International Standards Research Articles

Use of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Among Healthcare Workers in Teaching Hospitals of Khorramabad, Iran

Background and Objective: In light of the pivotal role played by personal protective equipment (PPE) in mitigating the transmission of the novel coronavirus, this study aimed to investigate the utilization of personal protective equipment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic among medical personnel and students affiliated with Lorestan University of Medical Sciences in the year 2019. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive research study collected essential data, encompassing personal characteristics and inquiries concerning the use of personal protective equipment, the extent of their utilization, training regarding proper equipment use, and adherence to health guidelines, including hand hygiene and disinfectant usage. Data were gathered through a questionnaire developed in accordance with international standards, specifically the PPE Safe Survey. The questionnaire was administered to medical staff, including physicians, nurses, and medical students, working in healthcare facilities that admitted COVID-19 patients within the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, situated in Khorramabad. Results: Our investigation involved a total of 201 participants, comprising 82 (40.8%) males and 119 (59.2%) females. The average age of the participants was 32 years, with an average daily duration of personal protective equipment utilization amounting to 8.9 hours. Notably, 44 (21.9%) participants worked in emergency wards, 63 (31.3%) in general medical wards, 12 (6.0%) in administrative departments, 14 (7.0%) in surgical units, 11 (5.5%) in anesthesiology, 17 (8.5%) in intensive care units, and 40 (19.9%) in miscellaneous contexts. Conclusion: The study findings underscore the imperative need for healthcare professionals to consistently employ suitable personal protective equipment, encompassing face masks, eye protection, gowns, and eye shields. Furthermore, our study highlights the significance of appropriate training and rigorous adherence to equipment utilization protocols during healthcare tasks, coupled with consistent hand hygiene practices in healthcare facilities.

A comprehensive review on power quality issues and disturbances mitigation through shunt active power filters

In contemporary power systems, power quality (PQ) has become a matter of paramount concern. The challenges associated with PQ extend beyond conventional three-phase systems, encompassing the integration of various distributed generation (DG) sources like renewable energy installations, storage systems, and diverse power generation technologies such as diesel generators and fuel cells. The prevalent adoption of rapid-switching devices within the utility infrastructure has resulted in a surge of harmonics and reactive power disturbances. The increased use of harmonics-producing loads has led to several power quality issues, particularly harmonics. The distortions caused by these power quality issues must adhere to the limits established by international standards. Mitigation of these concerns is critical, and active power filters are a realistic option. However, passive filters have problems such as bulkiness, and resonance with either/both load and utility impedance, and the source impedance affects filtering properties. As a result, active power filters (APF) are designed to address the shortcomings of passive filters. Active power filters (APF) offer several advantages over passive filters, including compact size, enhanced filtering characteristics, dynamic performance, and flexible operation. The control strategy of APF strongly influences the APF performance, efficiency, and reliability. This paper presents a detailed assessment of current active filter control systems, highlighting their key features. The characteristics, performance, applicability, and implementation of various control techniques are explored and investigated.

Assessing cacao beans fermentation degree with improved YOLOv8 instance segmentation

Fermentation is a critical step in cacao bean processing, significantly influencing the quality and flavor of the final chocolate product. Meeting international market standards requires well-fermented cacao beans, emphasizing the importance of precisely determining their fermentation degree before export. Traditionally, human graders rely on a cut test to assess the degree of fermentation, but this method is prone to individual variability and is time consuming. To address this problem, the YOLO-CoLa model has been developed within the YOLOv8 framework, focusing on accurately detecting the fermentation degree of cacao beans. This new model, an extension of the YOLOv8s model, incorporates the innovative Large Selective Kernel Block (LSKBlock) within the network’s backbone, replacing the C2f module to improve detection accuracy. Data augmentation was applied to mitigate limitations related to the availability of training images. The results showed the effectiveness of YOLOv8-CoLa, achieving a mAP0.5 of 70.4 %, a notable improvement of 9.3 % over YOLOv8. These findings highlight the significance of integrating LSKBlock and the value of tailored model adaptations in accurately identifying fermentation degrees in cacao beans. The advancements presented in this research offer a viable solution to the challenges faced in determining cacao bean fermentation levels, contributing to the optimization of cacao bean processing.

