El presente estudio aborda las perspectivas acerca del rol de la educación para los excombatientes que en el marco de la implementación del Acuerdo de paz entre la Guerrilla de las FARC-EP y el gobierno colombiano, empiezan una etapa de transición hacia una vida civil comprendida como la reintegración y el retiro. Dicho cambio amerita un análisis desde la compresión misma de los excombatientes, así como también de las instituciones encargadas de procurar una transición que abarque la totalidad del territorio colombiano procurando paralelamente la no repetición o generación de nuevos conflictos, y que de igual manera corresponda al proyecto de vida convergente en el desarrollo propio de los excombatientes. En esta investigación el retiro de integrantes de las Fuerzas Militares cobra igual importancia que la reintegración de los ex combatientes guerrilleros, en un escenario donde ambos pueden presentar igual grado de vulnerabilidad y comparten características socio económicas, culturales y de procedencia similares.

Resumen: Este estudio muestra los resultados de investigación sobre la visión competencial docente desde la óptica de sus protagonistas: enseñantes, aprendices y expertos. El diseño del estudio es descriptivo ex-post-facto desde la metodología empírico analítica, que interrelaciona métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos a partir de instrumentos como los cuestionarios, entrevistas y fuentes vinculadas con programas de maestría (docentes, alumnos y expertos). Su objetivo es analizar la apreciación de los informantes respecto al perfil docente actual y sus necesidades competenciales requeridas, todo desde la tarea docente e investigadora. Los resultados evidencian diferencias significativas que nos arrojan un conjunto de necesidades para la formación docente. Finalmente se exponen algunas conclusiones y propuestas para una mejora de la formación de formadores en el contexto analizado. Abstract: This study shows the results of research on teacher competence vision from the perspective of its protagonists: teachers, learners and experts. The study design is descriptive (after) from the empirical - analytical methodology, which relates quantitative and qualitative methods through instruments such as questionnaires, interviews and sources related master's programs (teachers, students and experts). Its objective is to analyze the assessments of the current teacher profile and required skills needs, all from the teaching and research work. The results show a set of requirements for teacher training. Finally, some conclusions and offers are presented for improving the training of trainers in the context analyzed.

This dissertation explores how audiovisual records are used in practices of collective memory work. For this purpose, I decided to reconstruct the social life-story of the audiovisual records of the Palace of Justice siege. This traumatic event took place in Bogotá, Colombia on the 6th and 7th of November of 1985, when a group of 35 guerrillas sieged the building. During 28 hours, the guerrillas and the army combated; in the meanwhile the radio and television stations registered and broadcasted to the whole country, however the government reacted and imposed censorship over them. Thus, after the siege, the audiovisual records have had different stages as memory tools. This research demonstrates, that these camera images have a key role in the creation and communication of memories through their inclusion in various media and audiovisual products. What is more, these audiovisual records help not only to keep alive the memories of the siege, but also they have a social function in terms of justice for they have been used as evidence in legal processes in order to find justice for the victims and the relatives. Thus, through the reconstruction of their social life-story I analysed the role of these images in the collective memory work made towards the siege of the Palace of Justice.

After many years of violence and economic isolation, Colombia’s image has shifted. Several international treaties have been signed and Colombia has been targeted by new travelers and powerful international investors. A forbidden destination less than a decade ago, Colombia welcomes now more than 2 million visitors per year. This rapid economic and touristic boom provides good opportunities for growth but is having dramatic consequences for urban communities and its surrounding ecosystems. The Caribbean region of Colombia is one of the most visited regions in the country. Unfortunately, cities in the region don’t have the tools or the criteria to expand in a sustainable way in terms of competitiveness, social inclusion and urban quality. The perception of the Caribbean coast in Colombia is the one of a line. Development has occurred ignoring the immediate context, trying to imitate the image of the internationally sold Caribbean paradise, disregarding and threatening a unique environment. Along this coast, there are five natural parks. It is one of the most biodiverse spots in the globe. Half of the tourists coming to the country will visit one or two of these natural parks. Nonetheless, tourism, urban expansion and uncontrolled growth are jeopardizing the uniqueness of this region, ruining its diverse natural assets. The Caribbean coast is one of the fastest growing regions in Colombia, with an overall growth rate that will double the population by 2050. Recent growth trends suggest that new development has been rapidly taking over the coast with gated apartment towers, hotels and exclusive resorts up on the coast interrupting public access to the beach. Meanwhile, informality sprawls in the back drop, creeping up the hills, into the marshes, dangerously close to protected areas. A linear wall-city parallel to the coast is being created by these trends for short-term profits, undermining environments, increasing flood risk, promoting social instability and finally.

