Sustainable Social Development (SSD, eISSN: 2972-4880) is an interdisciplinary journal dedicated to advancing research and knowledge related to sustainable development, from theories to practices, and from challenges to solutions. The journal aims to provide a platform for scholars, researchers, and practitioners to share their insights, theories, and empirical findings. SSD welcomes original research articles, reviews, case reports, perspectives, and communications that advance knowledge and understanding in the field. Other insightful articles are also welcomed. The journal encourages interdisciplinary research and cross-sectoral collaborations, bridging academia, policy, and practice to foster sustainable social development.
Asia Pacific Academy of Science Pte. Ltd.
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Aggrandizing the ramification of online education: In the milieu of COVID-19 pandemic-a way forward
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a recent threat to humanity that forced a global halt of social, academic and economic activities. This pandemic resulted in a tremendous revamp of traditional educational mode to digital platforms. To gain the acumen about favorable and unfavorable outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted from top-tier leaders (vice-chancellors, rectors, deans, chairman, directors, head of departments, etc.,) of public and private higher education institutions across Pakistan. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was adopted to analyze the qualitative data (includes perceptions, thoughts, feelings and experiences) about crisis-response migration to online education. Research verdicts demarcated the visionary initiatives of the higher education sector by transforming potential academic challenges into sustainable opportunities. It entails the provision of an online learning experience to novice and seasoned learners and faculty, overcoming the continuous academic distortion, and subsequently ensuring the renewal of educational procedures. The findings reported numerous challenges faced by academicians in crisis-response migration to online education. This research enriched the literature of online education/emergency remote learning in the era COVID-19 pandemic. This study also presented the way forward of educational digitalization for governing bodies and policymakers of the higher education sector.
Copyright (c) 2026 Shumaila Naz, Shashank Rathore, Zaman Javed, Abdul Ghaffar, Shabnam Khan, Ambreen Jabeen Shah http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Unlocking the black box of digital-nomad management: How DRISA is linked to engagement and perceived performance
This study examines whether digital-nomad-oriented management practices are associated with perceived organizational performance through employee psychological and motivational states. Drawing on socio-technical systems theory and motivational work-design research, we conceptualize DRISA as a multidimensional composite management capability system comprising Digital Integration, Remote Collaboration, Individual Autonomy, Spatial Freedom, and Agile Management. The study used an exploratory sequential mixed-method design: 42 semi-structured interviews informed the construct and item pool, a pilot survey refined the measure (N = 80), and the main cross-regional survey covered China (N = 127), the United States (N = 125), and Europe (N = 120). Cross-sectional serial indirect-association analyses showed that DRISA was positively associated with psychological empowerment (β = 0.408, p < 0.001) and work-life balance (β = 0.371, p < 0.001), which were in turn associated with employee engagement. Employee engagement was positively associated with perceived organizational performance (β = 0.284, p < 0.001). Bootstrapped indirect associations were consistent with the proposed model: the pathway through psychological empowerment and engagement was stronger (β = 0.22, 95 % BCa CI [0.15, 0.30]) than the pathway through work-life balance and engagement (β = 0.15, 95 % BCa CI [0.08, 0.24]). Because the quantitative data are cross-sectional and self-reported, the findings should be interpreted as theoretically guided indirect associations rather than causal evidence. The study contributes to digital-nomad and work-from-anywhere research by clarifying how management practices may be linked to performance-related perceptions through empowerment, balance, and engagement.
