Suchergebnisse

A combination of one of the oldest professions – espionage – with one of the newer ones – cyber hacking – has led to hyperbole and threats of kinetic escalation. But is all this talk really warranted? What will the real fallout be?

Relying solely on a domestic response will not end the cycle of global cyber threats. A concerted effort to build capacity, confidence, and rules of the road may bring consequences to states who choose to continue sponsoring hostile activity.

The "leave no one behind" principle espoused by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development requires measures of progress for different segments of the population. This entails detailed disaggregated data to identify subgroups that might be falling behind, to ensure progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Asian Development Bank and the Statistics Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs developed this practical guidebook with tools to collect, compile, analyze, and disseminate disaggregated data. It also provides materials on issues and experiences of countries regarding data disaggregation for the SDGs. This guidebook is for statisticians and analysts from planning and sector ministries involved in the production, analysis, and communication of disaggregated data.

Data analytics have become a central component of humanitarian work. This is used to inform what affected community needs are and where they need them most. For communities who are already vulnerable, if their data is misused or shared with actors who are not bound by humanitarian principles, they can be exposed to additional risks.

We are living in a world where information is commonly gathered online and transferred across borders. With the global economy going digital, cross-border bandwidth has increased 45 times in the past decade. In terms of absolute quantity, it has reached 211.3 terabits per second (Tbps) in 2014, up from 4.7 Tbps in 2005.1 Though the largest share of cross-border data flows (about three-quarters) are accounted for by internet content industries, cross-border data flows are crucial in almost every industrial sector. For example, cloud computing is now being used in a wide range of industries from internet services to manufacturing. It is a service providing IT functions such as data storage and software programs over the internet by external servers. The storage location is often neither known to users nor definable. It is therefore perceived as if data is kept somewhere in the "clouds". Through cloud computing, information are often transferred across borders and stored in servers outside national boundaries.

"In the rapidly evolving environment of academia and industry, a critical challenge emerges how to navigate the complexities of innovation-driven trade and foster synergies between these two realms. As industries grapple with the demands of innovation, educational institutions seek avenues to bridge the gap and contribute meaningfully to economic development. This challenge requires a comprehensive exploration of the profound and transformational terrain that is shaping partnerships between academia and industry. The current situation poses multifaceted challenges, from staying abreast of industry trends and fostering sustainable practices to navigating legal complexities and ensuring organizational growth. As industries strive for innovation, academic institutions face the imperative to not only keep pace but lead the way. The disconnect between these two realms hinders the realization of a future molded by their collaborative efforts, impeding sustainable progress and economic development. There is an urgent need to address these challenges, acknowledging the intricacies of industry-academia collaborations and their far-reaching impact on effectiveness.Fostering Industry-Academia Partnerships for Innovation-Driven Trade serves as a definitive solution to the identified problem, offering an in-depth exploration of pioneering work in industry-academia collaborations. Tailored for educational and research institutions, as well as libraries of central and state governments, it transcends borders to hold global importance. Designed for specific courses across various academic programs, delving into critical themes such as general management, legal practices, finance, economics, information technology, artificial intelligence, marketing, international business, and human resource management. Each section of the book contributes to unraveling the intricacies of collaboration, providing insights that are not only timely but universally significant."--

Purpose
The main purpose of this paper is to explore innovative ideas for a sustainable fashion supply chain in the future by focusing on investigating the impacts of COVID-19 on the fashion supply chain and review sustainable supply chain.


Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review (SLR) and a case study have been undertaken to explore the innovative ideas for a sustainable fashion supply chain developed after the COVID-19 outbreak. Having conducted a comprehensive literature search in electronic databases Google Scholar, Emerald Insight, ScienceDirect and ProQuest, 69 articles were selected and reviewed. A case of the Kering Group was used to explain the results.


Findings
This paper highlighted the basic concepts of a sustainable supply chain, reviewed the 10 principles of the United Nation Global Compact and their connections to promoting supply chain sustainability, as well as the three components of a sustainable supply chain: green supply chain, transparent supply chain and circular supply chain. Based on the results of a SLR and a real case of Kering Group, the paper identified 12 innovative ideas for a sustainable fashion supply chain: (1) biodegradable and natural materials, (2) textile recycling, (3) nearshoring, (4) artificial intelligence (AI), (5) robot, (6) 3D printing, (7) Internet of Things, (8) blockchain, (9) reverse resources; (10) bio-packaging, (11) augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) and (12) digital runway.