Addressing the commercial determinants of menstrual health: a call to regulate menstrual product manufacturers.

Over the last two decades, menstrual health and hygiene have become increasingly common on the global health agenda. While governments and international organizations are adopting measures to make menstrual products more accessible, corporate actors producing them have only been subject to limited scrutiny. Yet, their products and commercial practices raise environmental, health, equity and societal issues, which warrant attention and regulation. As such, commercial disposable menstrual products are largely made up of plastic, sometimes as much as 90%. Menstrual pads and tampons also contain some chemicals, the health impact of which is still unclear. In addition, these products are often sold with high-profit margins, and marketing campaigns to sell such products tend to reinforce shame and secrecy. So far, no global standards exist to regulate menstrual products and manufacturers, and evidence in the field of menstrual health and hygiene is lagging behind. To fill this gap, countries have started to regulate menstrual products and the International Standards Organization is in the process of developing global standards to better regulate the content and labeling of menstrual products. To support the emergence of regulation in this area, this article conceptualizes for the first time a comprehensive framework for the regulation of menstrual product manufacturers. This framework encompasses five complementary measures to regulate the content; labeling; production and waste management; pricing; advertising and marketing of menstrual products. The article also calls for more research to produce evidence and for increased governmental and inter-governmental attention to menstrual product manufacturers.

Numerical simulation of intact stability analysis of a catamaran vessel

This research work shows the intact stability analysis of a passenger catamaran vessel considering their different load cases: Fully loaded ship to maximum free-board draught; lightship with full tanks; and lightship with no passengers, crew, and empty tanks. The MAXSURF package as the Naval Architecture tool was selected to model the catamaran hull form design using the MAXSURF modeler and the MAXSURF stability was employed to carry out the stability analysis. The stability analysis was conducted using the intact stability criteria of IMO. The stability assessment was performed to verify whether the vessel's stability complies with international standards. A numerical method (Simpson’s rules) was employed in evaluating the area under the GZ curves within the range: 0º - 30º; 0º - 40º; 30º - 40º. The maximum heeling moment was calculated as 954.48 tons-m for load case 1; 755.36 tons-m for load case 2; 671.58 tons-m for load case 3 and the range of stability for all three load cases was justified well. It was concluded that the Catamaran at full load (Load case 1) is more stable with a maximum heeling moment of 954.48 tons-m as compared to Load cases 2 and 3

Hollaender award 2023: Adventures in applied genetic toxicology.

This work describes career "adventures" into applied research in environmental mutagenesis. Surprising and interesting results, as well as publications in Nature and Science, may counter an assumption that applied research is not as exciting or impactful as basic research. The narrative is described in terms of "mentors," whose advice had a lasting impact and resonated in many ways. Adventures included forays into nitrosamine mutagenicity, nanomaterial assessment, photoactivated DNA damaging agents, p53 gene mutagenicity, germ cell mutagenic risk, bacterial mutagenicity assays, genotoxicity of cell phone radiation, Covid diagnostic PCR assays, personalized cancer prevention, and >25 years in regulatory safety assessment at FDA. FDA work included review of genotoxicity data, experiments in the lab, international standards generation, and collaboration with others to foster better analyses of DNA damaging agents, generally in relation to cancer risk. As demonstrated by accidental adventures that led to scientific as well as life-altering personal realizations, many of the most critical happenings in science and in life turn out to be "random," unexpected, events. Finally, with this work and that of my lifelong tripmate William Lijinsky as models, it is suggested that a "non-hypothesis driven," open-ended approach to research can be path-breaking and forefront.

