Regional Institutions Research Articles

Green Pan-Africanism: Normative power and the making of a regional sustainability order

Abstract This article examines the role of normative power in shaping the global sustainability order. It challenges the prevailing focus on hegemonic leadership and norm diffusion from dominant states, arguing that less powerful states have contributed significantly to the global order by creating regional initiatives tailored to their unique contexts. The article adopts an alternative theoretical framework of norm-governed change, comprising norm-building, institutionalisation, and transformation. Using an illustrative case study of Africa’s regional economic institutions, it employs process-tracing and archival analysis of key policy documents. The study demonstrates how African states have proactively embedded environmental norms within their regional initiatives, while contributing to the global sustainability agenda, exemplifying a form of normative power referred to as ‘Green Pan-Africanism’. This approach broadens the understanding of global sustainability governance, positioning less economically powerful actors as active participants in world-making. The findings highlight the critical role of normative power in advancing global sustainability governance, particularly in addressing complex global challenges such as climate change.

Climate Change and Emerging Infectious Diseases: A Precarious Relationship.

Climate change is apparent. Temperatures are rising. Floods are more frequent and devastating. Climate changes can favor the development of emerging infectious diseases. The number of animal reservoirs and vector hosts can increase, further spreading pathogens. Many emerging infectious diseases were not historically considered major threats in US but have become a major concern in US territories and various states. In June 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network advisory about an increase in local transmission of dengue fever. Preventing the transmission of emerging infectious diseases has become a focus of regulatory agencies. Nurse education at all levels should include infectious diseases and be coordinated with local, state, and regional institutions. Emerging infectious diseases are now formidable challenges to health care.

Impact of Human Capital and Structural Capital on Competitive Advantage: Evidence from Indonesian Provincial Government Institutions

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of human capital, structural capital, and knowledge management on competitive advantage within the North Sulawesi Provincial Government, Indonesia. It aims to understand whether knowledge management mediates the relationship between human capital, structural capital, and competitive advantage in the context of public sector organizations. Theoretical Reference: The research is grounded in the Knowledge-Based View (KBV) theory, which postulates that knowledge is a critical resource for competitive advantage. It also explores the role of intellectual capital (human and structural capital) as sources of knowledge and their interplay with knowledge management. Method: A quantitative approach was utilized, involving 147 public officers from seven departments under the North Sulawesi Provincial Government. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 3.0 software. Results and Conclusion: The findings indicate that: Human capital positively impacts competitive advantage. Structural capital does not directly influence competitive advantage but has a significant effect through the mediation of knowledge management. Knowledge management positively affects competitive advantage and mediates the relationship between structural capital and competitive advantage. However, it does not mediate the relationship between human capital and competitive advantage.These results highlight the critical role of knowledge management in leveraging structural capital for competitive advantage in public sector organizations. Implications of Research: Theoretical Implications: The study contributes to the literature on intellectual capital and competitive advantage in public sector contexts, providing novel insights into the mediating role of knowledge management. Practical Implications: Policymakers should focus on enhancing human capital, improving structural capital, and fostering effective knowledge management processes to boost the competitive advantage of public sector organizations. Originality/Value: This research addresses a gap in understanding competitive advantage within Indonesian public institutions by examining intangible resources and knowledge management. It provides a unique perspective on public sector competitiveness, particularly in the context of regional government institutions in North Sulawesi.

Bridging Legal Gaps: Harmonizing the Roles of BPBD, Bakesbangpol, and Bakorwil in Regional Governance

AbstractGood regulations are harmonious laws. Disharmony of laws and regulations gives rise to complex legal issues, at least problematic in the context of fulfilling the objectives of legal uncertainty. One of the dis harmonizations of existing regulations is the regulation regarding the existence of regional institutions in the form of bodies. By using a normative legal study method, this study found that there is a disharmonious form of regulatory material regarding the duties and functions of several regional apparatuses in the form of bodies in Indonesia. There are three regional apparatuses in the form of bodies that have different duties and functions as regulated in Law Number 23 of 2014 concerning Regional Government and Government Regulation Number 18 of 2016 concerning Regional Apparatus, namely Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPPD), the National and Political Unity Agency (Bakesbangpol), and the East Java Province Regional Government and Development Coordinating Agency (Bakorwil). Findings of disharmony in regulatory matters like this have caused several regional government regulations in Indonesia to lack legal certainty. For this reason, it is important to immediately carry out efforts to harmonize the laws and regulations that regulate the duties and functions of regional apparatus in the form of bodies.