Research limitations/implications
The epidemiological situations of the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding innovative ideas for a sustainable supply chain may change over time. While this paper provides a comprehensive literature review and case study, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of current efforts in the development of a sustainable fashion supply chain through collecting both quantitative and qualitative data.


Practical implications
Embracing the issues from the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of this study are further explained by the case of Kering Group in the fashion industry. The managerial implications of the results and discussion are the need to adopt innovative ideas for a more sustainable fashion supply chain in the future. The success of sustainable supply chains work by leveraging the best available technologies such as robot, 3D printing, AR and VR, setting consistent standards for sustainability such as Environmental Profit and Loss and Kering & Textile Exchange and communicating with all parties throughout the supply chain, such as blockchain and AI. Investment in developing technology and innovative ideas will be the key of future to supply chain sustainability. Nonetheless, the specific approach used by each organization must be tailored to its characteristics, goals and circumstances.


Social implications
Bringing upon unprecedented challenges, the pandemic has shown both companies and consumers just how fragile our planet is. Thus, to protect our planet in the long run, we need to not only make businesses more sustainable but also live more eco-friendly lifestyles.


Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first work that conducts a systemic review of the relevant academic journal articles addressed to the managerial audience on sustainable (fashion) supply chain. In addition, this paper also adds some consideration to this gap by exploring the innovative ideas for a sustainable fashion supply chain in the future and using a case to illustrate how these ideas can be put in a real-life context. This paper discusses the impact of COVID-19 on different stages of the supply chain and gives innovative ideas that can be used in response to the changing epidemiological situations of the pandemic.

Chapter 1: Sustainable Finance and Business in Sub-Saharan Africa an Introduction -- Chapter 2: Tracing the Journey of Sustainability Practices, the Historical Evolution through the Industrial Revolutions -- Chapter 3: Fostering Growth in African Frontier Financial Markets through Sustainable Finance, Opportunities and Mechanisms -- Chapter 4: An Analysis of the Factors Influencing Presumptive Taxation Compliance in the Zimbabwean Retail Sector -- Chapter 5: Financial Literacy and Financial Sustainability of Micro-Businesses at Bokamoso Entrepreneurial Centre in Namibia -- Chapter 6: Financial Sustainability Constraints facing Namibian Local Authorities: A Comparative Study -- Chapter 7: The Carbon Credits Controversy in Rural Communities in Africa: A Solution or Problem to Fostering Climate Change Mitigation and Economic Sustainability? -- Chapter 8: The Role of Technology as An Anchor for Economists, Accountants and Business Professionals in Business Recovery -- Chapter 9: Bridging the Sustainable Finance Gap, A Comparative Analysis of Africa and Asia within the Global Context -- Chapter 10: Green Finance and the Evolution of Financial Markets in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comprehensive Analysis -- Chapter 11: Multilateral Development Banks and Sustainable Finance in Africa -- Chapter 12: Promoting Sustainable Finance for Enhanced Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa -- Chapter 13: Strengthening Sustainable Finance in Africa, Regulatory Frameworks and Policy Directions -- Chapter 14: Impact of Internal Savings and Lending Schemes on the Growth of Female-owned Micro, Small to Medium Enterprises in Rural Zimbabwe -- Chapter 15: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Credit Risk Management: Case of Zimbabwe's Commercial Banks -- Chapter 16: Blockchain and Crowdfunding for Renewable Energy Projects in Africa -- Chapter 17: Group Lending Dynamics and Enhancing Financial Access for the Underbanked, Lessons for Africa -- Chapter 18: Sustainable Finance and Sustainable Businesses in Africa -- Chapter 19: An ICT Strategy to Enhance Sustainability in Orphans and Vulnerable Children Non-Governmental Organisations in Zimbabwe -- Chapter 20: Challenges Faced by Green Entrepreneurs during Turbulent Times: Evidence from Zimbabwean SMEs -- Chapter 21: Augmented Reality and Consumer Experiences -- Chapter 22: The Digital Evolution of Global Tourism and the Practical Lessons for African Small Businesses -- Chapter 23: Promoting Sustainable Finance for Enhanced Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa -- Chapter 24: Sustainable Finance and Business in Sub-Saharan Africa a Conclusion.