COVID-19 and Patient Rights: A Comparative Analysis of Legal Protection Mechanisms at Citra Medika Hospital Indonesia and International Standards

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to healthcare systems globally, highlighting the critical need for robust legal frameworks protecting patient rights. This study investigated the legal protection mechanisms for COVID-19 patients at Citra Medika Hospital, Indonesia, comparing them with international standards. This empirical legal study employed a descriptive approach. Data collection involved a comprehensive review of hospital regulations, national laws, and international guidelines. Observations of hospital practices were conducted, and semi-structured interviews were held with hospital staff and COVID-19 patients. Qualitative analysis focused on key patient rights: information, consent, confidentiality, second opinions, and access to medical records. Citra Medika Hospital demonstrated efforts to protect patient rights, including informed consent procedures, confidentiality protocols, and provisions for accessing medical records. However, gaps were identified concerning the clarity and accessibility of patient information and the practical implementation of the right to a second opinion. In conclusion, while Citra Medika Hospital has established some mechanisms to protect patient rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, further enhancements are needed to align with international best practices. Recommendations include improving patient information materials, strengthening procedures for second opinions, and enhancing staff training on patient rights.

BSDF Data generation for daylight applications: A call for international standardization

Standardized methods for generating angle-dependent, bidirectional, solar-optical properties for complex fenestration systems do not exist, which means that energy and daylight evaluations in building performance simulations often suffer from major inaccuracies. This position paper provides an overview of state-of-the-art data-driven methods for characterizing light scattering properties of fenestration materials and blind systems (e.g. fabrics, metal slats, patterned glazing), validation via laboratory, simulation and field tests, and salient issues in support of standardization of such methods via the International Standardization Organization (ISO). The ISO standard is intended to provide the fundamental underpinnings for recently mandated daylight standards that rely on bidirectional scattering distribution function data for climate-based daylight modelling and building performance simulations.

Mainstreaming Law and Human Rights Education in Indonesia: How the National Training Institute Can Drive Legal and Policy Reform?

This paper explores the integration of law and human rights education in Indonesia, with a focus on the role of the National Training Institute (NTI) in advancing these principles through governmental and public service training programs. As Indonesia continues its commitment to upholding human rights, both domestically and in line with international conventions, the mainstreaming of law and human rights education plays a critical role in promoting justice, equality, and legal literacy across society. Despite legal frameworks aimed at protecting human rights, there remains a significant gap in the effective implementation of such education, particularly within public institutions and civil service training. The study assesses how the NTI has integrated law and human rights topics into its curricula, examining the effectiveness of these programs in building awareness and understanding of legal rights and responsibilities. Drawing from interviews with trainers and participants, the paper identifies both strengths and limitations of current training methodologies, highlighting the challenges of addressing complex human rights issues in a culturally diverse context. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of law and policy reform in advancing human rights education. It argues that a comprehensive and systematic approach to training in legal rights is not only crucial for improving compliance with national and international human rights standards but is also integral to broader legal reforms aimed at enhancing public participation and accountability in governance. The paper concludes by proposing recommendations for strengthening law and human rights education within the NTI framework, advocating for reforms that expand its reach and effectiveness as a tool for both societal change and legal empowerment.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), Policy Conditionality and Human Rights, 2001–2021

AbstractThe World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been criticised for their weak commitment to human rights, with the World Bank subject to greater scrutiny and criticism than the IMF and despite significant progress since 2015 in linking its policies and operations to international human rights law. In this light, we explore the extent to which the IMF meets its responsibilities under international human rights law. We focus on IMF conditionality, on the conditions attached to IMF loans to countries in the global South. Using QDA Miner Lite, and a system of interpretive coding, we explore the extent to which international human rights standards are reflected in IMF loan conditions on the basis of inter-temporal and cross-country comparisons. We find that human rights are increasingly reflected in IMF conditionality, but also that it continues to undermine human rights, for instance, by unduly constraining the fiscal space available to sovereign governments. The IMF, we conclude, continues to compare unfavourably to other multilateral institutions, warranting enhanced scrutiny by organs of the UN Human Rights Council and by human rights NGOs.