Serum Testosterone and Atherogenic Indices as an independent Risk Factor for Predicting the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease: A Cross-sectional Study from North Eastern Region of India

Introduction: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is one of the primary causes of mortality worldwide. Dyslipidaemia is associated with the development of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD). Atherogenic indices are emerging lipid parameters related to atherosclerosis and CAD. There is a limited amount of data regarding the relationship between CAD severity, serum testosterone, and lipid indices, especially in the northeastern region of India. Aim: To determine the relationship between serum testosterone and atherogenic indices as independent risk factors for the severity of CAD. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with the Department of Cardiology at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, India, from January 2021 to October 2022, consisting of 70 male patients with CAD who underwent coronary angiography and 70 male patients without CAD. Serum total and free Testosterone (TT and fT), Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), High-density Lipoprotein (HDL), and Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL) were assessed. Atherogenic indices, including the Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Atherogenic Index (AI), and Castelli Risk Indices I and II (CRI-I and II), as well as the Triglyceride Glucose Index (TyG), were calculated using conventional lipid parameters and glucose, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association of the atherogenic indices and testosterone with the severity of CAD. Results: The mean age was found to be 63.4±11.8 years in cases and 60.8±9.1 years in controls. The median (interquartile range) of AI was 5.03 (4.2, 5.9) vs 3.04 (2.2, 3.6), p<0.001; AIP was 0.39 (0.36, 0.44) vs 0.14 (0.006, 0.24), p<0.001; CRI-I was 6.03 (5.22, 6.91) vs 4.04 (3.2, 4.61), p<0.001; CRI-II was 3.91 (3.3, 4.7) vs 2.31 (1.6, 2.78), p<0.001; and the TyG index was 4.84 (4.68, 4.96) vs 3.82 (3.7, 3.9), p<0.001. These values were significantly higher in the CAD group compared to the non CAD group. Total Testosterone (TT) was 2.05±1.1 ng/mL vs 4.93±0.65 ng/mL, p<0.001, and fT was (3.6±2.6 vs 15.7±4.7, p<0.001) were significantly lower in cases compared to controls. The Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that AI (r=0.446, p<0.001), AIP (r=0.518, p<0.001), CRI-I (r=0.446, p<0.001), CRI-II (r=0.406, p=0.001), TGL/HDL-C (r=0.502, p<0.001), and the TyG index (r=0.305, p<0.010) were positively correlated with the Gensini score. The binary logistic regression analysis indicated that AI (OR: 3.08, 95% CI: 1.70- 5.57, p<0.001), AIP (OR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.84-3.78, p<0.001), CRI-I (OR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.65-5.57, p<0.001), CRI-II (OR: 3.17, 95% CI: 1.64-6.10, p<0.001), and TyG (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.01-1.98, p=0.009) were independent risk predictors of the severity of CAD after adjustment for confounders. Additionally, TT (OR: 1.417, CI: 1.24-1.70) and fT (OR: 1.67, CI: 1.12-1.98) were also found to be independent risk predictors of the severity of CAD. Conclusion: The AI, AIP, CRI-I, CRI-II, TyG, TT, and fT were independent predictors of the severity of CAD and could serve as potential biomarkers for CAD risk assessment. To specifically explain the diagnostic use of these novel indices in the early diagnosis of ASCVDs and CAD incidence, long-term prospective cohort surveys must be designed.