Copyright (c) 2026 Wei Su, Irena Kokina, Tao Pu, Weibo Zhou http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cultural heritage, contemporary art, and sustainable social development in restaurant spaces: A comparative study of Kunming and Bangkok
Cultural heritage is increasingly incorporated into commercial environments as a means of strengthening local identity and encouraging public engagement with cultural traditions. Restaurant spaces provide an important setting in which heritage can be interpreted through contemporary artistic practices while remaining closely connected to everyday urban life. This study comparatively examines how local cultural heritage is represented through contemporary art in selected restaurants in Kunming, China, and Bangkok, Thailand, and explores its contribution to spatial identity, cultural communication, and sustainable social development. A qualitative comparative case study involving ten restaurants was undertaken using field observations, visual documentation, semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis, supported by visitor perception questionnaires as contextual evidence. The findings reveal that heritage resources are reinterpreted through architectural references, symbolic artifacts, decorative installations, and immersive spatial experiences. Restaurants in Kunming mainly emphasize ethnic diversity and historical narratives, whereas those in Bangkok draw more extensively upon Buddhist symbolism, community traditions, and everyday cultural practices. Although the artistic approaches differ, both contexts demonstrate how commercial environments can facilitate cultural communication and reinforce community identity. Based on these findings, the study proposes a comparative framework explaining the relationships among heritage resources, artistic interpretation, spatial identity, cultural sustainability, and sustainable social development. The proposed framework offers a useful perspective for understanding heritage-based artistic applications in contemporary restaurant environments and provides implications for future cultural design and heritage interpretation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Liang Du, Thongchue Khiatthong http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Cross-border educational mobility and selective inclusion: GED as an alternative higher education pathway for Myanmar migrant youth in Thailand
Although there is a formal commitment to inclusive education, international migration and displacement still limit inclusive access to higher education for marginalised youth. Some challenges faced by migrant youth along the Thailand-Myanmar border include insecure legal status, lack of economic security, language barriers, interrupted education, and non-recognition of certificates acquired in migrant education. In this context, the General Educational Development (GED) diploma is a key pathway to college. The present study aims to explore opportunities and challenges of the GED pathway among migrant youth in Myanmar in the context of Mae Sot, Thailand. A qualitative case study and an intersectional lens approach are used to analyze the research results. The research participants are 18 current or former GED learners, university students and graduates, school educators, a GED school principal, and NGO practitioners. It is found that the GED provides flexible study options, less expensive than some overseas options, few employment opportunities, and some opportunities for university admissions. Meanwhile, the process of participation and transition to the next steps is linked to financial resources; documentation; English language skills; previous learning experience; examination arrangements; institutional support; and the recognition of qualifications. The GED thereby serves as a selective inclusion pathway, which not only opens up opportunities for formal education but also channels participation and results in the uneven distribution of legal, economic, linguistic, pedagogical, and institutional resources.
Copyright (c) 2026 Haiying Yang http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Social sustainability and labor risk governance in Türkiye’s construction sector: Evidence from social security data and prevention through design implications (2014–2024)
Social sustainability in high-risk labor sectors requires more than regulatory compliance. It depends on governance that can identify where severe and fatal occupational risks concentrate. This study examines Türkiye’s construction sector between 2014 and 2024 using national social security data, assessing how accident burden, permanent disability, and fatal outcomes are distributed across construction subsectors. Drawing on Social Security Institution (SGK) records, the analysis evaluates occupational accident frequency, permanent disability, and fatal accident indicators from a policy-oriented, Prevention through Design-informed perspective. The contrast is notable. Although construction accounts for an average of 11.98 % of total insured employment, it produces 31.94 % of fatal occupational accidents, a fatal risk burden roughly 2.7 times its employment share. This burden is concentrated in the Construction of buildings subsector, where the share of sectoral fatalities rose from 51.90 % in 2014 to 63.04 % in 2024. Such patterns are shaped by informal employment, organizational fragmentation, subcontracting, macroeconomic shocks, and the spatial organization of worksites. By showing how social security data can reveal labor risk inequalities, the study contributes to sustainable social development research. It also demonstrates that data-based labor risk governance, read together with a Prevention through Design lens, is necessary for building equitable, targeted, and preventive occupational health and safety policy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hasan Özcan, Ayşegül Durukan http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Bibliographic management and sustainable research training in higher education: Evidence from library science students
Bibliographic management and information literacy are recognised as key components of sustainable research training in higher education. However, in the Library Science programme at the Technical University of Manabí, there was evidence of weaknesses in citation practices, limited use of reference management software, and low visibility of the role of librarians in academic processes. This study used a qualitative descriptive exploratory approach. Purposive sampling was used to select 18 of the 50 students that made up the population. To investigate experiences with information access, citation standards management, bibliographic management software use, plagiarism comprehension, and librarian perceptions, semi-structured interviews were conducted. The ATLAS.ti software was used to analyse the data. Academic research, library services, and information ethics were three central thematic dimensions emerging from the qualitative analysis. Students voiced concerns about plagiarism, citation standards limitations, and their limited knowledge of tools such as Mendeley and Zotero. Furthermore, they perceived librarians mainly as technical support staff in research training. The study concludes that bibliographic management strengthens sustainable research training by promoting ethical information use, academic integrity, and more systematic research practices in higher education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Daniela Lorena Loor Lara, María Gabriela Salas Espinales, Lila María Saltos Catagua, Kasandra Vanessa Saldarriaga Villamil, Mónica María Arteaga Linzán http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Development of a sustainability index for determining sustainable building construction practices in developing countries: A case study of Uganda
