Development of a proficiency testing platform for advanced therapies medicinal products (ATMPs).

Understanding health information can be difficult, which can limit people's ability to manage their health and adopt healthy practices, leading to poorer health outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate a verbal health literacy training initiative designed to support clear conversations between health service providers and users. The initiative incorporated Teach-back, Chunk and Check, Simple Language, and Open Questions, alongside implementation support from a health literacy officer. A concurrent mixed-methods evaluation was conducted across two health programmes serving a population of approximately one million people in the United Kingdom: A Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme delivered by five physiotherapists in a hospital setting, and a Weight Management Programme delivered by 12 health improvement advisors within a regional government authority. The evaluation comprised five components: (1) Surveys of 110 service providers' perceptions of the training; (2) Observations of 11 service providers before and after training; (3) Two focus groups with 11 service providers six months post-training; (4) Change in 73 service users' health literacy levels using two domains of the Health Literacy Questionnaire; (5) Change in service users' health and wellbeing between baseline and programme completion. Service providers found the initiative useful. Changes in communication practice, such as increased use of Chunk and Check and Open Questions, were observed. Both programmes were delivered in group settings. Teach-back was reported to be challenging to apply in this context but beneficial in one-to-one interactions in wider practice. Implementation support from the health literacy officer was helpful but difficult to deliver to busy teams. Service users' health literacy levels improved by the end of their programme, but there was no evidence that the initiative improved health and wellbeing outcomes. For example, no significant difference was observed in the primary outcome for Weight Management participants in the intervention group compared with controls (0.2kg, - 2.3 to 1.9; p = 0.84). In this small evaluation, the initiative was well received and enhanced service providers' communication skills. Further evaluation of a strengthened initiative should focus on controlled before-and-after designs using larger samples to determine the effect on service users' health literacy and health and wellbeing outcomes.

ABSTRACT While patronage research has focused on loyalty and competence, it rarely examines how territorial criteria shape appointment decisions in contexts where regional belonging is politically salient. This study investigates how parties with strong territorial bases use territorial patronage, defined as the strategic consideration of appointees’ territorial origins in central government appointments, to pursue multiple strategic objectives. Using mixed-methods analysis of 115 Director General appointments in the Kurdistan Regional Government, based on original data and elite interviews, we test whether territorial criteria advance electoral (rewarding supportive regions), party organisational (balancing internal factions) and governmental strategy (ensuring oversight across ministries) aims. We find that territorial considerations operate as a cross-cutting imperative, systematically shaping all three patronage dimensions rather than functioning as a separate logic. These findings extend patronage theory by showing how parties’ strategic consideration of appointees’ territorial origins underpins appointment strategies.

This study examines the nexus between Islamic bank financing and regional poverty reduction in Indonesia, addressing the critical gap in evidence-based policy during the post-pandemic recovery. Utilizing a balanced panel dataset of 33 provinces from 2020 to 2024, the research employs a Fixed Effect Model (FEM) with Cluster-Robust Standard Errors to ensure empirical rigor. The results demonstrate that while total Islamic financing significantly reduces poverty rates—confirming its role in wealth redistribution Islamic MSME financing exhibits a significant positive correlation. Rather than indicating intermediation failure, this study clarifies that such results reflect a strategic pro-poor targeting phenomenon, where Islamic financial institutions proactively penetrate high-poverty regions to fulfill their social inclusion mandate. Furthermore, the findings reveal a fiscal-monetary divergence, where regional government expenditure shows persistent inefficiencies in contrast to the positive externalities of population agglomeration. This study contributes to the literature by providing a nuanced understanding of the dual-objective nature of Islamic banking and offers a novel framework for integrating Sharia-based financial inclusion with regional development strategies. The findings provide a mandate for policymakers to synchronize fiscal allocations with Islamic financial ecosystems to foster sustainable economic independence.