Modernization of national judicial systems in the context of international legal standards

It is indicated that the foreign experience of modernizing national judicial systems by implementing international standards into constitutional laws to implement the provisions of the European Charter on the Status of Judges of 1998 (hereinafter the European Charter) is important, where it is determined that «in every European state, the basic principles of the conduct of judges are laid down in internal regulations at the highest level, and the main provisions at least at the legislative level.» Attention is drawn to the need for the implementation of this standard confirmed in another international document, namely: in the Explanatory Note to the European Charter on the Status of Judges dated July 10, 1998, which reads: «The basic principles on which the law on the status of judges is based, which defines guarantees of competence, independence and impartiality of judges and courts should be adopted in normative acts at the highest level, that is, in the Constitution, in the case of European states, which created such a basic text full of difficulties and inaccuracies. The author comments on the above provisions. Firstly, in the European Charter and the Explanatory Note, which has the status of a Model Code, in an imperative form (such phrases as: «in every European state», «must be adopted») are used, it is determined that the international standard must be implemented in regulatory acts at the highest level, i.e. in the Constitution. Secondly, this standard must be defined «in every European state», that is, no European state can evade the implementation of the standard or ignore it. But, the question arises: are we talking about all the countries of Europe (geographical approach) or only the states of the Council of Europe or the European Union or the signatory states of the European Charter (institutional approach)? Thirdly, the Explanatory Note recognizes the fact that the main text of the European Charter is full of difficulties and inaccuracies, that is, the balance and clarity of the legal wording could be better. And where are the guarantees that the text of the Explanatory Note (Model Law) also does not contain inaccuracies or ambiguities? It is noted that, in general, the texts of each international document «suffer» from ambiguities and inaccuracies, and over time require partial additions or complete revision. In the opinion of the author, providing evaluation judgments in an international document about another document is incorrect and unnecessary. In fact, these claims should be addressed not to the document itself, but to those who drafted, accepted and signed it.

Functioning principles of the High Council of Justice

In the article, on the basis of a systematic analysis of international standards, norms of the current legislation of Ukraine, and modern doctrinal sources, certain principles of the functioning of the High Council of Justice are investigated. It is noted that the absence of a direct and clear norm or indication of one or another principle of functioning of the High Council of Justice in the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine «On the High Council of Justice» does not deny its existence, as it may be indirectly established in the content of other provisions of the law. Thus, in the author’s opinion, in the system of principles of functioning of the High Council of Justice, such universal principles are of primary importance, the influence of which extends both to the organizational component and to all areas of its activity without exception. These include: independence and autonomy, legitimacy, transparency, accountability. Independence and autonomy as a principle follows from the legally defined status and purpose of the High Council of Justice - ensuring the independence of the judiciary. Accordingly, this body itself must be independent and autonomous in the sense of the absence of control, interference, pressure and any influence both from representatives of other segments of state power (executive and legislative), and directly from representatives of the judiciary, as well as civil society. The expediency of using the very phrase «independence and autonomy» is substantiated, the latter demonstrates the subject’s ability to independently regulate its activities, to resolve issues related to it without any agreement with others. Independence is an «outer shell» that characterizes the state of the subject’s external communications, its existence in a certain system of relationships and interaction with other subjects, and the possibility of influence. Legitimacy as a principle of functioning of the High Council of Justice covers two sections: constitutional consolidation of key provisions of its legal status and public trust in its actions and decisions. It is argued that public trust in the court and the system of judicial protection of the rights and freedoms of individuals in the state depends on how well and effectively the High Council of Justice performs its functions, with a special emphasis on personnel and disciplinary functions, and how much society trusts its decisions in these matters. The legitimacy of the High Council of Justice, on the one hand, is a component of the legitimacy of the judiciary, and on the other, it is an additional source. The legitimacy of the High Council of Justice depends on the implementation of other principles - transparency and accountability of the High Council of Justice. Transparency implies openness, transparency, publicity of the High Council of Justice, its decisions, procedures and activities. It requires active communication of the High Council of Justice with various subjects, demonstration of the results of its activities, publication of a wide range of information that is the product of such activities. Accountability of the High Council of Justice is a principle that ensures its systemic interrelationships and serves as a safeguard against arbitrariness and usurpation of power vested in this body, given the concentration of a wide range of powers in it. It is noted that, according to international standards, there are three ways in which the accountability of the High Council of Justice is implemented, which determines the existence of its three types: judicial, punitive and explanatory accountability.