ПСИХОЛОГІЧНІ ЗАСАДИ РОЗВИТКУ ТВОРЧИХ ЗДІБНОСТЕЙ ПСИХОЛОГІВ ЗАКЛАДІВ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ (ПРОФЕСІЙНО-ТЕХНІЧНОЇ) ОСВІТИ У ПРОЦЕСІ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ

The purpose of the article. The purpose of the article consists in the analysis and theoretical substantiation of the psychological foundations that determine the development of creative abilities, experimental verification and improvement of the strategy for the development of creative abilities of psychologists of professional education institutions in the context of their professional activities. Methodology. The methods used in the research: questionnaires, an experiment; standardized psychometric tests: the test for assessing the intelligence of H. Aisenk; the modified Torrance test (ATTA) for the assessment of creative thinking; the method of diagnosing empathic abilities (V. Boiko); the modified test-questionnaire for measuring achievement motivation by A. Mehrabian. Results. 54 practical psychologists of professional education institutions of the Dnipropetrovsk region took part in the experimental study of the development of creative abilities. Implementation of the Strategy’s measures contributed to positive changes in the development of creativity of psychologists, which was reflected in the general trend towards the growth of all indicators of creative abilities that were evaluated: average indicators according to the ATTA methodology (speed, flexibility, originality, development, accuracy of thinking); empathic abilities; a change in the share of respondents from the dominant motives of the desire to avoid failure to the desire to achieve success. Practical implications. Implementation of the Strategy’s measures contributed to positive changes in the development of creativity of psychologists, which was reflected in the general trend towards the growth of all indicators of creative abilities that were evaluated: average indicators according to the ATTA methodology (speed, flexibility, originality, development, accuracy of thinking); empathic abilities; a change in the share of respondents from the dominant motives of the desire to avoid failure to the desire to achieve success. Value (originality). The value of the research lies in the theoretical substantiation and practical approbation in institutions of professional education of the Dnipropetrovsk region of the Strategy for the development of professional creativity of psychologists. Key words: creative abilities, creativity, psychologists, institutions of professional (vocational and technical) education.

РОЗВИТОК ГРОМАДЯНСЬКОСТІ ОБДАРОВАНИХ ПІДЛІТКІВ ЗА ЧАСІВ ВІЙНИ: СОЦІАЛЬНО-ПЕДАГОГІЧНА ПРОГРАМА

A socio-pedagogical program for development of citizenship of gifted adolescents is substantiated based on analysis of legislative documents, national programs regarding civic education of the new generation in Ukraine during the war, generalization of contemporary experience in improving citizenship of students of general secondary education institutions of Sumy region, taking into account characteristic features of social formation of adolescents and the specifics of this process among gifted teenagers. Results of the analysis of the current state of improving civic education of students at general secondary education institutions revealed a predominant neglect of gifted teenagers in this process, since pedagogical teams are focused on involving these teenagers in subject Olympics, in National Academy of Sciences activities and preparing them to win in intellectual competitions, which is really important. The lack of programs that would take into account characteristic features of the gifted in the development of their patriotism threatens their future self-realization in Ukraine in particular, under conditions of existence of American and European grants system for “finding” creative youth in the world. The goal of the program that we have justified – to improve development of citizenship of gifted adolescents under conditions of war in Ukraine – is achieved through such tasks as: 1) creation of a coordination group of representatives of the internal and external school social environment and preparation of this group for promotion of development of citizenship of gifted adolescents at lycea and in territorial communities; 2) socio-pedagogical support of gifted teenagers in the process of civic education at lycea; 3) supporting initiatives of gifted teenagers regarding harmonization (real and virtual) of civil and legal social space at lycea and territorial communities; 4) promoting gifted teenagers' awareness of the importance of citizenship in the European Union through virtual communication with European teenagers and domestic ones studying in European countries under wartime conditions. Key words: socio-pedagogical program, gifted teenagers, development of citizenship, war in Ukraine.