The systematic evaluation of sustainable construction practices remains limited by the absence of adaptive, context-specific indices that integrate multidimensional stakeholder perspectives. This study developed a sustainability Index to quantify the relative contributions of environmental, economic, and social variables to sustainable construction practices in developing countries. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected from 270 construction stakeholders, including contractors, consultants, academics, policymakers, and community representatives, through a structured questionnaire, in Uganda as the case study. The data were analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) to rank sustainability attributes and construct the sustainability index, using the Variable Attribute Factor (VAF) approach based on the top-ranked factors. Environmental factors, notably energy efficiency, waste minimization, and resource conservation, exert the greatest influence, followed by economic factors such as sustainable procurement, cost management, and access to financing. Social factors, including stakeholder participation, health and safety, and equitable design, ranked third. The highest VAF Index values were recorded for Life Cycle Costing (7.4890), Stakeholder Identification and Participation (7.4514), and Material Selection (7.1477). The predominance of environmental factors reflects the increasing material and energy intensity of construction activities, particularly in developing economies. Meanwhile, the secondary role of economic factors indicates that financial feasibility acts as an enabler rather than the primary driver of sustainability adoption. Overall, the study demonstrates that sustainable construction practices are shaped by the interaction of multidimensional variables, highlighting the need for strengthened regulatory frameworks, professional capacity building, and life-cycle-oriented decision-making to support sustainable engineering practices in developing economies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Annette Kabiriisi Bazairwe, Sibilike Khamala Makhanu, Micah Mukungu Mukolwe, Chrispinus Mukoche Wamalwa http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Communication process and tourism branding through the tourist destination policy under the green tourism promotion strategy in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic situation
What does it mean for a national government to communicate green tourism, and for whom does that communication actually work? This study takes up these questions through a retrospective qualitative case study of Thailand’s Green Tourism Promotion Strategy (2017–2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on policy document analysis, semi-structured interviews with nine government officials, and four focus group discussions involving 20 tourism stakeholders, the study examines how different actor groups, policymakers, tourism businesses, and the general public, understood and responded to sustainability-framed communication about destinations in Thailand. The findings show that government officials and senior policy practitioners consistently framed green tourism within a holistic sustainability agenda, whereas local business owners and tourists typically understood it in narrower terms, principally as environmental protection, waste reduction, or nature-based experience. Moreover, digital platforms proved indispensable during the pandemic, sustaining destination visibility and circulating messages about responsible travel; yet the reach of this communication was uneven, and the alignment it was supposed to produce was largely absent. On this basis, the study argues that green tourism destination branding in Thailand needs to be reconceptualized: not as a message transmitted downward from policy to public, but as a shared meaning constructed through more inclusive, segmented, and culturally grounded communication, one that actively involves local intermediaries and bridges the gap between official sustainability rhetoric and lived tourism practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Teerati Banterng, Apichaya Tipmonthien, Vinijphat Kanyapong http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Systemic resistance to change: Implications for sustainable social development in Malawian public enterprises
This article challenges the individualistic paradigm dominating resistance to change research by examining whether established individual-level measures demonstrate validity in African state-owned enterprise (SOE) contexts, and what alternative conceptualisation better explains observed empirical patterns and their effects on sustainable public sector reforms. Adopting a critical realist philosophy, the study employed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test Oreg’s (2003) 17-item Resistance to Change Scale (RTCS) with 543 employees from two Malawian SOEs: Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) and the Southern Region Water Board (SRWB). The scale failed to meet psychometric adequacy (χ²/df = 18.07; RMSEA = 0.177; AVE = 0.449), explaining only 33.39 % of variance. From a critical realist perspective, this failure signals ontological misalignment: The construct of resistance as individual disposition does not align with Malawian SOE realities. We propose a preliminary conceptual framework operationalising systemic resistance through five dimensions, institutional memory of reform failure, power asymmetries, cultural norms constraining dissent, political economy constraints, and reform fatigue, each with observable indicators. The findings suggest replacing individual-focused interventions with systemic diagnostics to support the attainment of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy IV and related SDGs. This study contributes to decolonising change management scholarship by theorising resistance as a systemic phenomenon rooted in institutional history, power structures, cultural norms, and political economy, whilst providing a foundation for contextually grounded interventions in African public-sector reforms. These findings carry direct implications for MGDS IV and Sustainable Development Goals 6 (clean water) and 7 (affordable energy) in that when resistance is correctly diagnosed as systemic, interventions target institutional voids, political interference, and trust deficits, which offers the only realistic prospect for sustainable public sector reform in African SOEs.