Income disparity is an important issue in regional development as it reflects inequality in the distribution of welfare across regions or social groups. This study aims to analyze the effect of regional economic growth, open unemployment rate, and regional government capital expenditure on income disparity in Pacitan Regency and Wonogiri Regency during the period 2010–2023. This research employs a quantitative approach using secondary data obtained from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of East Java and Central Java Provinces, as well as BPS of Pacitan Regency and Wonogiri Regency. The study population consists of annual socio-economic indicator data, with a total sampling technique of 14 years of observation for each regency. Data analysis is conducted using multiple linear regression with the assistance of IBM SPSS 25 software. The partial test results indicate that the effects of independent variables on income disparity differ between regions. In Pacitan Regency, regional economic growth and open unemployment rate have no significant effect on income disparity, while capital expenditure has a positive and significant effect. Conversely, in Wonogiri Regency, regional economic growth and open unemployment rate have a negative and significant effect on income disparity, whereas capital expenditure has no significant effect. These findings provide policy implications for local governments in designing more equitable and inclusive development strategies.

This study aims to determine the influence of the implementation of Government Accounting Standards and Good Governance on the Quality of Financial Reports of the Regional Government of Ogan Komering Ilir. This research uses a quantitative approach. Data were collected through the distribution of questionnaires to 159 respondents who are financial management officials within the Regional Work Units (OPD) of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression with the help of SPSS version 25. The results of the study show that both the implementation of Government Accounting Standards and Good Governance have a positive and significant influence on the quality of financial reports. This research emphasizes that the synergy between the implementation of accounting standards and good governance is an important factor in improving the quality of regional financial reporting.

ABSTRACT This paper examines how contemporary aid practices in West Africa continue to reflect colonial legacies and external priorities, often at the expense of locally defined needs. It analyses the interplay between donor strategies, institutional structures, and African responses through a postcolonial political economy lens. The study shows how formal reforms, including the Paris Declaration and the African Peer Review Mechanism, have struggled to overcome entrenched asymmetries in agenda-setting and decision-making. At the same time, African actors such as regional bodies, national governments, and civil society organisations are negotiating greater influence within development partnerships. The paper proposes practical reforms to strengthen African agency, including aligning aid with continental and ECOWAS frameworks, expanding regional funding mechanisms, and empowering local institutions. It argues that decolonising aid architecture requires reforming the terms of cooperation to centre African ownership and reshape how power, knowledge, and priorities are negotiated in development practice.

This research is driven by Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning Financial Relations between the Central Government and Regional Governments (HKPD), which reclassifies several taxes, including entertainment tax, into the Category of Goods and Services Tax (PBJT). This policy is further regulated by Surabaya City Regional Regulation Number 7 of 2023. This study aims to analyze the contribution of entertainment tax within the PBJT framework toward Surabaya's Local Generated Revenue (PAD) from 2021 to 2023. Using a descriptive quantitative approach, data were collected from the Surabaya City Budget Realization Report (LRA) and other official documents, then processed using RStudio. The results indicate that while entertainment tax realization increases annually, its contribution to Surabaya's PAD remains significantly low, averaging below 2%. This suggests that entertainment tax is not yet a primary source of revenue for the city. Based on these findings, the Surabaya City Government is expected to tighten supervision over entertainment transactions through digital systems to minimize fraud risks and conduct comprehensive data updates on new entertainment venues to maximize tax collection.

Digital transformation serves as a pivotal driver in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly within the public sector. This research evaluates how the digital readiness of public organizations in Indonesia influences their capacity to achieve long-term sustainability. Using a qualitaive methodology, this study integrates literature reviews, policy document analysis, and performance reports with direct observations of operational activities across various central and regional government agencies. The findings suggest that digital transformation in the public sector is heavily contingent upon internal systems, organizational culture, and leadership support. Utimately, elevating an organization’s digital maturity is essential for the formulation of resilient policies and the delivery of sustainable public services in the digital age.