АВТОРСЬКА ІННОВАТИКА В ОСВІТІ РІВНЕНЩИНИ: ТЕОРЕТИЧНІ ЗАСАДИ ПРОБЛЕМИ

The article deals with the analysis of the processes of development and changes in Ukrainian education in the context of Ukraine’s formation as a sovereign and independent, democratic, social and legal state. It has been found that in the context of innovative development of education, the problem of development of authorial schools in Ukraine is particularly relevant, due to the need to increase the availability of quality and competitive education in the new socio-cultural conditions of a market economy. It is the authorial school as a phenomenon of innovative educational activity that emerges as the highest form of self-developing practice. It successfully implements the main provisions of competence-based education, stands at the source of a new thought and activity paradigm that will substantiate the logic of variable motivational and semantic development of author's schools in Ukraine, aimed at empowering and self-developing the subjects of the educational process through innovation. The theoretical foundations of the author’s innovation in the education of Rivne region were characterized. The main features of innovative educational institutions of Rivne region were revealed. These include adaptive learning, bilingual education (Nadia Marynovych Adaptive and Developmental Bilingual Specialized School «Centre of Hope»), harmonious personal development (Harmony School of Harmonious Social Personality), gender education (Prestige School of Gender Equality), civic education (School of Civic Deeds in Korets), and a combination of vertical and horizontal models of school management (School of Modern Management Technologies in Volodymyrets). It is proved that despite the fact that each educational institution is unique, has its own traditions and peculiarities, chooses its own model of ensuring the quality of education, they should have in common the purpose, values, and compliance of learning outcomes with the requirements set by the legislation and educational standards.

Medical education challenges during the war crisis in Sudan: a cross-sectional study, 2023–2024

The ongoing war crisis in Khartoum, Sudan, has created significant challenges for medical students, impacting their education. A cross-sectional study involving 224 medical students was conducted in Khartoum state to explore the challenges faced by medical students during this crisis, using a structured Google Form questionnaire. The majority of participants were female (65.6%), fourth-year students (36.6%), and aged between 22 and 25 years (66.8%). Notably, 92% of the participants had been displaced from Khartoum. The study found that a majority of participants reported experiencing physiological distress, with study distractions (65.2%), anxiety (51.8%), and depression (49.1%). Significant gender differences were observed, with females reporting higher psychological distress compared to males (p-value = 0.04). Additionally, 45% of participants noted that the war led to a shortage of experienced teaching staff, and 56.6% raised concerns about the potential decline in the quality standards of their university's curriculum. Nearly 48% of participants expressed a desire to collaborate with international or local universities in stable regions to continue their education. However, 20.2% believed that online learning can effectively maintain the continuity of their education. A significant correlation was found between university type and the ability to resume activities online or outside of Khartoum State (p-value = 0.01). The study concludes that the war crisis in Khartoum State has had significant, negative consequences for medical students, impacting their mental well-being, access to necessary resources, and overall learning experiences. Immediate interventions, psychological support, and increased coordination and collaboration among international and regional academic institutions are needed.

Effect of Electronic Cigarettes on the Change of Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence Scores during 1-Year Follow-up.

The use of e-cigarettes is increasing globally, particularly among young adults. Although several use them to quit smoking, their effects are controversial. The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was used to assess nicotine dependence in the smoking cessation process. This study examined changes in FTND scores among young adults using different types of cigarettes over a 1-year period. Prospective cohort data were collected from cigarette users at higher education institutions in the lower northern region of Thailand to analyze changes in FTND scores over a 1-year period. E-cigarette users and combined users were compared with conventional cigarette users. A marginal structural model (MSM) with an inverse probability of weighting (IPW) was used to adjust for time-dependent and time-independent confounders. Of the 133 participants, 58 were e-cigarette users (43.6%), 33 were combined cigarette users (24.8%), and 42 were conventional cigarette users (31.6%). The results revealed that when both time-dependent and time-independent confounders were adjusted using MSM with IPW, e-cigarette users had a 0.20 decrease in the mean FTND score, and combined users had a 0.47 decrease in the mean FTND score compared to conventional cigarette users. However, the difference was not statistically significant. The use of e-cigarettes or combined cigarettes did not significantly affect nicotine dependence levels in young adults over a 1-year period. Consequently, e-cigarettes should not be recommended to reduce nicotine dependence among young adult cigarette users. Further studies are required to determine whether e-cigarettes affect smoking cessation rates.

