National Conditions Research Articles

Reforming Doctoral Education in Uzbekistan: Models, Rules and Norms of Behaviour

Abstract Doctoral education (DE) plays a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of scholars and thought leaders and serves as a means for frontier knowledge creation and innovation within the economy. The centrality of DE to knowledge creation and skilled workforce development makes it a policy priority for governments worldwide. While emerging economies like Uzbekistan seek to replicate aspects of successful DE models from developed countries, their policy borrowing approach often overlooks important national conditions. Instead of improving DE outcomes, the recent DE reforms in Uzbekistan resulted in the proliferation of unfair practices. This study examines these reforms using relevant national regulatory documents, secondary data, and primary data collected through semi-structured interviews. Drawing on institutional economics as our theoretical framework, we explore how incentive mechanisms, rules, norms of behaviour, and capacity constraints interact, explaining the persistent mismatch between policy goals and policy outcomes. We argue that effective DE reforms require not only well-defined rules but also credible enforcement mechanisms and supportive norms of behaviour. We highlight the need for reforms to address incentive structures, building trust in institutions, and overcoming path dependence challenges to sustainably improve DE outcomes.

Temporal and regional distribution of official translation policy on the Chinese mainland (1979–2023)

ABSTRACT This paper presents a general picture of contemporary official translation policy on the Chinese mainland by collecting 1,358 policy documents issued since the Reform and Opening-up began in 1978 and analyzing their temporal and regional distribution. The temporal analysis reveals that official translation policy on the Chinese mainland has evolved in three distinctive stages: in Stage I (1979–2002) the role of translation in international exchanges was officially recognized; in Stage II (2003–2010) the standardization of translation and the training of professional translators were highlighted; and most recently in Stage III (2011–2023) translation policies have been guided by the national strategy of ‘Chinese culture going global’, attaching importance to the language services industry. The regional analysis indicates that policies in eastern provinces mainly deal with translating Chinese from or into foreign languages, while western provinces, particularly the ethnic autonomous areas, pay more attention to translation between Putonghua and ethnic minority languages. These findings show that China’s official translation policy shares some commonalities with other countries and regions, but is also adapted to China’s specific national conditions. The results may also echo the language policy literature on the question ‘under what conditions’ from Cooper’s accounting scheme.

Educational Equity from A Global Perspective: A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and American Educational Systems

In the context of deepening globalization, educational equity, as an important cornerstone of social progress and national development, has attracted wide attention from countries around the world. With the title of "Educational Equity from a Global Perspective: A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and American Educational Systems", this paper aims to explore different approaches to educational equity and their effects by comparing the two educational systems. With the support of national policies, China's education system has experienced rapid development and change. The Chinese government has long been committed to the strategy of "rejuvenating the country through science and education", which has not only greatly improved the popularization of basic education, but also made remarkable progress in the field of higher education. At the same time, measures such as the poverty alleviation policy and distance education platform for poor areas have effectively narrowed the gap in educational resources between urban and rural areas and between regions, reflecting the government's great importance and active practice of education equity. In contrast, the American education system is characterized by decentralized management, coexistence of private and public schools, and emphasis on multicultural and innovative entrepreneurship education. In promoting educational equity, the United States strives to provide equal educational opportunities for students from different backgrounds through special education programs and social participation. However, school district choice and school district housing issues are still one of the important factors affecting educational equity. Through the comparative analysis of the policy orientation and actual results of educational equity in the two educational systems, this study finds that although China and the United States have different national conditions, there are many common points in the pursuit of educational equity. In the future, the two countries can strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, learn from each other's advantages, jointly optimize the education system, further enhance the equity of education, and contribute to the development of global education.

CO2 Oil Displacement and Geological Storage Status and Prospects

ABSTRACTCCUS‐enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology relies on the unique properties of CO2 gas in the process of efficient oil displacement while achieving effective storage, which has become one of the most economical and effective measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in today's society and is important for helping to realize the global strategic goal of carbon neutrality. Based on previous research results, this review presents the oil displacement and geological storage mechanisms of CO2 in micropores in the oil and gas fields, and summarizes their respective influencing factors. At the same time, it also summarizes the current research status of CO2‐EOR and geological storage from the perspectives of laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. Moreover, it provides a detailed overview of four key technologies namely, miscibility improvement, swept volume expansion, storage potential assessment and storage safety monitoring, and their field applications. On this basis, this review compares the development status of field applications in Developed Countries and China, analyzes the problems of CCUS‐EOR technology in theoretical research, technology research and development and project industrialization, and points out the future development directions. Results are presented that research on CO2‐EOR and geological storage in Developed Countries such as the United States started early and developed rapidly. A relatively complete industrial chain system has been formed, and the scale and number of CCUS‐EOR projects are far ahead those in China. In China, relevant research started relatively late and developed slowly at the early stage. In recent years, due to the notable attention given to climate change and carbon storage, development efforts in China have gradually intensified. At present, there are more than 20 large‐scale CCUS‐EOR demonstration projects in operation, which are preliminarily ready for industrial promotion. Notably, the world has continued to increase its attention to CCUS‐EOR projects based on national conditions, further improving policy guidance mechanisms, strengthening research and development efforts, promoting the construction of the full‐process industry chain, achieving large‐scale and refined development, and providing theoretical guidance and technical support for realizing the strategic goal of carbon neutrality.