Responsible Artificial Intelligence Re-engineering the Global Public Health Ecosystem: A Humanity Worth Saving is the first comprehensive book showing how trustworthy AI can revolutionize decolonized global public health. It explains how it works as an ecosystem and how it can be fixed to equitably empower us all to solve the defining crises of our era, from poverty to pandemics, climate to conflicts, debt to divisions. It is written from the first-hand perspective of the worlds first triple doctorate trained physician-data scientist and ethicist who has cared for more than 10,000 patients and authored 5 AI textbooks and more than 400 scientific and ethics papers. This essential resource integrates science, political economics, and ethics to unite our unique cultures, belief systems, institutions, and governments. In doing so, it is meant to give humanity a fighting chance against shared existential threats through cooperation and managed strategic competition for integral sustainable development. Taking seriously diverse voices, perspectives, and insights from the Global North and the Global South, this book uses concrete examples backed up by clear explanations to elucidate the current failures, emerging successes, and societal trends of global public health. It shows how a small number of powerful governments and corporations-amid digitalization, deglobalization, and demographic shifts-dominate global health, and how we can re-engineer a better future for it both societally and technologically. The book spans health breakthroughs in federated data architectures, machine learning, deep learning, swarm learning, quantum computing, blockchain, agile data governance and solidarity, value blocks (of democracies and autocracies), adaptive value supply chains, social networks, pandemics, health financing, universal health coverage, public-private partnerships, healthcare system design, precision agriculture, clean energy, human security, and multicultural global ethics. This book therefore is meant to provide a clear, coherent, and actionable guide equipping students, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and leaders in digital technology, public health, healthcare, health policy, public policy, political economics, and ethics to generate the solutions that will define humanitys next era-while recovering what that humanity means, and why it is worth saving

La agenda de la política internacional ha presenciado una importante evolución en los últimos 30 años. Producto de la globalización y la interdependencia, múltiples temas han ingresado a la agenda internacional escapando de la lógica de los asuntos militares y estratégicos, característicos de la Guerra Fría (Keohane & Nye. 2011). En este sentido, una de las características más significativas de estos nuevos problemas es que exceden los límites del Estado y su capacidad de respuesta y, sin una coordinación adecuada con otros estados y actores, su eficacia se presenta como mínima o nula (Attina, 2001). El cambio climático y la protección del ambiente es uno de esos temas que limitan la capacidad del estado de actuar por sí mismo y que requieren de medidas coordinadas para su abordaje. Esto es debido a que el calentamiento global ha provocado múltiples catástrofes naturales afectando a poblaciones y regiones enteras, así como a la biodiversidad de nuestro planeta sin diferenciación de fronteras territoriales. Uno de los desafíos más importantes para quienes abordan el cambio climático desde un aspecto técnico, así como también para quienes llevan adelante el armado de políticas públicas, es encontrar las herramientas, plataformas e instrumentos adecuados para su mitigación. En este sentido, los avances tecnológicos que se han desarrollado producto de la 4ta Revolución Industrial, presentan una ventana de oportunidad para los estados y organismos internacionales de poder abordar el problema de una manera mucho más efectiva y coordinada. Nuevas tecnologías como el Blockchain, el Big Data y la Inteligencia Artificial son de las tecnologías que mayores expectativas traen en la mitigación del cambio climático. El siguiente artículo buscará, en primer lugar, analizar el ejemplo de la Distributed Ledger Technology, un nuevo desarrollo que junta elementos de las tecnologías antes mencionadas, para dar mayor transparencia en las acciones de mitigación del cambio climático de estados y organismos internacionales. En segunda instancia, identificar qué mecanismos existentes de cooperación internacional favorecen la coordinación y el uso de estas nuevas herramientas. ; Instituto de Relaciones Internacionales