Establishing regional institutions for creative industry development amid transformation of economic activity

Establishing regional institutions for creative industry development amid transformation of economic activity

Research on the Development of Translation Faculty in Higher Education Institutions in Guangxi's Ethnic Minority Regions from the Perspective of Educational Ecology

This study, grounded in the educational ecology theory, investigates the development of translation faculty in higher education institutions located in Guangxi’s ethnic minority regions. It examines the current status of translation faculty, identifying the key ecological factors that influence their professional growth, such as institutional policies, cultural diversity, resource availability, and broader social and environmental conditions. By analyzing these factors in detail, the research seeks to propose effective strategies that can support and enhance the professional development of translation faculty members in these regions. The study highlights the significance of understanding the ecological environment surrounding faculty development, offering both theoretical insights and practical recommendations for improving faculty support systems and creating a conducive growth environment. The findings reveal that educational ecology provides a new and valuable perspective for understanding faculty development challenges, helping to build an effective framework for fostering the growth of translation teachers in Guangxi’s ethnic minority regions.

Regional government institutions and the capacity for women to reconcile career and motherhood

Abstract Declining fertility and the persistent underrepresentation of women in the labour market are key concerns of our time. The fact that they overlap is not fortuitous. Traditionally, women everywhere have faced a conflict in balancing their career ambitions with family responsibilities. Yet, the pressures arising from this conflict vary enormously from one place to another. Existing research has tended to overlook the geographical features of this dilemma, which could result in an inadequate understanding of the issue and lead to ineffective policy responses. This article examines how variations in the quality of regional institutions affect women’s capacity to reconcile career and motherhood and, consequently, gender equality within Europe. Using panel data from 216 regions across 18 European countries, we uncover a positive effect of regional institutional quality on fertility rates, taking into account variations in female employment. Moreover, we show that European regions with better government quality provide a more reliable environment for managing the career/motherhood dilemma often faced by women. In contrast, women living in regions with weaker government institutions are more constrained in both their career and childbearing options.

British economic strategy and regional institutions in Asia, 2016–2024

This paper examines the British approach to Asia and its regional institutions from the Brexit vote in 2016 to the British general election of July 2024. The paper analyses official government statements and debates among political elites about Britain’s foreign policy posture in the region, from the broad ‘Indo-Pacific tilt’ and the Belt and Road Initiative to engagement with specific regional institutions such as ASEAN, BRI, AIIB, CPTPP and bilateral trade and investment agreements. It argues that approaches to regional institutions in and across Asia are driven by a combination of a dominant policy view that there is a need to engage with Asia which is becoming economically and strategically more important in a changing world, alongside a desire to decentre China in British strategic approaches to the region (partly in response to US-China strategic rivalry). However, given China’s centrality to regional economic growth in Asia, this approach creates contradictions which are rarely addressed in British policy debates. This paper will contribute not only to understanding British foreign policy, but also shed light on the evolving “new regionalism” and power dynamics across the Indo/Asia–Pacific, and how actors external to the region view and engage with the development of regional institutions in Asia.

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FIRE RISK EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN HIGH INSTITUTIONS IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