Copyright (c) 2026 Samuel Kaleke, Jeremy Mitonga-Monga http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Digital patenting, R&D dynamics, and the economic foundations of sustainable development: Evidence from Chinese listed firms
Digital patents have become an increasingly prominent form of technological activity at the firm level, but their significance for sustainable development depends on whether digital knowledge can be transformed into sustained productivity improvement, industrial upgrading and innovation capabilities. This study reassesses the relationship between digital patents, R&D investment and total factor productivity of Chinese listed companies. The study does not regard productivity as a narrow result of firm performance, but interprets it as the economic basis for sustainable industrial development, productive employment and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 9. Research results show that firms with high digital patenting intensity tend to have higher total factor productivity, while simply distinguishing between firms with and without digital patents provides weaker evidence. This finding shows that the depth of digital technology accumulation is more important than the existence of digital patent activity itself. In addition, the analysis also challenges the view that R&D investment has a direct positive mediating effect on productivity. Digital patents and R&D investment seem to promote each other over time, but the impact of additional R&D investment on short- and medium-term productivity is negative, indicating the existence of adjustment costs, experimentation burdens and delayed returns. The productivity relevance of digital patenting is also uneven: It is stronger among non-state-owned firms and high-technology firms, where market incentives and absorptive capacity are more favourable. Theoretically, the study contributes to the digital innovation and sustainable development literature by conceptualising digital patents as capability infrastructure that supports the economic-efficiency conditions of sustainable industrial transformation. Practically, the findings suggest that firms and policymakers should not evaluate digital innovation only by patent counts or short-term R&D expenditure. Greater attention should be given to organisational flexibility, technological absorptive capacity and the time required to convert digital knowledge into productivity gains that support long-term industrial upgrading and sustainable social development.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zhenheng Huang, Yujie Zeng, Wei Su, Weibo Zhou http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Building sustainable workplaces: The role of organizational climate and recognition on employee task performance in Vietnamese SMEs
This research aims to study the relationships between Organizational Climate and Task Performance through Organizational Recognition in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Da Nang, Vietnam. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to examine the direct and indirect (mediated) relationships among the independent variables, the mediator, and the dependent variable. The population of this study is individual employees in SMEs; 402 respondents were obtained through a convenience and volunteer sampling method. The empirical results demonstrated an excellent model fit. The path analysis revealed that all four dimensions of Organizational Climate had significant positive direct effects on Organizational Recognition (p < 0.001), and that Organizational Recognition was significantly associated with Task Performance. Bootstrap analysis with 5000 resamples and bias-corrected 95 % confidence intervals indicated that all four indirect effects through Organizational Recognition were statistically significant. Standard of Work was fully mediated by Organizational Recognition, whereas Organizational Structure, Responsibility, and Commitment were partially mediated, retaining significant direct associations with Task Performance. These results suggest that, in the SME context of Da Nang, Organizational Recognition is an important mechanism through which a supportive climate is associated with employee performance. The study provides insights for SME management seeking to strengthen recognition practices as part of a more humane and socially sustainable work environment.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tanin Tirasawasdichai, Anupong Thuengnaitham, Jarita Hinthow http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Beyond free tuition: Financial challenges, perceived academic impact, and coping mechanisms among college students in a Philippine State University
