THE JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Q1HTSC Superconducting Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and MgB2 Compositions Fabricated by Hot Shock Wave Consolidation and Solar Melt Quenching Technologies

2024-07-15T11:11:30+00:00

The possibility of increasing of the critical temperatures Tс of superconducting precursors in samples of Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and MgB2 supercoducting systems, fabricated using hot shock wave consolidation technology (HSWC) and solar energy for melting, and following superfast quenching of the melt, was investigated using vibrating torsional magnetometry methods. By using HSWC technology for the synthesis of Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O samples, the critical temperature Tс of potential superconducting precursor transition to a superconducting state was increased from Tс =107 K in the starting sample, to Tс =138 K.
In the Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconducting system samples, synthesized using solar energy for the melting and following superfast quenching of the melt, superconducting precursors with Тc more than 200 К were detected.
The analysis of the nature of the obtained dependences, and their comparison with other available results associated with the processes in the vicinity of critical temperature Тс, allows one to conclude that there is a possibility for the existence of high-temperature superconducting precursors with Тc more than 200 К in samples of this system.

Scaling up Inclusive Education for Sustainable Development in Africa

2024-07-15T06:32:26+00:00

Inclusive education plays a key role in achieving sustainable development. Its impact ripples across many dimensions, fostering reduced fertility, morbidity, and mortality rates, while empowering women and enhancing workforce quality. Beyond these aspects, it influences individual learners, shaping their personal development and prospects in the job market. The significance of inclusive education goes beyond individuals, contributing to achieving five of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It plays a significant role in realizing SDG1: No Poverty, SDG4: Quality Education, SDG5: Gender Equality, SDG10: Reduced Inequalities,
and SDG16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. The global commitment outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 highlights the need to enhance educational outcomes and foster knowledge accumulation for developmental progress. To concretize this vision, the Education 2030 Framework for Action stands as a testament to driving advancements aligned with the objectives of SDG4 and its specific targets. Central to this framework is an emphasis on eradicating all forms of exclusion, and recognizing inclusivity as the cornerstone for achieving educational equity and
sustainable development. This study aims to propose key policy actions for an inclusive education agenda, empowering urban and rural youth in Africa, amplifying their role in socio-economic transformation, combating persistent inequality, and fostering inclusive growth.

Approaches for Integrating Sustainability in Business Schools – Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Age

2024-07-15T07:52:53+00:00

The paper presents opportunities for integrating sustainability into business schools’ educational and management models in this era of digital transformation, seeking to increase their capacity for innovation, and the role of academia as a driver for boosting the potential of regional ecosystems for sustainable development. Contemporary trends and factors driving the need for higher education’s response to the environmental changes caused by digital technologies, and efforts to achieve sustainability on a global scale, are examined, while the benefits of applying a multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach in sustainability education, supplemented with a research-based approach to engage students, two-eyed seeing and competence-oriented educational models, are characterized. Arguments are given that balancing innovation and sustainability in business schools implies applying an ambidextrous approach. It reflects on the one hand the need for business schools to adapt, taking into account changes in the environment, with an emphasis on digitization, internationalization, partnerships, multidisciplinarity, and multisectorality to achieve academic sustainability. On the other hand, a need for a balance is recognized between established traditions, organizational culture, the specific features of business schools, and the introduction of innovations in them, including digital and social innovations.

Ethiopian Programs, Strategies and Agreements for Sustainable Development: A Study of the Oromia Region

2024-07-15T09:57:25+00:00

This study examines Ethiopia’s efforts, strategies, and programs for sustainable development, with an emphasis on the Oromia regional state. The economy of Ethiopia is growing at one of the fastest rates on the continent, and it has made significant progress towards achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. The country has initiated several policies, agreements, and initiatives to promote sustainable development for the Oromia people. The development of sustainable farming practices, land-use planning, renewable energy sources, and forest preservation are all prioritized in the majority of the government’s projects,
decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening resistance to climate change as a result. The initiatives have also been successful in promoting economic growth, improving food security, and reducing poverty. A number of noteworthy projects have been implemented in the Oromia region. Through the promotion of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, these projects aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the consequences of climate change. In order to ensure the population’s general development and well-being, efforts have also been undertaken to increase access to healthcare and education. The
Oromia region has many obstacles in the way of achieving sustainable development, despite boasting a diverse population and an abundance of natural resources. This paper examines the initiatives undertaken by the federal government, state and local governments, and other stakeholders to address these problems and promote sustainable development. The research findings enhance comprehension of the challenges faced by the Ethiopian government in defending its long-term objectives for both the
country’s citizens and the global community.

Sustainable Development in the Conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian War: The Local and Global Dimension

2024-07-15T10:08:30+00:00

The escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war poses a serious threat to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The challenges to meeting the SDGs by 2030 will be even greater, considering the current conditions. The consequences have spread not only to the countries directly involved in the war but also to a global level. Before the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine had made progress in 15 of the 17 SDGs. However, the war nullified all previous achievements in Ukraine’s development progress. Yet, despite these negative tendencies, the SDGs provide a good basis for determining Ukraine’s development
priorities and are also an effective way to attract financial support to increase the country’s resilience and recovery. Although war complicates the movement toward the goals of sustainable development, it necessitates the socially responsible position of different states, businesses, and international organizations. The paper aims to assess the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on indicators that characterize the economic dimension of SDGs, based on a comprehensive analysis of the available data, a literature review, and empirical estimations. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) methodology for time series data was used to estimate the main functional dependencies. The investigation proves the destructive impact of war on the global economy, seen mostly through increases in commodity prices, trade, and supply chain distraction. The obtained results confirm the need to support sustainable development as a foundation for peaceful societies, national resilience, and recovery at the local and global levels.

Economic Losses from Russia’s Missile Attacks on Ukrainian Critical Infrastructure with the Aim of Destroying the Ukrainian Nation

2024-07-15T10:29:55+00:00

The author examines objects that were targeted by missile attacks, and their significance in the context of defining the concept of “critical infrastructure”. The aim of the analysis is to assess the economic damage caused to Ukraine and the extent of the destruction. The article raises the issue of genocide of the Ukrainian people in the context of attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure being carried out. The study shows that Russia’s shelling and destruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure are aimed at
deliberately impacting living conditions in the Ukrainian nation, calculated to bring about its partial destruction as referred in Part. 6 (c) of the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Restoring infrastructure and creating safe living and working conditions in the country is an important task for Ukraine and its international partners. Restoration of critical infrastructure, energy systems, housing, and demining, will facilitate the return of Ukrainians home and will help prevent a rapid demographic crisis and the
destruction of the Ukrainian nation, as planned by the Russian Federation when it launched the missile attacks.