The study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of fire risk emergency preparedness in high institutions in the Niger delta region of Nigeria. Three objectives and two hypotheses were raised to captivate the aim the of the study. The study adopted survey design, and systematic and purposive sampling technique was used to select eight high institutions from eight states in the Niger-Delta while Krejcie and Morgan, table was used to determine sample size of three hundred and twenty-three (382) student, Structured questionnaire, designed using 5-point Likert scale, was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics (percentage and weighted mean score WMS) and ANOVA were used for data analysis. The results of descriptive statistic showed that; the current and existing fire risk assessment methods in the high institution in the Niger-delta is below average (46.80%), the level of awareness and knowledge of students and other stakeholders on fire risk assessment methods among the high institutions in the Niger delta is substantially good (WMS= 3.79 > 3.00) and the level of effectiveness of existing fire risk assessment methods. in the high institution in the study area is substantially good (WMS= 3.91 > 3.00). The ANOVA results used to test the hypotheses revealed that; there is no significant variation in awareness and knowledge levels regarding fire risk assessment methods across the eight states (p-value 0.883 > 0.05 significance level) and there is no significant variation in level of effectiveness of the fire risk assessment methods across the high institutions in the eight states (p-value 0.238 > 0.05 significance level). It was concluded that the effectiveness of fire risk emergency preparedness in high institutions in the Niger delta region of Nigeria is good but required more improvement. It was recommended that the authorities and fire service department in the high institution should improve coordination in emergency response by addressing identified areas for enhancement, such as equipment readiness and communication systems

Regional Arbitration Centres for Investor Protection

African integration is progressively strengthening regional ties and offering new economic opportunities. However, increased integration also portends increased conflict in the nature of trade disputes and civil matters generally. This article critically analyses the extant conflict resolution mechanisms under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol, noting its strengths and weaknesses. This article identifies the lack of a private dispute resolution mechanism under the protocol, suggesting that the current institutions may fail to provide the requisite judicial security for settling trade disputes in the continent, and thereby erode gains made in integration. The state of regional arbitration institutions and their suitability as an antidote to the looming crisis is pitched as a solution. The author concludes by offering a continental framework for implementing uniformity and security through a network of regional arbitration institutions.

The structural organization of individual resources of the teacher's coping behavior

Introduction. All educators encounter stressful situations and experience negative emotions during their work, which necessitates the use of coping strategies to maintain personal well-being and uphold a high level of teaching quality. The contemporary state of the issue regarding the phenomenology of psychological resources for coping with stress is characterized by the dominance of an analytical research paradigm. This paradigm primarily focuses on individual, personal, and subject-activity characteristics as resources for coping with stress. The aim of this research is to determine the psychological structure of the coping behavior resources of educators. **Methods.** To conduct a comparative analysis of theoretical approaches to defining the resources of coping behavior, we employed conceptual content analysis, which allowed us to determine the frequency of mention of each resource for coping behavior. Subsequently, in accordance with the theoretical model, we selected diagnostic methods for these resources (26 psychodiagnostic techniques). The empirical study was conducted in educational institutions in the Kaluga region, Krasnodar Territory, Ulyanovsk, and Yaroslavl regions (Russian Federation). The study sample consisted of 901 individuals. Using exploratory factor analysis (principal component method, Varimax rotation), we identified the psychological structure of coping behavior resources. **Results.** In alignment with the theoretical model, we selected diagnostic methods for these resources, which allowed us to study both the resources themselves (their integral final values) and the components that make up these resources. The structure of coping behavior resources is formed by 114 variables, which were subsequently factor analyzed. The results of the factor analysis revealed that the psychological structure of coping behavior resources is represented by individual-psychological qualities, forming five blocks (existential, regulatory, emotional, socio-psychological, readiness for activity in uncertain situations). Factor 1 "Existential" (factor load - 24.1), Factor 2 "Readiness for Activity in Uncertain Situations" (14.9), Factor 3 "Regulatory" (13.1), Factor 4 "Socio-Psychological" (9.4), Factor 5 "Emotional" (7.5). **Conclusion.** There is a specific list of coping behavior resources that relevantly characterizes the specifics of a person's coping behavior in stressful situations. Psychological resources for coping behavior do not represent isolated psychological properties and states; instead, they form a holistic unity.

