The paper uses data from the combined TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) and PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) assessment in 2011 to explore the subject-specific strengths and weaknesses among fourth grade students worldwide. Previous research came to the conclusion that students only differed in overall achievement levels and did not exhibit subject-specific strengths and weaknesses. This research did, however, not control for differences in overall performance levels when searching for profile differences. Therefore, the present study uses factor mixture analysis to study qualitatively different performance profiles in mathematics, reading, and science while controlling for differences in performance levels. Our findings suggest that the majority of students do not show pronounced strengths and weaknesses and differ mainly in performance levels across mathematics, reading, and science. At the same time, a smaller share of students does indeed show pronounced subject-specific strengths and weaknesses. This result does not represent an artefact, but we find clear and theory-conforming associations between the identified profiles and covariates. We find evidence for cross-country differences in the frequency of subject-specific strengths and weaknesses and gender differences, as well as differences between students who do not or only sometimes speak the language of test at home.

Among the most salient findings in the field of education are the huge differences in student achievement and in learning environments, as reported in international comparative studies. The results of the international studies, such as PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), are widely received by policymakers and academics, and their data are used in a variety of secondary analyses. However, for such international comparisons to be meaningful, the samples, as well as the educational outcome measures, must be comparable (e.g.

The paper analyzes the UNESCO's policy on protecting and development of the contemporary higher education (HE) which faces many challenges on the way towards its development, sustainability, and improvement. Moreover, the articles posits that the importance of determining crisis and emergency factors which impact the HE system in order to comprehend the role of UNESCO and its actions in supporting the HE system and universities in different regions of the world. Therefore, the concepts and characteristics of crisis and emergency risks are provided, the UNESCO's strategies in responding to the challenges of the contemporary HE in terms of its instability and potential external threats are defined as well as the relevance and effectiveness of mode of operations applied by UNESCO in regulating conflicts and other onerous situations pertinent to HE sector is reasoned.

The study deals with the retrospective investigation of the predominant factors that influenced the performance of displaced universities from Eastern Ukraine under the armed conflict. The research also sought to examine the goals and strategies pertinent to university management teams at different stages of crisis and in different dimensions. To achieve this, questionnaire was chosen as a research instrument to collect data that was further analysed and grouped into overarching themes. Based on the research results, the study provides recommendations for multiple stakeholder groups on enhancing the crisis management techniques at higher education institutions in Ukraine, in particular at displaced universities. Moreover, the paper suggests further directions in researching the crisis management in Ukrainian higher education in order to improve the preparedness of universities to emergency and crisis situations as well as to boost the effectiveness of management planning, decision-making and implementation processes.