Colombia internal conflict between paramilitary armies and the central government is a topic that has been studied widely from different perspectives, including, but not limited to, studies on forced disappearance, internal displacement, the war on drugs, and the incidence of United States in Colombian internal warfare (Richani, 2013; Acemoglu et al., 2013; Aviléz, 2006; Dube & Naidu, 2015). By contrast, 2005 peace process between Colombian government and illegal paramilitary armies grouped under the umbrella organization named United Self-defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), has not been addressed with the same dedication. The objective of the present research is to analyze the 2005 Colombian peace-settlement through the scope of jus post bellum theory, aiming to see the possible deviations of the peace process from a just war theory moral perspective. According to jus post bellum theorist, a just peace-settlement can help to avoid repetition, while an unjust one can derive into new confrontation (Bell, 2013; Turner Johnson, 2012; Philpott, 2010). By achieving this goal this project intends to provide an ethical reflection on the course of action followed in Colombia to finish war with the self-defense armies, and to enrich Colombian debate about peace policy making in a time when the government is now negotiating a new peace settlement with FARC guerrilla.

Following Zoller, Akar and Donohue there has been much debate about the possibility of claiming damages for breach of a JA under the common law system. The debate has also been extended to the question of whether a claim on damages may be an alternative under the framework of Brussels Regulations I, particularly in the present context where the European Court of Justice has expressly precluded the use of traditional common law tools to enforce JAs. In this essay I intent to identify, from the existing common law cases, what conditions are required to ground a claim on damages for breach of a JA and if such claim would be compatible with the Brussels Regulation I. For this purpose I will also consider the work of different authors in the subject. However Briggs’ work will be central to my study as it is one of the most complete works on damages for breach of JAs. I will also briefly examine if the reforms introduced by the Re-Cast EC1215/2012 change the conclusion reached in respect of the current Brussels Regulation I.

The present study reports results from the evaluation of the environmental conditions of an orphanage in Managua, Nicaragua and their associations with the children’s development while they were still in the orphanage. The observational measures were obtained by trained assessors (Caregiver Child Socioemotional Relationship Scale or CCSERS and the physical environment measures ITERS and ECERS ).The analysis was conducted at the unit level of the ward, an approached not taken in previous research. The results support the crucial role of the caregiving environment in the development of institutional children. The results of the present study show a positive and strong relationship between the caregiving environment (behavioral environment measured with CCSERRS) and the development of children (measured with BDI) in one Latino orphanage. The changes in the developmental outcomes of the institutionalized children at the post intervention period are not only a product of changes in the physical environment of the wards (e.g., the relationship between the Total ITERS - ECERS score and the total Battelle was positive but non-significant). These changes are more related to the improvement of the caregiver child interactions (the behavioral environment) in the wards. However, the environmental scales (ITERS-ECERS) and the CCERRSS have a positive but not strong association indicating that the physical aspects of environment are associated with the quality of caregiver-child interactions at the level of the wards. Thus both, physical and behavioral environment must be improved in orphanages, but socio-emotional aspects are more influential in the proper development of children. Previous studies had established the relationship between the environment and the development of children but the present study offers evidence at the ward versus the institutional level.

This Master thesis is based on the Importance Performance Analysis technique introduced by Martilla and James (1977). The research main goal is to formulate managerial advice on which university choice determinants should be stressed and privileged in the VUB marketing strategy and targeted marketing, by collecting, processing and analyzing the scores related to the importance and performance perception from the 2nd year Master’s on Business Engineering students at the VUB, specially about their own university (VUB) and master’s program, as well as for the others Flemish Universities. The research comprised several steps including the collection, analysis and the evaluation of the different attributes that might have affected the university choice of the VUB 2nd year Master’s on Business Engineering students in the academic year 2015-2016. The final section of this master’s thesis is dedicated to present managerial advice to the VUB ES Faculty, using the information derived from the analysis of each quadrant of the absolute and relative importance – performance grids. Accordingly to the results obtained from the Master’s on Business Engineering students in the academic year 2015-2016 at the VUB, we can suggest that this Uniiversity is currently performing very well relative to its Flemish direct competitors (UGent, KULeuvan and UAntwerp). While the VUB “career opportunities”, “facilities”, “program and course description”, “university and campus environment”, “concern for students” and “facilities” have been scored with a higher performance compared with the other three Flemish Universities participating in this research, the “reputation” obtained a lower score relative to KULeuvan. “Career opportunities” has a higher relative performance score than these three Flemish Universities, however, is still found on the “concentrate here” quadrant, indicating that students perceive that they would have probably better careers opportunities if they would have followed their Master’s program in any of the other three Flemish Universities.

Abstract: This thesis lies in the opportunities and challenges opened to the land use planning in Colombia, once the Congress endorsed the Peace Agreement, the past 2016, since one of its components is the Comprehensive Rural Reform. It aims to analyze the possibilities to articulate those compromises acquired regarding land, with the Colombian land use planning system and its legislation in pursuit of lasting peacebuilding. The thesis suggests this link as definitive and efficient along the way to switch the relation with the land in Colombia, from the historical alliance land-conflict to one contemporaneous, of land-peace. Resumen: Esta tesis radica en las oportunidades y retos abiertos al ordenamiento territorial en Colombia, una vez el Congreso aprobó el Acuerdo de Paz, el pasado 2016, ya que uno de sus componentes es la Reforma Rural Integral. Se trata de analizar las posibilidades para articular esos compromisos adquiridos con relación a la tierra, con el sistema de ordenamiento territorial colombiano y su legislación en búsqueda de una paz duradera. La tesis sugiere este vínculo como definitivo y eficiente en el camino para cambiar la relación con la tierra en Colombia, de la histórica relación de la tierra y el conflicto armado, a una relación contemporánea de tierra y paz.