Context based ranking strategies for renowned instructional methodologies

The main objective of this work is to validate the decisions made towards adoption of appropriate instructional methodologies based on the context of a specific region considering the quality of education, the cost of education and the learning outcomes as predominant parameters. The non-deterministic events and uncertain situations that may arise over a long-range period impose a vague and fuzzy environment in the educational system. Investigations have been made to identify suitable educational framework for implementation in the institutions of a specific region in view of these unpredictable events and non-deterministic conditions. Fuzzy decision analysis and rough set theory have been applied to rank the prominent instructional methodologies which are encompassed within each educational framework. Hurwicz Rule is adopted to balance the pessimistic and optimistic opinions about the non-deterministic events while validating the merits of the instructional methodologies. Grey relational analysis is carried out while ranking instructional methodologies in a vague environment. In this work, the instructional methodologies are ranked using fuzzy entropy as well as crisp entropy measures and the outcomes of the fuzzy and rough sets-based decision analysis have been validated.

Realisation of secondary vocational education programmes in high-tech training areas in LPR, DPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions in the aspect of career needs

Introduction. Special attention in the conditions of active technological development and digitalisation of the economy is paid to training specialists mastering secondary vocational education (hereinafter – SVE). This interest is based on the demand in the labour market for such specialists who will be able to make a significant contribution to the development of high-tech industries. To secure the successful implementation of SVE programmes in Donetsk People’s Republic (hereinafter – DPR), Lugansk People’s Republic (hereinafter – LPR), Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, it is necessary to ensure compliance with the learners’ career needs. For this purpose, it is necessary to take into account the needs of the labour market as well as the dominant industrial areas in these territories. The aim of the article is to analyse the current state of the SVE system in LPR, DPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions in high-technology training programmes in the context of the career needs of the new regions. Research methods. The quantitative and qualitative analysis was implemented using the number of the involved educational institutions: DPR (64), LPR (60), Zaporozhye (14), Kherson (4) and Kemerovo regions (84). Results. The large number of institutions makes it possible to implement the “Professionalisation” programme in the above regions, but at the moment no localisation of territories is available, including technological clusters. The comparative analysis of the SVE institutions in DPR and Kuzbass regions revealed the predominance of high-tech fields: computer science and engineering (13 and 11), mechanical engineering (12 and 15), land transport engineering and technology (16 and 10), construction engineering and technology (8 and 14). The SVE training areas in DPR are characterised by more programmes in the field «Economics and management» (24) and «Electrical and heat engineering» (17). Conclusion. The survey results can serve as a basis for designing a teacher training system aimed at the realisation of SVE programmes and supplementary education programmes in high-tech training areas in the said regions.

A Cross-Sectional Survey to Measure Attitude, Self-Reported Practice, Levels, Typology, and Determinants of Lifetime Gambling Behaviors Among Undergraduate Students in Higher Training Institutions, Tanzania.

Lifetime gambling activities and behaviors are considered as potentially addictive behaviors that may impact a student's performance. According to a survey conducted in Tanzanian's higher training institutions, for example, 37.2% of sports gamblers were students. This study employed an institutional-based cross-sectional survey in a quantitative research approach to study 374 randomly sampled undergraduate students in higher training institutions in Dodoma region, Tanzania from June to July 2023. Students reported their attitudes, practices, and drivers of gambling activities through interviewer-administered structured questionnaires adopted from previous studies. Results indicate that 374 of 583 potential participants were eligible and surveyed for the study with 100% response rate. Participants' mean age was 24 years ± 2.79 of which, few of them (34%) had age ranging between 25 and 42years. Male participants accounted for 69.8% (n = 261). 59.1% of the study participants believed that gambling activities were okay to them of which 47.3% of them were lifetime gamblers; 19.2% moderate-risk lifetime gamblers and 2.5% low-risk lifetime gamblers respectively. Online sports betting (44.5%), coin pusher (29.4%), poll tables (8.0%), and slot machines (6.9%) were the most preferred types of gambling games among students. Age between 17 and 24years; levels three and four classes, being male; living off-campus; drug abuse; mobile smartphone ownership; exposure to social media platforms and high attitude towards gambling activities were associated significantly with undergraduate students' gambling practices (p < 0.05). Large-scale institutional-based educational programs about the financial and academic ramifications of gambling among students during their studies may be able to moderate their gambling behaviors.