The impact of external auditing on financial information users: field study

This research aims to study the extent to which external auditing affects realizing the objectives of financial information users. This was done through a surveying of the opinions of a sample of the study community in the West Algerian region using a questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS26), for descriptive analysis of the Sample individuals as well as a simple linear regression (SLR) model to test hypotheses. The results of the study concluded that there is a positive impact of the role of external auditing in improving the quality of the information system and activating the internal control system aimed at financial information users. This study recommends the essential for external auditors to comply with international auditing standards and quality requirements to improve the practice of the auditing profession and boost it in the future to attain the above-mentioned objectives.

Some aspects of international cooperation and information exchange among journalists during armed conflicts: current challenges and prospects

The article examines the contemporary challenges of international journalism in the context of armed conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine. It focuses on the risks to journalists’ safety, issues of censorship and information manipulation, as well as the impact of new technologies on the timeliness and accuracy of news. The study expands existing knowledge about international journalism by proposing a new model for analyzing the interaction of political, social, and technological factors in conflict situations. Using a comprehensive case study methodology and bibliometric research, the article explores practical aspects of information exchange, including the creation of secure communication channels, adherence to ethical standards, and fact-checking. Content analysis of media messages and surveys of journalists working in conflict zones are employed in the research. The study reveals that the war in Ukraine has led to a significant decline in international cooperation due to difficulties in ensuring the credibility of information, an increase in censorship and manipulation. Particularly pressing are the issues of journalists’ safety, restrictions on access to critical information sources, and challenges in maintaining media independence. Additionally, the article highlights that armed conflicts pose numerous threats to journalists, such as risks of physical attacks, detention, and even life-threatening situations. In combat conditions, journalists often face restricted access to important information, complicating their work and impacting the quality of event coverage. These conditions necessitate new approaches to protecting journalists at both individual and institutional levels, as well as improving international safety standards and support. The findings indicate the need to develop new strategies for protecting journalists, ensuring the accuracy of information, and strengthening international media cooperation. These conclusions have broad implications for understanding modern information wars and forming effective mechanisms to counter disinformation. The article makes a significant contribution to the advancement of journalism and may be useful for journalists, scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in safeguarding freedom of speech and developing a democratic society.

Protection Strategies for Interstate Migrant Workers in Kerala: An Urgent Call for Policy Reforms

Interstate migrant workers in India are highly disenfranchised, often facing exploitative labour conditions without access to social protection, healthcare, housing, or other basic rights. Their informal employment leads to precarious living situations and limited worker rights. Despite their significant contribution to India's GDP, these workers are denied full citizen rights, exacerbating their economic vulnerabilities. Addressing these issues requires recognizing them as right-bearing citizens, entitled to essential services and protections. Policy measures should focus on empowering these workers, enhancing their economic security, and ensuring their rights as equal members of society. Kerala has seen a substantial influx of interstate migrant workers, with approximately 3.4 million migrants as of 2021. This migration shift from South-South states to North East-South, as indicated by Census 2011 data, highlights the diverse origins of these workers seeking employment opportunities. Despite policies aimed at their support, many migrants remain outside these protective measures. The authors' fieldwork reveals pervasive human rights violations, including inadequate shelter, unequal wages, and limited access to labour and health protections. Legally Indian citizens, these migrants often face systemic denial of their constitutional and human rights, with international and national human rights standards unmet in Kerala. This paper emphasises the economic vulnerabilities of migrant workers and the concept of right-bearing citizens, advocating for policy reforms to bridge the gap between policy and practice. Recommendations include strengthening policy implementation, enhancing legal protections, raising awareness, improving access to services, and promoting social inclusion.

