1. Information and Communications Technology and Financial Development as Catalysts for Gender Equality in Brazil’s Agricultural SectorFreiderick Yohanna Letong, Mehdi Seraj, Fatma Türüç Seraj, Huseyin Ozdeser, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: In this study, we examined the effects of information and communications technology (ICT) and financial development on mitigating gender inequality in Brazil, using autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approaches, between 1991 and 2022. The ARDL bounds test was employed to find the presence of co-integration within the series of data. Both in the short run and the long run, financial development has a significant negative impact on gender disparity; this means that policies aimed at enhancing women’s financial and consumption services should be promoted in the short run. In the long run, we can conclude that ICT developments lead to a decreasein gender inequalities, which may imply the need for strategic, long-term planning to increase ICT infrastructure, especially in deprived areas. This includes subsidising affordable internet, skills training for women in the ICT field, and promoting women’s participation in the technology industry. In addition, the impact of optimal financial development varies over time; hence, there is a need for flexibility and sustainability in financial development. Policy makers should therefore continue to strengthen and enhance financial inclusion initiatives, as well as regularly follow up on the impact of these initiatives on gender equality.
Keywords: gender inequality, information and communications technology, financial development, human capital index, agriculture
Published in RUP: 16.01.2026; Views: 116; Downloads: 0
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2. Shaping Stability : Can the Finance-Growth Nexus Achieve It?Ahmed Mahmoudi, Mohamed Torra, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: This paper assesses the tripartite link between a country’s financial (in) stability, its level of financial development, and economic growth. Using a panel of 21 countries over the period 2001–2020 and using the IMF Financial Market Index to proxy financial development, we find (i) that financial stability varies positively with the development of the financial system, and (ii) that the relationship between financial stability and economic growth depends critically on the level of financial development of each country. These results show that in the absence of financial development, the impact of economic growth on financial (in)stability will havedifferent effects. In addition, we performed a subsample analysis by dividing the overall sample into two subsamples based on stability levels. We find that financial development enhances stability more in the more stable subsample, while growth does so in the less stable subsample.
Keywords: financial (in)stability, financial development, economic growth, financial market index, emerging and developing markets
Published in RUP: 16.01.2026; Views: 88; Downloads: 0
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3. Predictors of sustainable development outcomes in learning spaces of early childhood : Slovenian teachers' perspectivesJurka Lepičnik-Vodopivec, Adrijana Višnjić-Jevtić, Aleksandra Šindić, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: This research examined factors associated with sustainable development outcomes (O-SD) in early childhood learning settings, as perceived by preschool teachers, considering environmental, social, and economic aspects along with contextual elements (child age, eco-program affiliation, teacher experience). Data were gathered through an online survey targeting 114 Slovenian preschool teachers in 2024. The reliability of the instrument was high (α = .942), and principal component analysis confirmed its validity. Correlation and stepwise regression analyses identified the key predictors of O-SD. Education focused on economic sustainability and child age emerged as the primary predictors, accounting for approximately 55% of the variance. While social sustainability was frequently observed in practice, it did not prove to be a significant predictor. The findings highlight the importance of developmentally appropriate and age-sensitive strategies, alongside the intentional inclusion of economic considerations. Limitations include a convenience sample and reliance on self-reported data. Future research should aim to replicate these results in diverse settings and consider mixed-method approaches that incorporate children’s perspectives.
Keywords: quality education, early childhood education for sustainability, sustainable development outcomes, early childhood learning settings
Published in RUP: 07.01.2026; Views: 156; Downloads: 2
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5. Exploring student perspectives on e-learning in nursing educationMirko Prosen, Sabina Ličen, 2025, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph Abstract: E-learning has rapidly gained prominence in nursing education, offering flexible alternatives to traditional learning. This study aimed to explore nursing students’ experiences with e-learning, focusing on perceived benefits, challenges, and its impact on skill acquisition. Using a qualitative design, data were collected from four face-to-face focus groups comprising 20 nursing students. Thematic analysis was employed to examine the data, yielding six key themes: Flexibility and accessibility benefits, Impact on student engagement and interaction, Technological and infrastructure challenges, Effect on practical skills and learning outcomes, Diverse preferences in learning approaches, and Self-management and motivation in e-learning. The findings indicate that, while e-learning provides accessibility and flexibility, it poses challenges in practical skill development and engagement. This study emphasises the need for adaptive e-learning models to meet diverse learning requirements effectively.