Linking young people’s precarious labour, migration, and their social mobility in Ghana: attending to temporality and trajectories

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to debates on temporality and the social mobility trajectories of independent child migrants and working children, drawing on findings from research conducted in 2022 with young adults who participated in an earlier study in 2010 as children working in artisanal gold mining in Ghana. The findings show that national and global economic conditions, not childhood work, have shaped the participants’ (im)mobility experiences and trajectories over the past 12 years. Based on this longitudinal evidence, the paper challenges the widely held view that child labour in and of itself creates enduring adverse effects on children’s social mobility trajectories. It argues that this understanding reflects a simple cause-and-effect linear temporal logic, which fails to consider the enduring impact of structural factors on working children's trajectories. This understanding also incorrectly interprets social mobility trajectories that do not follow a linear, continuously upward trajectory as failures. The paper’s central thrust is that the temporality of progress and working children’s social and spatial trajectories should be understood as a complex, dynamic process rather than a fixed outcome predictable or predetermined by their participation in precarious labour at specific moments in time.

A Study on the Differences in Education Between China and the United States and Their Intrinsic Reasons

The significant differences in education between China and the United States ultimately stem from the differences in basic national conditions. If Chinese education wants to change the current situation, it must start from the national conditions. Maintaining fair and just competition is the most critical point, as shaping a fair and just environment, depriving privileges, and preventing corrupt bureaucrats from interfering, while also learning from each other's strengths and weaknesses, and absorbing advanced concepts from Western education. To make progress in Chinese education, it is necessary to reduce ideological differences, take a long-term perspective, and return to the essence of expanding educational horizons and developing human abilities. Although the current education system in China is not satisfactory, due to the continuous growth of the Chinese economy and the continuous attention of various sectors of society to education, there is still hope for the future development of education in China.

A Reconsideration of the Relationship Between Town Size and Well-Being in Latin America

AbstractIn this study, we explore the relationship between town size and subjective well-being (SWB) in Latin America. We utilize data from the Latinobarómetro survey from 2005 to 2015, employing multilevel modeling to analyze individual responses to life satisfaction as an indicator of SWB. We refine the town size categories provided in the Latinobarómetro by cross-referencing the geographic information with the United Nations Demographic Yearbook, one of our main contributions, leaving us with more refined town size categories than previous research. Given previous theories, we also explore how education moderates the town size-SWB relationship. Our findings reveal that individuals in towns with populations between 10,000 and 500,000 report lower life satisfaction compared to those in smaller or larger towns. Controlling for national macroeconomic conditions reverses the positive association between SWB and living in a very large city. Furthermore, we find some support for the notion that highly-educated individuals are more satisfied than the low-educated in large cities. This study comprehensively underscores the importance of refining town size data and suggests avenues for future research to deepen collective understanding of the ‘geography of happiness’ in Latin America.

Construction on training course and training quality evaluation index system of chronic disease medication therapy management service (MTMs) in China: A Delphi study.

This study aims to construct a training course and quality evaluation index system for chronic disease Medication Therapy Management service (MTMs) that is suitable for China's national conditions. It seeks to provide tools and a scientific foundation for assessing the quality of MTMs training. Drawing from domestic and international literature and combining with the practice of chronic disease medication management by Chinese pharmacists, a preliminary framework for the evaluation index system was established. The Delphi method was used to solicit expert opinions, evaluate and improve the evaluation index system. Indicator weights were determined by using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Both rounds of expert inquiry achieved a positive degree of 100% (18/18 experts). The authority coefficients (Cr) were 0.90 and 0.91 respectively. The Kendall coordination coefficients (Kendall's W) of the second and third-level indicators for the first round of inquiry were 0.230 and 0.189, while those for the second round were 0.326 and 0.213. Finally, an MTMs training course and training quality evaluation index system was structured, comprising 3 first-level indicators, 11 second-level indicators, and 39 third-level indicators. The evaluation index system constructed in this study is scientifically robust and rational, offering a foundation to standardize MTMs training practices effectively.