The stages of formation and theoretical background of cryptocurrency have been explored in the article. It has been established that the focus of the operation and use of such a specific financial asset is the protection of cash against the depreciation that occurs during political and economic fluctuations. But this is another kind of modern money, namely, stalk line. The main processes that have taken place in the IT field, which has influenced the further development of the monetary system worldwide have been reflected in the article. There is no unified system in the EU for cryptocurrency transactions. The technologies used to create any kind of cryptocurrency have been researched by the scientists of the advanced countries in the last century. Nowadays, modern blockchain technology is an improvement of the past. Each country has its own peculiarities and approaches to the recognition or non-recognition of cryptocurrency. The problem with the use of modern money is to determine the issuer. Cryptocurrency and electronic money have some things in common and distinctive. It has been determined that the use of cryptocurrency for the purposes of storing savings and payments is gaining popularity despite the problems of economic, tax and legal regulation. The market capitalization of bitcoin is compared with the leading economies of the world. Bitcoin capitalization is found to be higher than some countries' GDP. The basic aspects of cryptocurrency functioning are revealed. The main method of scientific research is the empirical method, which allowed to make several observations on the changing attitude of countries to cryptocurrency. The measurement process made it possible to understand the volume of the bitcoin market. As a result of scientific literature, cryptocurrency as electronic money is found to be a non-personalized payment instrument and is rotated outside the banking system electronically, which is why it implies that the state cannot control this process, which is why national banks of many countries with distrust treat that kind of money. The countries of the world, at their discretion, make changes in tax and legal law. ; В статье исследованы этапы становления и теоретические предпосылки возникновения криптовалюта. Установлено, что основным направлением функционирования и использования такого специфического финансового актива выступает защита денежных средств от обесценивания, которое происходит во время политических и экономических колебаний. Но это уже другой вид современных денег, а именно стейблкоин. Статья отражает основные процессы, которые происходили в ИТ сфере, повлияло на дальнейшее развитие денежной системы во всем мире. Не существует унифицированной системы в странах ЕС по отражению операций с криптовалюта. Технологии применяемые для создания любой криптовалюта были исследованы учеными передовых стран еще в прошлом веке. В настоящее время современная технологии блокчейн это усовершенствование наработок прошлого. Каждая страна имеет свои особенности и подходы к признанию или не признание криптовалюта. Проблема использования современных денег состоит в определении эмитента. Криптовалюта и электронные деньги имеют некоторые общие и отличительные черты. Определено, что среди населения использования криптовалюта для целей хранения сбережений и расчетов набирает популярность, несмотря на проблемы в экономическом, налоговом и правовом регулировании. Приведены рыночную капитализации биткоина по сравнению с ведущими экономиками стран мира. Установлено, что капитализация биткоин больше, чем ВВП некоторых стран. Раскрыты основные аспекты функционирования криптовалюта. Основным методом научного исследования выступает эмпирический метод, который позволил провести ряд наблюдений за изменением отношения стран в криптовалюта. Процесс измерения позволил понять объем рынка биткоина. В результате обработки научной литературы, установлено, что криптовалюта как электронные деньги есть неперсонифицированным платежным инструментом и вращаются вне банковской системы в электронном виде, поэтому именно это, влияет на то, что государство не может контролировать этот процесс, поэтому национальные банки стран с недоверием относятся к таким денег. Страны мира по своему усмотрению делают изменения в налоговом и правовом законодательстве. ; У статті досліджено етапи становлення та теоретичні передумови виникнення криптовалюти. Встановлено, що основним напрямом функціонування та використання такого специфічного фінансового активу виступає захист грошових коштів від знецінення, яке відбувається під час політичних та економічних коливань. Але це вже інший вид сучасних грошей, а саме стейблкоін. Стаття відображає основні процеси які відбувалися в ІТ сфері, що вплинуло на подальший розвиток грошової системи в усьому світі. Не існує уніфікованої системи у країнах ЕС по відображенню операцій з криптовалютою. Технології які застосовуються для створення будь-якої криптовалюти були дослідженні науковцями передових країн ще у минулому столітті. У теперішній час сучасна технології блокчейн це удосконалення напрацювань минулого. Кожна країна має свої особливості та підходи до визнання чи не визнання криптовалюти. Проблема використання сучасних грошей полягає у визначенні емітента. Криптовалюта та електронні гроші мають деякі спільні та відмінні риси. Визначено, що серед населення використання криптовалюти для цілей зберігання заощаджень та розрахунків набирає популярності, незважаючи на проблеми в економічному, податковому та правовому регулюванні. Наведено ринкову капіталізації біткоїна в порівнянні з провідними економіками країн світу. Встановлено, що капіталізація біткоїн більша ніж ВВП деяких країн. Розкрито основні аспекти функціонування криптовалюти. Основним методом наукового дослідження виступає емпіричний метод, який дозволив провести ряд спостережень за зміною відношення країн до криптовалюти. Процес вимірювання дозволив зрозуміти об'єм ринку біткоїна. В результаті опрацювання наукової літератури, встановлено, що криптовалюта як електронні гроші є неперсоніфікованим платіжним інструментом та обертаються поза межами банківської системи в електронному вигляді, тому саме це, вливає на те, що держава не може контролювати цей процес, тому національні банки багатьох країн з недовірою ставляться до таких грошей. Країни світи на свій розсуд роблять зміни в податковому та правовому законодавстві.