Financial hardship is a significant concern in higher education because it may shape students’ academic persistence and overall well-being. This study examined financial challenges experienced by college students, their perceived effects, and the coping strategies they used in a tuition-free Philippine state university. The study used a qualitative design guided by reflexive thematic analysis. Twenty-two students from Benguet State University were purposively recruited and interviewed. The analysis suggests that free tuition did not eliminate financial vulnerability, which persisted through recurring school-related and living expenses, rising prices, and insufficient or delayed financial support. Participants described difficulty meeting basic needs, prioritizing their expenditures, exercising spending control, and adhering to a budget. They perceived these challenges as affecting their academic performance and continuity, concentration, physical and emotional well-being, and social relationships. In response, they employed coping strategies, including engaging in income-generating activities, requesting financial assistance, saving, economizing, practicing self-discipline, and improving their financial literacy. They also relied on positive reframing and spiritual support. Despite these difficulties, participants’ accounts reflected resilience, adaptability, and resourcefulness in continuing their education. The findings informed the Adaptive Academic Persistence Model, which conceptualizes persistence as a cyclical process of appraisal, resource mobilization, adjustment, sacrifice, and reappraisal. By showing that tuition-free access does not fully eliminate financial barriers to meaningful participation, the study contributes to SDG-related discussions on quality education, poverty reduction, well-being, and reduced inequalities. The findings suggest that financial hardship remains a barrier beyond the cost of tuition and underscore the need for adequate institutional support that addresses students’ indirect educational and living costs, basic needs and financial capability.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dalifer A. Gano http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Inclusive governance and sustainable development challenges in solar radiation management
Solar Radiation Management (SRM) is increasingly attracting attention in scientific and policy discussions due to its potential to partially offset anthropogenic climate change. At the same time, SRM raises major governance, ethical, and sustainable development challenges, particularly regarding legitimacy, participation, and unequal institutional capacities between countries. While research and governance discussions continue to expand, actors from the Global North (GN) remain dominant in agenda-setting and decision-making processes, whereas the Global South (GS), despite its disproportionate vulnerability to climate impacts, remains comparatively underrepresented. This article examines SRM governance through the lens of inclusive governance and sustainable development. It argues that governance arrangements lacking transparency, accountability, and equitable participation risk reinforcing existing inequalities in global environmental governance and undermining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Drawing on a qualitative literature review and a case study of the SRM Non-Use Agreement, the article analyzes the evolution of SRM debates and the structural factors shaping participation in governance discussions. Recent institutional assessments, including the United Nations Environment (UNEP) Program Solar Radiation Modification Working Paper further highlight major governance gaps, scientific uncertainty, and asymmetries in research capacity between developed and developing countries. The analysis explores governance mechanisms capable of strengthening transparency, participation, and ethical safeguards in emerging SRM governance frameworks. Beyond documenting existing governance gaps, this article makes three contributions. First, it combines a structured literature review with an empirical analysis of the SRM Non-Use Agreement to examine participation asymmetries. Second, it identifies the institutional factors that continue to constrain meaningful Global South participation in emerging SRM governance debates. Third, it proposes governance mechanisms that translate principles of inclusive governance and sustainable development into operational pathways for future SRM governance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yvette Ramos, Luísa Schmidt, Filipe Duarte Santos http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A real-time traffic data analytics framework for intelligent mobility management during the Hajj season
Traffic surveillance during Hajj season is a crucial consideration in making decisions and ultimately helping to run the business effectively. Usually, large numbers of people need to be handled for transportation and traffic control, such as thousands of buses and vehicles. Yet there is no reliable, real-time information on the Hajj movements needed for measurement, benchmarking, and continual improvement but it is a huge obstacle to efficient management. Such a challenge is addressed in this analysis by developing an API-based system of collecting and analyzing traffic information for real-time use. The system generates hajj route files which contain longitude and latitude-coding geospatial points. These files are then deposited on a web page that displays traffic statistics from the API for each station on each route at defined times. The collected data is then deposited into a series of databases to be used for statistical and analytic purposes, such as estimates of delays and congestion-level estimates. The proposed system provides solid and adaptive real-time analytics that enable better transportation decision making, user experience, and more efficient and safer transport management. The collected data could also be used to alert drivers to estimated journey times to holy sites, and the long-term study helps identify bottlenecks and improve road network design. Overall, this approach helps to develop intelligent decision support systems for sustainable, data-driven traffic management during the Hajj season.
