHC has a stronger positive association with venture continuation and growth, with this effect amplified for male founders compared to female founders. This disparity underscores the need for a deeper understanding of how gender intersects with human capital in shaping entrepreneurial outcomes. The study contributes to human capital theory and gendered perspectives on entrepreneurship by suggesting the need for tailored support programs that address gender-specific barriers to the utilization of human capital.
Basketball is the second most participated sport in England. However, little is known about the injury profile of players or the knowledge, perceptions and behaviour of basketball players and coaches towards injury risk and prevention. A cross-sectional survey was administered to coaches and players at the end of the season (2022-2023, 2023-24). Participants were required to have played/coached in England during the season and be 16 years of age or older. A 7-item Likert scale was used to assess knowledge and perceptions of injury risk and prevention. Questions around previous injuries and behaviour were answered using multiple-choice answers. Data are presented descriptively, with a Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and 2 & times; 2 chi(2) tests used to compare results between groups (p < 0.05). In total, 185 participants (152 players, 33 coaches) were included in the study. 97% of players reported having sustained a time-loss basketball injury in their career, with 66% of players sustaining an injury in the present season (16% requiring hospital attention) and 23% sustaining a concussion playing basketball. Players and coaches held positive perceptions towards injury prevention, although significant differences existed on the most effective methods to reduce injury, with coaches favouring strength training and load management (p < 0.01). Both groups had good knowledge of injury risk, although there were differences in the frequency and seriousness of some injuries, such as concussion. Half of the players reported using protective equipment, with only 6% using a mouthguard. Basketball injuries appear frequent and serious, but players and coaches alike possess positive knowledge and perceptions towards their prevention.