Introduction . The relevance of studying the humanization of animal rights in contemporary Russia is determined by the influence of global trends and the societal need to strengthen and promote traditional values in Russian society. Their importance over the past decade has been demonstrated by the public agenda, the growth of social activism, and regulatory developments at the federal and regional levels. Methodology and sources. Documents from federal and regional government bodies of the Russian Federation (Federal Law No. 498, Presidential Decree No. 809), survey results from the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (2019–2024), and data from non-profit organizations and marketing research organizations were used, along with content and discourse analysis of media and social media. Publications by Russian sociologists were considered. A sociocultural approach was used to identify the connections between institutional changes and the dynamics of social perceptions of humanism. The explanatory potential of critical moral sociology was utilized. Results and discussion . This article critically examines indicators and indices of humane treatment of animals developed in Russian sociology and social psychology. It analyzes contradictions in the institutionalization of attitudes toward companion animals, stray animals, and the animal rights movement. A key question for achieving public consensus is formulated: which environmental and subjective indicators can and should be identified and enshrined as norms regulating animal care in human society, and which technically accessible and socio-psychologically acceptable oversight tools can be applied in this area. A categorical analysis of value-normative conflicts is proposed, distinguishing between ideological, normative, and innovative conflicts, and outlining possible ways to regulate them. The article substantiates the conclusion that consensus on the content of “humane treatment of animals” has not been reached; its institutionalization is not complete, but it has already become, in social perceptions, an element of traditional values in Russian society. Conclusion . Increased involvement of elites, scientists, religious thinkers, social activists, and citizens in the discourse on humane treatment of animals is predicted.

Constitutional Court Decision No. 135/PUU-XXII/2024, which separates the schedules for national elections (2029) and regional elections (2031), has the potential to create a legislative vacuum or institutional void in the Regional People’s Representative Councils (DPRD) during the 2029–2031 transition period. This is because the terms of office for DPRD members elected in the 2024 elections end in 2029, while the next elections will not be held until 2031, and there are currently no transitional provisions governing the mechanism for filling these vacancies. This study aims to analyze the legal implications of the decision regarding the potential for a DPRD vacancy and to evaluate the limits of the Constitutional Court’s authority in determining the design of synchronized elections. Using a normative legal research method with legislative, conceptual, and case-based approaches, this study identified three alternative mechanisms for filling DPRD vacancies: by-elections, term extensions, or amending the law with transitional provisions. The term extension option is deemed the most proportionate as it prioritizes legal certainty and legitimacy. This ruling has also sparked debate as it is viewed as exceeding the Constitutional Court’s authority as a negative legislator and entering the realm of open legal policy, although substantively it opens space for strengthening local democracy. The government and the House of Representatives are recommended to immediately revise the Election Law and the Regional Government Law by adding transitional provisions that explicitly regulate the mechanism for filling vacancies in the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) during the 2029–2031 transition period in a careful and participatory manner.

Abstract The article draws attention to the close connection between forced migration and war, and to the political use of this theme in the narratives of military history museums and in the memory scapes of post-war societies. Contemporary exhibitions increasingly use immersive technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), to shape these narratives. Using the Mrakovica Memorial in the Bosnian Serb part of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a case study, the article analyses how the museum addresses the ethnic cleansing and genocide that occurred in the Kozara region during the Second World War, and how nationalist Bosnian Serb politicians and regional government representatives perpetuate this politically charged narrative. Qualitative interviews with visitors are employed to explore the emotional impact of the »Battle on Kozara VR« experience. While this experience evokes empathy in conjunction with the exhibition, it also reinforces the Bosnian Serb national master narrative. Despite visitors with an emigration background demanding them, approaches featuring multiple perspectives are eschewed in favour of the political instrumentalisation of memory. Inclusive and critical narratives can contribute to reconciliation in post-war societies, but this must be politically desired and promoted.