Abstract: The general purpose of this investigation was to study the differences between high-skill and intermediate-skill tennis players in gaze behaviors while performing tennis serve returns. Participants were asked to return 40 serves in four different serve locations while wearing a mobile eye-tracker. Their return performance was measured using a point system based on the ball’s first bounce that gave higher values to deep and angled returns. The study examined fixation onset and duration to four distinct locations: ball before bounce, the bounce area, ball after bounce, and impact zone. In addition, quiet-eye (QE) onset and durations were analyzed. Furthermore, the location of the racket-ball contact in relation to an egocentric frame of reference was calculated. Two-way and RM ANOVAs were used to test the hypotheses related to gaze behaviors. In addition, an analysis of coordinates and centroids were used to analyze egocentric gaze. Results indicated that high-skill players and shots classified as high score were characterized by fewer fixations of longer durations. Likewise, high-skill players displayed earlier QE onset and longer QE durations, in comparison to their less skilled counterparts. A comparison in QE between high scores and low scores shots revealed that the former were also characterized by an earlier QE onsets and longer QE. Pertaining to egocentric gaze, it was observed that high-skill players had a higher number of racketball contacts that occurred in central vision. Moreover, forehand and backhand racket-ball contacts were closer to the center in high-skill players, whereas intermediate skill players had racket-ball contacts further from the midpoint. Gaze behavior findings are discussed in the framework of the established relationship between QE periods, expertise, and performance. Egocentric gaze findings are discussed in relation to expertisebased differences in head stabilization and prediction of the ball-racket location. Limitations of the current study and suggestions for future studies are presented. To the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to analyze QE gaze behaviors in situ and the first to empirically test the role of egocentric gaze in tennis serve returns. Findings provide valuable insight into the relationship between gaze behaviors, QE periods, egocentric gaze, and expertise in a fast pace interceptive sport. Resumen: El propósito general de esta investigación era estudiar las diferencias entre jugadores de tenis de nivel alto e intermedio respecto a sus comportamientos de la mirada mientras respondían servicios. A los participantes se les pidió que respondieran a 40 servicios, dirigidos a cuatro lugares, mientras tenían puesto un rastreador ocular (eye-tracker). El desempeño de las devoluciones fue medido usando un sistema de puntos con base que otorgaba mayores valores a devoluciones profundas y con ángulo. El estudio analizó las fijaciones de la mirada en cuanto a su inicio, duración y finalización, en cuatro lugares específicos: la bola antes de rebotar, la zona de rebote, la bola después del rebote, y la zona de impacto. Adicionalmente, se analizó el “ojo-quieto” (quiet-eye; QE), tanto en su inicio, como en su duración. Finalmente, se calculó la localización del contacto bola-raqueta en relación con un marco de referencia egocéntrico. ANOVAS de doble-vía y de medidas repetidas fueron usadas para probar las hipótesis relacionadas con los comportamientos de la mirada. Adicionalmente, un análisis de las coordenadas y centroides se utilizó para analizar las miradas egocéntricas. Los resultados indicaron que los tanto los jugadores de alto nivel, como las devoluciones clasificadas como de alto puntaje, se caracterizaron por menos fijaciones, pero éstas eran de mayor duración. Adicionalmente, los jugadores de alto nivel mostraron un QE de inicio más temprano y de mayor duración, en comparación con los jugadores de nivel intermedio. Una comparación del QE entre devoluciones de alto y bajo puntaje, mostraron que los primeros se caracterizaban por QE de inicio más temprano y duración más larga. Con relación a la mirada egocéntrica, se observó que los jugadores de alto nivel tenían un mayor número de golpes que se dieron en visión central. Los contactos bola-raqueta se dieron más cerca del centro de visión tanto en devoluciones de derecha como de revés para los jugadores de alto nivel, mientras que dichos contactos fueron más alejados del centro de visión. Los comportamientos visuales son discutidos dentro de los marcos teóricos que han relacionado el QE, experticia y desempeño superior. Los hallazgos de la mirada egocéntrica se discuten con relación a las diferencias basadas en la experticia en estabilización de la cabeza y predicción del lugar en que la bola y raqueta harán contacto. Las limitaciones de este estudio son presentadas, así como sugerencias para estudio futuros. Para el conocimiento del autor, este es el primer estudio que analiza comportamientos visuales que incluyen el QE in situ con tenistas. Adicionalmente, es el primero estudio que analiza empíricamente el rol de la mirada egocéntrica en la devolución de servicios en tenis. Los hallazgos ofrecen un conocimiento valioso de la relación entre comportamientos visuales, QE, mirada egocéntrica y experticia en un deporte de intercepción de alta velocidad.