Raphael Lemkin’s conception of genocide and background of its emergence

The article is devoted to the study of the concept of genocide proposed by Raphael Lemkin and its evolution in international law. R. Lemkin – the author of the term «genocide» – developed a broad concept of this crime, which included not only the physical elimination of the national, ethnic or social groups but also the destruction of their language, culture, social structure and economic base. However, after the adoption of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, the legal definition of genocide was significantly narrowed. The article analyses R. Lemkin’s views on defining the scope of what can be considered genocidal acts, in particular, in the context of the Holocaust and other crimes committed by the Nazis, as well as in the context of the Holodomor. The article also examines the historical background of the emergence of the concept of genocide and the evolution of international legal instruments that protected the rights of national, ethnic and cultural groups before the emergence of this concept. In particular, the role of the Hague Conventions, many peace treaties, decisions of international judicial bodies and reports of international administrative bodies in the formation of legal prerequisites for the protection of the rights of the specified groups before the introduction of the concept of genocide and the adoption of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948 is analysed. In addition, the article analyses in detail the differences between the original concept of R. Lemkin and the narrower concept that was enshrined in the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Also, the views of modern scholars regarding the concept of genocide proposed by R. Lemkin are discussed. The results of this research may be useful for further analysis of the intellectual heritage of R. Lemkin, the influence of his concept of genocide on the development of modern international law, as well as for the further search for ways to improve international standards for the protection of minority rights and international legal instruments for the prevention of genocide, punishment for its commission and protection of its victims.

Court decisions in criminal proceedings: information and analytical research tools

Themis procedural decisions have a huge impact on legal practice. Scientists, professors of law faculties, investigators, lawyers, prosecutors, judges, participants in criminal proceedings and society in general should have access to court decisions within the framework of the principle of publicity and openness of judicial proceedings (Clause 20, Part 1, Article 7, Article 27 of the Criminal Procedure Code). In this direction, two trends are present in modern conditions: the increase in the number of documents and the digitization of documents. The openness of judicial practice is slowly moving from a paper form to a digital form. Taking into account this dynamic, the importance of studying information and analytical tools for the court decisions analysis made in criminal proceedings is increasing. An overview of these tools became the purpose of this publication. It is emphasized that the analysis of judicial practice data makes it possible to evaluate not only the functioning of separate legal norms and institutions of substantive and procedural law, but also to consider the activity of the justice system in a broader context from the point of view of system-creating potential, the lever for the implementation of the rule of law and the approval of the model of due legal procedure, implementation of international standards and legal policy in the state. The article discusses digital platforms: «Unified State Register of Court Decisions», «Base of Legal Positions of the Supreme Court», «Analysis of Judicial Practice», «Court Statistics», HUDOC, «Protection of State Interests in the European Court». Special attention is paid to the web application «Combating crime in Ukraine: infographics», as well as open databases of judicial practice in Belgium, Great Britain, Spain, Lithuania and Germany. The study confirmed the pluralism of information and analytical tools for judicial practice research. Information and analytical resources are important for educational and scientific purposes, for sharing experience in the practical field, for identifying problems and for developing unified approaches to their solution, as well as for making strategic decisions regarding the reform of the justice system in Ukraine. The national database of the Unified State Register of Court Decisions in terms of informativeness and interface is no worse than foreign counterparts, although there are obvious directions for improving the functionality of the system taking into account modern challenges and needs.

European standards of judicial control at the stage of pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings

The article examines the European standards for the judicial control at the stage of pretrial investigation in criminal proceedings, with an emphasis on the compliance of the provisions of Article 303 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine with the standards of the European Court of Human Rights. In the conditions of reforming the Ukrainian legal system with the aim of integration into the European community, the problem of ensuring effective judicial control is extremely urgent. It is proposed under the European standards of judicial control at the stage of pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings to consider a set of legal norms, principles and guarantees enshrined in the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and precedent practice of the European Court of Human Rights, which ensure an effective, fair and legal judicial review and control over the actions, decisions or inaction of pre-trial investigation bodies for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of a person. Groups of European standards in criminal proceedings are highlighted: firstly, standards relating to the legality of detention and detention, secondly, standards relating to the reasonableness of suspicion, thirdly, standards of effectiveness of pre-trial investigation, fourthly, standards of access to justice in criminal proceedings. It has been established that part of the standard of access to justice is the standard of effectiveness of judicial control. It has been proven that the standard of effectiveness of judicial control at the stage of pre-trial investigation is, in our opinion, an important element of access to justice, as it ensures: protection of the rights of individuals at the stage of pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings, transparency and accountability of the process, prevention of human rights violations, appeal of procedural decisions. It was concluded that although Article 303 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine provides tools for judicial control, the existing mechanisms do not always meet European standards due to problems of access to justice and speed of trial. The need to implement international standards is to ensure effective protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens and to strengthen trust in the judicial system of Ukraine. The work emphasizes that further adaptation of national legislation to European requirements will contribute to increasing the effectiveness of judicial control at the pre-trial investigation stage.