This research addresses a paradoxical phenomenon in Lampung Province's Micro and Small Industry (MSI) sector (2018-2022), where high technology adoption is accompanied by declining business units and income inequality. The objective is to evaluate technical efficiency and productivity changes across 15 regencies/cities using the Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model and the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI). Results show an average technical efficiency of 0.838, indicating a 16.2% room for output improvement. Mesuji Regency serves as the benchmark with perfect efficiency. The main inefficiency stems from labor slack (averaging 3,458 people per region), reflecting disguised unemployment. The Malmquist index records an asymmetric productivity growth of 2.1% annually, entirely driven by technological progress (3.5%), while internal managerial efficiency contracted (-1.4%). Consequently, technology adoption requires structural intervention; regional governments must prioritize vocational training and basic managerial strengthening to reduce labor slack and break the MSI inefficiency cycle.

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of Medan City Regional Regulation No. 2 of 2024 regarding the obligation of the Regional Government to employ persons with disabilities from the perspective of siyāsah dustūriyyah. Medan City Regional Regulation Number 2 of 2024 stipulates the obligation for the Regional Government to employ at least 2% persons with disabilities from the total number of employees. This aims to realize inclusivity and equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities within the governmental environment. This research is a non-doctrinal legal study. The data obtained are qualitative data using a juridical-empirical approach, namely by collecting data through interviews with employees with disabilities and related parties within government institutions. The data obtained were then analyzed qualitatively by linking them with the principles of siyāsah dustūriyyah. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of Medan City Regional Regulation Number 2 of 2024 has not been fully effective. This is due to burdensome administrative requirements, the lack of vocational programs and job training, as well as weak coordination among institutions. From the perspective of siyāsah dustūriyyah, this condition shows that the government's role in realizing public welfare and social justice for vulnerable groups has not been optimal. Therefore, further in-depth study is still needed to ensure that the results of this research are truly objective and in accordance with real conditions in the field, so that the analysis and conclusions drawn are accurate and accountable in line with the principles of public welfare and social justice.

Digital transformation through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance is growing in Indonesia, triggering significant changes in the dynamics of power relations between the central and regional governments. While AI has the potential to improve the efficiency of public services and strengthen state capacity, disparities in digital capacity across regions pose significant challenges in its implementation. This study aims to analyze the impact of AI use on the configuration of authority and central-regional relations in Indonesia. The research methodology is a qualitative analysis using secondary data sources from national policy documents, local government reports, academic articles, and credible media, processed and analyzed using NVivo 12. Data were obtained from four major cities, including Jakarta, Bandung, Makassar, and Jayapura, representing varying levels of digital readiness and local challenges. The findings indicate that AI reinforces centralization and reconfigures power relations with a pattern of recentralization, through centrally controlled algorithmic standards and data interoperability. Variations in implementation indicate that local capacity and infrastructure are determinants of the success and influence of AI in local governance. This study makes a theoretical contribution by developing a framework for authority transformation in the context of digitalization in developing countries and offering empirical insights into the dynamics of central-regional relations in the AI ​​era. In addition, this study recommends strategies for increasing institutional capacity and inclusive regulatory oversight to ensure sustainable and equitable AI implementation.

Purpose: This study extends the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology by examining how digital adoption influences public sector innovation performance, with coordination capability and emotional intelligence as key enabling mechanisms. Research Methodology: A quantitative explanatory design was employed using survey data collected from civil servants in a regional government institution that implemented electronic performance management. The model combines technology acceptance constructs with emotional intelligence, coordination skills, education, and work experience. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling to test the proposed relationships Results: Digital system acceptance improves employee performance, and this effect is strengthened by the coordination capability and emotional intelligence. Education and experience indirectly enhance outcomes by fostering adaptive behaviors. These findings extend the UTAUT by showing that the impact of technology performance depends on complementary human capabilities. Conclusions: Digital adoption enhances public sector performance only when it is supported by coordination capability and emotional intelligence. Therefore, digital transformation should be accompanied by human capability development and not merely technology implementation. Limitations: This study focused on a single local government context, limiting generalizability. Future research should compare multiple administrative levels and institutional settings to validate models across governance systems. Contributions: Public organizations should pair digital governance with interpersonal and coordination skill development to maximize electronic performance management benefits.