Copyright (c) 2026 Idrees Alsolbi http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Livelihood assets of a faith-based community development project in the Philippines
The purpose of this study was to examine the livelihood assets of a faith-based community development project in the Gawad Kalinga (GK) village in Barangay Hugo Perez, Trece Martires City, Cavite, Philippines. The study used qualitative research method using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tool to examine the community’s profile, accessible livelihood assets, internal and external environments, and significant concerns affecting community development and empowerment. The results showed that the community has a wide range of resources to help them make a living, including financial, social, personal, physical, human, natural, moral, and spiritual resources. However, these assets were hindered by problems with societal and economic conditions, lack of job opportunities, high prices for water and energy, low participation in certain sectors, and the need for greater value development and leadership support. The research also found that community development in a faith-based context relies not only on having the right resources but also in using them effectively by working with stakeholders, securing institutional support, and engaging in values-grounded participation. The study responded to these findings by proposing the Values-Grounded Collaborative Empowerment Framework (VGCEF), which integrates theory and practice by linking community context, livelihood assets, transformative structures and processes, and empowerment strategies to promote inclusive and sustainable community development. This study had contributed to better understanding of how faith-based communities may contribute to local capacities and empowerment through participatory, adaptive and value-based actions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jaysi Corpuz, Rowena Baconguis, Maria Cristina Desepida, Anna Martha Monsanto, Glenda Peña, Calyd Cerio, Pia Rhoda Lucero, Ande Luna, Gerry Castillo, Madelyn Gumarac http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Digital media technology in higher education for SDG 4: Advancing sustainable learning environments
Digital media technologies have become central to higher-education delivery, raising important questions about how online learning environments can support inclusion, equity, and sustainability under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). This study examines associations between recorded digital engagement and academic outcomes using the Open University Learning Analytics Dataset, which contains 32,593 enrolments from 28,785 learners across 22 course-presentations and 10,655,280 timestamped learner–VLE records. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine engagement–outcome associations and demographic inequities. Total VLE interactions were aggregated by learner-enrolment, transformed as <!-- [if gte msEquation 12]><m:oMath><m:r><m:rPr><m:scr m:val="roman"/><m:sty m:val="p"/></m:rPr>log⁡</m:r><m:r>(</m:r><m:r>x</m:r><m:r>+1)</m:r></m:oMath><![endif]--> <!-- [if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:44.25pt; height:13.5pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/DENF/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.png" o:title="" chromakey="white"/> </v:shape><![endif]--> , and standardised before modelling. Median interactions increased from 89 among withdrawn learners to 1896 among distinction learners, and log-engagement was positively correlated with success (r = 0.477). In the complete-case model (n = 31,482), a one-standard-deviation increase in log-engagement was associated with higher odds of success (OR = 27.074, 95 % CI [24.918, 29.415], p < 0.001) after adjustment for socioeconomic deprivation, gender, disability, age, prior education, previous attempts, and studied credits. Model discrimination was high (ROC-AUC = 0.891; accuracy = 81.0 %), although a sensitivity analysis excluding withdrawn enrolments produced a smaller association (OR = 7.036), indicating that withdrawal-related truncation explains part of the estimate. Success rates also varied from 35.2 % in the most deprived group to 57.5 % in the least deprived group and from 38.1 % among disabled learners to 48.2 % among non-disabled learners. Because the data are observational, institution-specific, and from 2013–2014, the results should be interpreted as historical associations rather than causal or universally contemporary effects. The findings support further prospective evaluation of learning-analytics systems, accessible course design, and equity-focused student support.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hui Li, Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin, Faridah Mydin Kutty http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Digital geopolitics and AI stack competition for SDG 9: A strategic quantification perspective
Artificial intelligence (AI) technological stacks have emerged as a major political issue in the context of sustainable development, since access to chips, data, cloud platforms, software ecosystems and human resources and regulatory interoperability determines countries’ capacity to use AI for industrial upgrading. This article investigates the relationship between digital geopolitical pressures, competitiveness of the AI stack and industrial and innovation outputs related to SDG 9. The study develops an AI Stack Competitiveness Index (ASCI) based on publicly available secondary data, including the Global Innovation Index, ITU ICT statistics and ITU ICT Development Index materials, World Bank World Development Indicators, OECD.AI Data and UN-based voting alignment information. Balanced analytical panel for countries 2018–2023 is composed of country-year harmonization, normalization and selection of missing data. Empirical design involves principal component analysis, two-way fixed-effects panel regression and gradient-boosted classification. External geopolitical exposure variables are excluded from the PCA-derived index and variables used to construct ASCI are not included on the right-hand side of the ASCI model in order to minimize mechanical overlap. The findings show conditional relationships between geopolitical openness, access to semiconductors and the competitiveness of the AI stack. The classifier is used for diagnosis purposes and not as evidence of causality, and the use of the tier classification is done with caution using leakage-sensitive feature selection and robustness checks. The article provides a clear toolset to assess digital geopolitics and AI stack capabilities in light of SDG 9, and discusses how open-stack partnerships could help mitigate downstream risks for countries not in the primary AI clusters.