ЄВРОПЕЇЗАЦІЯ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ МАЙБУТНЬОГО ФАХІВЦЯ ГОТЕЛЬНО-РЕСТОРАННОЇ СПРАВИ: МОЖЛИВОСТІ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ШТУЧНОГО ІНТЕЛЕКТУ

The purpose of the study is possibilities and prospects of using artificial intelligence for Europeanization of professional training of future specialists in hotel and restaurant business. To achieve this goal, we set several tasks: to study European standards of professional training of specialists; to evaluate current trends in application of artificial intelligence in education; to identify opportunities and challenges of AI integration into educational process of professional training of future specialists in hotel and restaurant business. During the scientific search, a complex of methods was applied: bibliographic, analysis and synthesis for the study of psychological and pedagogical literature (theoretical). A monographic method was used for logical presentation of the results. Results. Europeanization of professional training of future specialists in hotel and restaurant business of Ukraine as an important stage of adaptation of national education system to international standards has been studied. Main standards are considered through partial characterization of a number of documents. Challenges of Europeanization are characterized, namely: standards and accreditation, updating of curricula and programs, human resources, financing. Possibilities of Europeanization of professional training of future specialists in hotel and restaurant business, including improving quality of education, possibility of international internships and exchanges, increasing prestige of the profession of future specialists in the field of hotel and restaurant business and likely attraction of investments, have been allocated. Role of artificial intelligence in professional education has been investigated. Importance of AI has been proved through the implementation of a number of innovative solutions that can significantly improve educational process, namely: adaptive learning systems, virtual simulators, learning management systems. Conclusions. Main results of the study show that use of artificial intelligence has great potential for Europeanization of professional training in the field of hotel and restaurant business. Prospects for further research may include studying the impact of AI on specific aspects of educational process, developing new technologies for educational purposes, and analyzing long-term effects of AI integration on the labor market. Key words: professional training, future specialists, hotel and restaurant business, higher education institution, artificial intelligence, Europeanization.

Utilizing Traditional Knowledge for Development in Sri Lanka: A Legal Analysis with a Special Emphasis on Intellectual Property Law

Traditional Knowledge was not originally recognized as a part of the realm of intellectual property rights as its unique attributes did not align with the theoretical underpinning of intellectual property rights. Nevertheless, an emerging trend occurred with Traditional Knowledge becoming susceptible to unauthorized appropriation by third parties without sharing benefits with the knowledge holder, which was commonly referred to as biopiracy. Consequently, developing nations, along with indigenous communities, started advocating for an expansion of the scope of intellectual property law to protect and preserve Traditional Knowledge. Sri Lanka, often renowned for its cultural and biodiversity richness, is a treasure trove of Traditional Knowledge. However, the absence of an adequate legal framework addressing Traditional Knowledge, coupled with a number of failed Legislative attempts such as the Genetic Resources – Access and Benefit Sharing Act of 2000 and 2009 Bill has placed Sri Lanka in a disadvantageous position. Therefore, it is the objective of the researcher to introduce a comprehensive legal framework related to Traditional Knowledge, under IP law, considering the rights of the knowledge holders and the potential for commercialization to achieve the development of the country. This study looks at international standards and Indian laws and policies to gain insights on enhancing the Sri Lankan legal framework. Consequently, the researcher proposes several defensive and positive measures that can be implemented to strengthen the legal framework pertaining to Traditional Knowledge in Sri Lanka. The researcher finds that Sri Lanka could benefit from a sui generis law that takes into account the dual objectives of creating value from Traditional Knowledge and safeguarding the rights of knowledge holders, thereby promoting the country's development.