Visual Analysis and Comparison of Frontiers and Hotspots of Physical Education Teaching Research in China and America Based on Improved Genetic Algorithm Rough Sets

The scientific knowledge graph is an emerging research method in this context. In the research of physical education teaching, the research and sorting out of the research results of physical education teaching in my country from the perspective of scientometrics and information visualization is still slightly insufficient. The similarity between the frontiers of physical education teaching research in China and the United States in the past five years is that both countries have paid more attention to research topics such as physical education teaching methods and physical education courses. This paper proposes a rough set knowledge reduction algorithm based on improved genetic algorithm. The support and importance of conditional attributes to decision attributes are introduced into the information system, which are added to the genetic algorithm as heuristic information, and the concepts of population dissimilarity and individual dissimilarity are proposed to improve the genetic algorithm. The research on school physical education in my country is biased towards problem research, while the research on physical education teaching methods in the United States is biased towards student health; In addition, starting from the national conditions, the hotspots in the field of physical education teaching in my country tend to be “Sports and Health Curriculum Standards”, physical education teachers, physical education ideas, educational theories and college sports, while the hotspots in the field of physical education teaching in the United States tend to be physical activity, children and adolescents , students, women, exercise education, physical education, self-determination theory, and the integration of psychological motivation and physical education. Experimental data analysis my country’s physical education curriculum research should appropriately increase the attention to the details of physical education curriculum, and my country’s physical education teaching practice research should appropriately increase the research on physical education from the perspective of public health.

Exploring the Optimization Path of China's Fertility Support Policies in the Context of Three-child Policy: The Reference and Inspiration based on the Experience of Developed Countries

At present, China is facing the dual challenges of aging and childlessness, and improving the existing fertility support policy has become a key task to enhance the national fertility intention and fertility rate, and to promote the optimization of the demographic structure. This paper analyzes the problems and deficiencies of China's fertility support policy by systematically combing the fertility support policies of China with those of developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Sweden in terms of economic support, time guarantee, in-kind assistance, service provision, and employment promotion. Based on the full consideration of China's national conditions, this paper draws on and summarizes the advanced experiences of developed countries and suggests that in the future, China should further expand the rights and benefits of parental maternity leave, establish a sound system of early childhood childcare services, increase the strength of the support for family childbearing, and effectively safeguard women's equal rights and benefits in employment, with a view to further perfecting and optimizing the system of maternity support policies.

Dentists’ views on the role orientation of dental hygienists in China: A qualitative content analysis

BackgroundA dental hygienist is an indispensable auxiliary staff in stomatology who assists people in achieving an optimum level of oral health. Despite advancements in dental medical services, our country has not yet established the position of dental hygienists. The current imbalance in the allocation of dental human resources has created a significant disparity between the demand for and supply of dental auxiliaries. By defining the responsibilities and functions of dental hygienists and establishing this position, this gap could be mitigated. The present study was conducted to explore dentists’ views on the role orientation, duty division and development situation of dental hygienists, in order to provide a reference for the establishment and training of the dental hygienist occupation in China in the future.Methods We use a descriptive qualitative design. A total of 13 dentists were selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation. Data were collected three months through semi-structured in-depth interviews and audio recorded, then carefully transcribed and analyzed using inductive content analysis approach.ResultsThis study included 13 dentists (9 males and 4 females; age 33–59 years), which was sufficient to reach data saturation. We generated three themes emerged: (a) national condition determined comprehensive paraprofessionals; (b) auxiliary personnel of multi-professional integration; (c) opportunities and challenges coexist.ConclusionExisting knowledge of the role orientation, duty division and development situation of dental hygienists in China is limited. A detailed exploration of this topic can provide guidance for the future duty division of dental auxiliary personnel and dental health care teams building.

Exploring China's Green Development Path: From Economic Transformation to Sustainable Development

Global industrialization has exacerbated environmental challenges, and China's practice of green development and its promotion of sustainable economic, social, and ecological development offers valuable lessons for developing economies. Through green and low-carbon transformation, industrial optimization, and environmental governance, China is leading the world towards a sustainable future and demonstrating its role as a great power. Using a combination of literature review and theoretical analysis, this study examines China's development strategies and paths in the face of global environmental challenges. Starting from the three theoretical foundations of green development, economic restructuring and upgrading, and sustainable development, the paper analyses the evolution of China's green development concepts and practices. In addition, the paper discusses the mechanism of green growth and economic transformation and upgrading, i.e., economic transformation and upgrading promotes green growth, and green growth promotes sustainable economic development. China has gradually constructed a set of green development models that align with national conditions and have a global perspective. It has also put forward Chinese programs and contributed Chinese wisdom to the international community in achieving sustainable development.

THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO PROCESSES OF DEVELOPMENT OF URBAN SPACES: ZONING AND PLANNING

In the modern context of rapid urbanization and city growth, the issue of effective zoning and urban space planning is extremely relevant. Sustainable approaches to urban infrastructure development require the integration of environmental, social, and economic aspects. Current urban planning methods often fail to meet the requirements of sustainable development due to insufficient integration of new technologies, inadequate community involvement, and a lack of effective coordination between public and private institutions. The aim of the study is to develop theoretical and methodological approaches to urban space development through the improvement of zoning and planning methods. The objectives include analyzing international experience, assessing current planning methods, and developing recommendations for their adaptation to national conditions. The object of the study is the urban spaces of modern cities. The subject of the study is the approaches to zoning and urban space planning. The study employed methods of analysis, synthesis, systematic approach, comparative analysis, and expert assessments. These methodologies provided a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and limitations of existing urban planning practices. Key methodological aspects of effective zoning and urban planning, considering ecological, social, and technological challenges, have been identified, ensuring a balanced approach to development. The research emphasized the importance of integrating smart technologies and sustainable practices to enhance urban functionality. Additionally, recommendations for their application in Ukraine have been developed, highlighting the need for policy adjustments and strategic partnerships to implement modern urban planning solutions effectively.The research found that the adaptation of international experience, particularly the use of mixed zoning and smart technologies, will promote the sustainable development of urban spaces in Ukraine. Future research may focus on developing practical recommendations for the implementation of modern methods in Ukraine's urban planning policy.

A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of Determinants Influencing Military Expenditure: New Methodological Insights and Implications for Defence Budget Allocation

Abstract The aim of this article is to conduct a meta-analysis of existing research on the determinants of military expenditure. Using data from an initial screening of 179 studies, 15 studies were selected for meta-analysis, contributing 20,023 observations to analyze key variables influencing defense budget allocations. By employing a random-effects meta-analysis, this study synthesizes findings across diverse geopolitical and economic contexts, addressing inconsistencies in prior research and enhancing the reliability of conclusions. Our findings indicate that war, current military expenditure, and the presence of external threats (enemies) are significant drivers of military spending, while national conditions show a significant negative correlation with military expenditure. Other variables, including GDP, population, democracy, trade, FDI, arms exports, alliances, threats, and political regime type, do not show strong correlations. By combining data from multiple studies, this methodological approach not only generalizes results and improves the precision of effect estimates but also identifies gaps to guide future defense economics research. This research provides policymakers with a broader understanding of the factors shaping defense budgets, offering insights into how traditional budgeting methods might be complemented by a data-driven approach.

Social Insurance for Foreign Workers in Light of Reciprocity (Analytical Study)

The international community has taken great interest in the field of social insurance for workers, especially foreign workers, and the extent to which they enjoy a right or not, and this interest has been taken by the United Nations, which has issued international declarations and agreements in this regard, as well as the International Labor Organization, as an organization specialized in labor affairs.Whereas the International Labor Convention on Migrant Workers has contributed greatly to directing the international approach to the inclusion of foreign workers in social insurance, as well as the approach of the national legislator through reciprocity. This is done by raising the legal residence condition in order to control and limit immigration to legal residents, and also raising the nationality conditions, as a group of social security laws have recently suspended the benefit of some social security benefits due to a specific nationality, such as the French Social Security Law, which suspended the benefit of compensation of the same nature for non-French nationals until 1998. These procedures related to reciprocity, whether at the international or national level, have been accompanied by problems raised on this principle related to the balance in treatment and the difficulty of applying it or the way the national judge deals with this matter.