Keywords: online learning, blended learning, thematic analysis, skill development, student engagement
Published in RUP: 22.12.2025; Views: 161; Downloads: 0
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6. Bridging the individual and the system : preschool teachers’ agency in implementation for sustainable development in early childhood settings in south-eastern EuropeAleksandra Šindić, Adrijana Višnjić-Jevtić, Jurka Lepičnik-Vodopivec, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Although the importance of Education for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood (ECEfS) is widely acknowledged, its implementation varies across different national, institutional, and individual contexts. This quantitative study involved 398 ECE teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia. The aim of the research was to identify differences in the implementation of specific dimensions of ECEfS and in the achieved sustainability outcomes among children, with respect to three levels of ECE teachers’ professional context: national, institutional, and individual. Data were collected via an online survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and t-tests. While the study was limited by reliance on self-assessment and purposive sampling, it provided valuable insights into how professional context shapes early sustainability practices and outcomes and raised questions for future research. Findings indicate the existence of differences among respondents from different countries in the level of implementation of certain aspects of early childhood education for sustainable development, as well as in children’s sustainability outcomes. Similar differences were identified between ECE teachers working in eco and non-eco kindergartens, and between those familiar and unfamiliar with the activities of the ECE Academy. The results highlight the importance of institutional context and professional development in supporting sustainability practices in early childhood education settings.
Keywords: early childhood education for sustainable development, eco-program, ECE Academy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia
Published in RUP: 22.12.2025; Views: 182; Downloads: 3
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7. AI in higher education : analysis of relevant practices and their potential for green transitionVesna Ferk Savec, Sanja Jedrinović, 2025, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly impact the entire spectrum of sustainable development by targeting the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the present study, we analysed reports from university teachers on 26 practises of AI implementation in pedagogical processes at nine faculties of the University of Ljubljana that responded to a call for participation in the Artificial Intelligence in Education project at the University of Ljubljana (2023–2024). We found that various AI tools were mainly used to facilitate the achievement of the sustainable development pillars Economy (SDG9, SDG12) and Society (SDG4) in different areas of KLASIUS-P educational activities, other SDGs were addressed to a lesser extent. Based on the results, we can conclude that the integration of AI into the pedagogical process has great potential but needs to be supported by regulatory insights and monitoring of AI-based technologies to enable sustainable development.
Keywords: sustainable development goals (SDGs), artificial intelligence in education (AIEd), higher education (HE)
Published in RUP: 19.12.2025; Views: 300; Downloads: 7
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8. Is the Environmental Kuznets Curve Still Relevant in the Modern Context? – Insights From Air Pollutants in Chinese CitiesJun Wang, Shinah Park, Gulsah Akar, 2025, original scientific article Abstract:
This study investigated the presence of EKC-like relationships between various socioeconomic variables and air pollution indicators across 151 Chinese cities, analysed by quadratic regression models and geographic weighted regression (GWR) analysis. The results present critical insights into the applicability and limitations of the EKC. Only Air Quality Index, Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), and Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) show statistically significant correlations with one socioeconomic variable, respectively, in an EKC-like pattern which is meaningful in reality. GWR coefficients serve as a diagnostic tool to identify those burdened cities where stricter emissions standards, greener industrial practices, or economic restructuring should be prioritized. The spatial dependencies challengethe EKC’s assumption of isolated environmental-economic dynamics. Stricter environmental regulations in developed areas often lead to the displacement of polluting activities to regions with laxer standards. Policy efforts in tackling air pollution should focus on directly reducing emissions through localized, technology-based interventions rather than relying on economic growth to eventually improve air quality. Spatially targeted policies informed by city-specific patterns are essential, as pollution outcomes are shaped by regional industrial structures, population density, and cross-boundary spillover effects.
Keywords: Air pollution, City development, Industrialization, Sustainable development, Carbon Neutral
Published in RUP: 18.12.2025; Views: 151; Downloads: 0
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9. Does Financial Development Drive Entrepreneurship in Africa? A Panel Data AnalysisAfees Oluwashina Noah, David Oladipo Olalekan, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Entrepreneurship in Africa faces a multitude of challenges, with financial issues being prominently discussed in scholarly literature. Thus, this study explores how financial development plays a crucial role in encouraging entrepreneurship in Africa, analysing both short- and long-term impacts alongside the direction of causality within the continent. The study utilises panel data regression techniques to analyse data from 28 African countries, spanning from 2006 to 2020. The analysis reveals that financial development, alongside the growth of financial institutions and markets, consistently boosts entrepreneurship development in both time frames. Even though this is more pronounced in the long run, this suggests that the influence of financial development and its components is uniformly positive, with no significant differential impacts observed in either the short or long run. Causality results establish unidirectional causality between entrepreneurship, financial development, and its components, flowing from financial development and its components to entrepreneurship development. Given these insights, the study underscores the necessity for policymakers to focus on sustainable financial development strategies that enhance stability and inclusivity within financial markets.
Keywords: Africa, entrepreneurship, financial development, panel regression
Published in RUP: 18.12.2025; Views: 172; Downloads: 0
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