Copyright (c) 2026 Xiyu Lu http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Digital inclusion and sustainable language preservation: Examining Wikipedia as a tool for social equity through Setswana and Hà Nhì language communities
This article investigates the role of Wikipedia as a mechanism for digital inclusion and sustainable language preservation among two minority language communities, Setswana speakers in South Africa and the Hà Nhì ethnic minority in Vietnam. A quanti-qualitative mixed-methods design combined semi-structured interviews with Wikipedia editors, language activists, digital literacy educators, and community practitioners with quantitative Wikipedia platform metrics, including article counts, active editor figures, and content growth trajectories, was employed to investigate this issue. The results show that both communities demonstrate emergent but constrained digital participation. Their barriers are structurally distinct but epistemically convergent, i.e., infrastructural inequity, editorial gatekeeping, procedural governance, and the systemic undervaluation of non-hegemonic knowledge all recur across cases. Cross-case comparison shows that Wikipedia’s ostensibly neutral platform architecture reproduces existing knowledge hierarchies by privileging well-resourced language communities. The study introduces “platform-induced hermeneutical injustice” as a fifth dimension of digital exclusion, supplementing existing models of digital inclusion. It grounds Fricker’s epistemic injustice framework in digital platform governance and offers evidence-based implications for the Wikimedia Foundation, national governments, educators, and language preservation practitioners across the Global South.
Copyright (c) 2026 Shahid Minhas, Abiodun Salawu, Thu Vo Anh http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Multi-level governance and implementation challenges in localising sustainable development goals: Evidence from Botswana
To strengthen the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Botswana has mapped relevant SDGs and targets to existing development plans, including Vision 2036. However, despite significant policy alignment between national development plans and the SDGs, the localisation outcomes are notably slow – epitomising the challenges faced by middle-income countries in the Global South. That is, the extent to which these frameworks in the Global South translate into effective local implementation remains unclear. This paper assesses the governance structures needed to ensure the effective localisation of the SDGs. While Botswana is used as a case study, the issues highlighted apply to many other countries in the Global South. The study utilises triangulation methodology, integrating published community-based monitoring system (CBMS) data and systematic document analysis. The analysis reveals that successful SDG localisation requires a clear governance framework that goes beyond national alignment with global goals. The analysis also reveals a clear governance framework for localising SDGs in Botswana. However, the case of Gabane suggests several challenges to SDG localisation that help explain the identified localisation gap. The study finds an apparent lack of community participation in implementing the SDGs. This has rendered local communities’ inclusion and participation difficult. Additionally, the study identifies gaps in monitoring and evaluation, primarily due to a lack of community-level data. It is recommended that deliberate steps be taken to build local governance autonomy, capacity, and participatory systems.
Copyright (c) 2026 Malebogo Bakwena, Lesego Sekwati, Mavis Kolobe http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Innovations in higher education in the pursuit of SDG 4: A bibliometric analysis of research on quality education
This study maps and analyzes the intellectual landscape of research on innovations in higher education aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4: Quality Education), aiming to identify key trends and inform institutional strategies. Utilizing a bibliometric analysis of 1259 Scopus articles (2020–2024) and employing VOSviewer software, the research identified six emergent thematic clusters: digital transformation, AI integration, pedagogical innovation, employability, sustainability, and cross-sector collaboration. Key findings highlight the influence of highly cited works discussing sustainable digital transformation, generative AI, and flexible learning models accelerated by COVID-19, reflecting higher education’s rapid adaptation to technological and societal changes. These results offer practical guidance for institutional leaders and policymakers on enhancing technology-enhanced learning, labor market-aligned curricula, and educational resilience, underscoring the value of frameworks like the Triple Helix. Ultimately, this study provides a comprehensive, data-driven synthesis and actionable insights toward advancing inclusive, future-ready, and sustainable educational systems.
Copyright (c) 2026 Joseline M. Santos, Ruben E. Borja II, Teody C. San Andres http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0