What factors influence research impact? An empirical study on the interplay of research, publications, researchers, institutions, and national conditions

ABSTRACT Purpose This study investigates key factors contributing to research impact and their interactions with the Research Impact Quintuple Helix Model by Arsalan et al. (2024). Design/methodology/approach Using data from a global survey of 630 scientists across diverse disciplines, genders, regions, and experience levels, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to assess the influence of 29 factors related to researcher characteristics, research attributes, publication strategies, institutional support, and national roles. Findings The study validated the Quintuple Helix Model, uncovering complex interdependencies. Institutional support significantly affects research impact by covering leadership, resources, recognition, and funding. Researcher attributes, including academic experience and domain knowledge, also play a crucial role. National socioeconomic conditions indirectly influence research impact by supporting institutions, underscoring the importance of conducive national frameworks. Research limitations While the study offers valuable insights, it has limitations. Although statistically sufficient, the response rate was below 10%, suggesting that the findings may not fully represent the entire global research community. The reliance on self-reported data may also introduce bias, as perceptions of impact can be subjective. Practical implications The findings have a significant impact on researchers aiming to enhance their work’s societal, economic, and cultural significance, institutions seeking supportive environments, and policymakers interested in creating favourable national conditions for impactful research. The study advocates for a strategic alignment among national policies, institutional practices, and individual researcher efforts to maximise research impact and effectively address global challenges. Originality/value By empirically validating the Research Impact Quintuple Helix Model, this study offers a holistic framework for understanding the synergy of factors that drive impactful research.

The Logic of Globalization of Chinese-Style Modernization in the Perspective of Marx's World History Theory

Marx 's world history theory is an important part of the Marxist theoretical system. Chinese-style modernization is a socialist modernization road with Chinese characteristics that is generated and developed according to China 's national conditions under the guidance of this theory. In the process of pursuing modernization, China not only follows the evolution law of world history in theory, but also shows its unique generation logic in practice.Specifically, the globalization logic of China 's modernization can be grasped from the three historical stages of " forced to follow", " Run after oneself " and " Take the initiative and lead the race", thus highlighting China 's profound insight and historical initiative in world history.

The Impact of International Education on Chinese Education in the Context of Globalization

With the deepening of globalization, in Chinas educational system, international education (IE) has emerged as a key area for reform and development. This paper aims to explore how to effectively localize IE in China in the context of its flourishing development, in order to adapt to China's national conditions and needs. The paper systematically analyzes the connotation of IE and its development in China and points out the main challenges China faces in promoting IE. The paper focuses on the integration strategy of IE and local education(LE) and puts forward specific localization practice paths. The study finds that by adhering to the development of educational field openness, promoting bidirectional cultural exchange and interaction, firmly upholding cultural confidence, and developing student-international exchange programs, it is possible to effectively promote the deep integration and innovation of IE in China. Finally, the paper summarizes the research findings and looks forward to future trends.

Tatakelola Utang dan Pembangunan Ekonomi Indonesia: Studi Komparasi Antar Rezim Pemerintahan

ABSTRACT Research aims to analyze the effect of debt and differences in government regimes on economic growth. and poverty in Indonesia, (1940-2017). The study uses secondary data obtained from Bank Indonesia, National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the World Bank, and other reference sources such as books, journals and scientific papers. The data used are the value of foreign debt, national income (GDP), population, number and ratio of the poor population, inflation rate in the period 1949 - 2021. The results of multiple regression analysis show: Foreign debt has a correlation with national economic conditions, especially the GDP and poverty. Debt tends to increase GDP and reduce poverty. In terms of debt a driver of the economy and poverty, the Soeharto Era and Habibie's Era tend to be different and better than the Soekarno Era. While Era Abdurrahman Wahid's debt management, Megawati Era, SBY Era and Jokowi's Era were no different or no better than Sukarno's Era. Although nationally can increase GDP and reduce poverty, debt cannot improve people's welfare. Foreign debt even tends to reduce the level of welfare of the people. This applies to all government regimes. Keywords: Debt, Development, GDP,Indonesia, Poverty

Opportunities and challenges of large-scale salt cavern hydrogen storage in China coupled with renewable energy sources

Abstract To expedite China’s pursuit of the “dual-carbon” goal, a gradual transition from traditional fossil energy to renewable energy sources is imperative for the nation’s energy mix. Hydrogen energy, poised to become a pivotal component of the future energy industry, offers myriad advantages, including diverse sources, high efficiency, cleanliness, and high energy density. Salt caverns present distinct benefits for underground storage. This research synthesizes the current development trajectories of renewable energy and hydrogen energy in China, summarizing the advantages, disadvantages, and economic comparisons of various underground hydrogen storage methods, with a particular emphasis on the merits of salt cavern hydrogen storage. Furthermore, it reviews the current state and opportunities for salt cavern hydrogen storage both domestically and internationally, underscoring its substantial potential within China. Ultimately, the research identifies three major scientific and technological challenges associated with hydrogen storage in salt caverns in China and envisions future directions for this technology. The findings of this research are anticipated to contribute to the development of a hydrogen storage strategy in salt caverns that aligns with China’s national conditions.