This study aims to examine the role of the government internal supervisory apparatus (APIP) and corruption control in enhancing regional fiscal independence. Regional fiscal independence refers to the condition where local governments can manage their finances autonomously without relying on central government funds. The study uses data from 1,018 observations consisting of provincial/regency/city governments in Indonesia during 2021-2022, with a final sample of 509 after excluding 33 regions lacking corruption control data. The main findings show that APIP’s capacity for effective supervision positively contributes to corruption control and ultimately increases regional fiscal independence. Regions with strong internal supervision tend to have more transparent and accountable budget management, reducing dependence on central funds. Furthermore, the study reveals that the age of the regional government, government status, and geographic location also significantly affect the level of fiscal independence. Therefore, strengthening APIP capacity and improving the effectiveness of corruption control should be prioritized to achieve sustainable regional fiscal independence.

ABSTRACT Pilgrimage tourism is increasingly recognized not only as a cultural and spiritual practice but also as a tool for rural development and community cohesion. This paper explores the governance dynamics of the French Way of the Camino de Santiago in Galicia, Spain, focusing on the interactions among key stakeholders – regional institutions, the Church, local governments, entrepreneurs, and associations. Using Stakeholder Theory and Social Network Analysis (SNA), the study combines in-depth interviews with ten actors and relational data processed through UCINET. Results reveal a polycentric yet hierarchical network with dominant roles held by the regional government and Church, while local stakeholders remain less connected. Although overall network density is high, collaboration gaps persist especially among less institutionalized actors. The findings underscore the need for more inclusive governance structures that foster local engagement and shared responsibility. The study contributes to debates on sustainable tourism and community-based planning in heritage destinations.

The use of digital solutions in the management of agriculture in the region is currently a necessity. Systematization and analysis of data on the condition of the soil, climate conditions, crop yields allow agricultural producers to make informed decisions; the introduction of automated management systems in farms significantly simplifies the processes of planning, accounting and control of their activities; digital technologies help in more accurate forecasting of needs and optimization of supply chains, which helps to ensure food security in the region; digital platforms and mobile applications provide agricultural producers with access to up-to-date information on prices, weather conditions, agronomic recommendations and other important data, which allows them to make optimal decisions; digital technologies can be used to train agricultural producers and improve their skills, which is especially important in the context of rapid changes in technologies and methods of farming. The paper provides an analysis of the main areas of digital transformation in the management of agricultural production in the region, taking into account the specifics of agriculture and offers recommendations for the reengineering of agricultural production processes: the use of simulation and mathematical modeling technologies for forecasting and planning product output; implementation of Big Data analysis technologies, cloud technologies, additive manufacturing technologies, augmented reality and Internet of Things technologies; organization of effective interaction between robotic systems and production personnel, etc. Implementation of the proposed solutions in practice will allow the regional government, agricultural producers to make informed decisions and, thus, increase the efficiency of their enterprise and agriculture as a whole, ensure food security of the region and the country, and solve other problems facing them.

This study aims to analyze the utilization of Facebook as a social media platform in shaping the positive image of regional leaders and disseminating government programs, with a case study conducted at the Protocol and Leadership Communication Division of the Nunukan Regency Secretariat. The research was conducted through qualitative descriptive methods, involving observations, interviews, and documentation. Data were collected from six informants from the Nunukan Regency Government. The findings show that the use of Facebook by the Protocol and Leadership Communication Division has been an effective strategy in both building a positive public image of the regional head and serving as a communication channel to disseminate information about government programs to the public. This study concludes that Facebook plays a significant role as a media tool for regional government public relations efforts, particularly in enhancing public perception and improving the reach of official communications.