The stages of formation and theoretical background of cryptocurrency have been explored in the article. It has been established that the focus of the operation and use of such a specific financial asset is the protection of cash against the depreciation that occurs during political and economic fluctuations. But this is another kind of modern money, namely, stalk line. The main processes that have taken place in the IT field, which has influenced the further development of the monetary system worldwide have been reflected in the article. There is no unified system in the EU for cryptocurrency transactions. The technologies used to create any kind of cryptocurrency have been researched by the scientists of the advanced countries in the last century. Nowadays, modern blockchain technology is an improvement of the past. Each country has its own peculiarities and approaches to the recognition or non-recognition of cryptocurrency. The problem with the use of modern money is to determine the issuer. Cryptocurrency and electronic money have some things in common and distinctive. It has been determined that the use of cryptocurrency for the purposes of storing savings and payments is gaining popularity despite the problems of economic, tax and legal regulation. The market capitalization of bitcoin is compared with the leading economies of the world. Bitcoin capitalization is found to be higher than some countries' GDP. The basic aspects of cryptocurrency functioning are revealed. The main method of scientific research is the empirical method, which allowed to make several observations on the changing attitude of countries to cryptocurrency. The measurement process made it possible to understand the volume of the bitcoin market. As a result of scientific literature, cryptocurrency as electronic money is found to be a non-personalized payment instrument and is rotated outside the banking system electronically, which is why it implies that the state cannot control this process, which is why national banks of many countries with distrust treat that kind of money. The countries of the world, at their discretion, make changes in tax and legal law. ; В статье исследованы этапы становления и теоретические предпосылки возникновения криптовалюта. Установлено, что основным направлением функционирования и использования такого специфического финансового актива выступает защита денежных средств от обесценивания, которое происходит во время политических и экономических колебаний. Но это уже другой вид современных денег, а именно стейблкоин. Статья отражает основные процессы, которые происходили в ИТ сфере, повлияло на дальнейшее развитие денежной системы во всем мире. Не существует унифицированной системы в странах ЕС по отражению операций с криптовалюта. Технологии применяемые для создания любой криптовалюта были исследованы учеными передовых стран еще в прошлом веке. В настоящее время современная технологии блокчейн это усовершенствование наработок прошлого. Каждая страна имеет свои особенности и подходы к признанию или не признание криптовалюта. Проблема использования современных денег состоит в определении эмитента. Криптовалюта и электронные деньги имеют некоторые общие и отличительные черты. Определено, что среди населения использования криптовалюта для целей хранения сбережений и расчетов набирает популярность, несмотря на проблемы в экономическом, налоговом и правовом регулировании. Приведены рыночную капитализации биткоина по сравнению с ведущими экономиками стран мира. Установлено, что капитализация биткоин больше, чем ВВП некоторых стран. Раскрыты основные аспекты функционирования криптовалюта. Основным методом научного исследования выступает эмпирический метод, который позволил провести ряд наблюдений за изменением отношения стран в криптовалюта. Процесс измерения позволил понять объем рынка биткоина. В результате обработки научной литературы, установлено, что криптовалюта как электронные деньги есть неперсонифицированным платежным инструментом и вращаются вне банковской системы в электронном виде, поэтому именно это, влияет на то, что государство не может контролировать этот процесс, поэтому национальные банки стран с недоверием относятся к таким денег. Страны мира по своему усмотрению делают изменения в налоговом и правовом законодательстве. ; У статті досліджено етапи становлення та теоретичні передумови виникнення криптовалюти. Встановлено, що основним напрямом функціонування та використання такого специфічного фінансового активу виступає захист грошових коштів від знецінення, яке відбувається під час політичних та економічних коливань. Але це вже інший вид сучасних грошей, а саме стейблкоін. Стаття відображає основні процеси які відбувалися в ІТ сфері, що вплинуло на подальший розвиток грошової системи в усьому світі. Не існує уніфікованої системи у країнах ЕС по відображенню операцій з криптовалютою. Технології які застосовуються для створення будь-якої криптовалюти були дослідженні науковцями передових країн ще у минулому столітті. У теперішній час сучасна технології блокчейн це удосконалення напрацювань минулого. Кожна країна має свої особливості та підходи до визнання чи не визнання криптовалюти. Проблема використання сучасних грошей полягає у визначенні емітента. Криптовалюта та електронні гроші мають деякі спільні та відмінні риси. Визначено, що серед населення використання криптовалюти для цілей зберігання заощаджень та розрахунків набирає популярності, незважаючи на проблеми в економічному, податковому та правовому регулюванні. Наведено ринкову капіталізації біткоїна в порівнянні з провідними економіками країн світу. Встановлено, що капіталізація біткоїн більша ніж ВВП деяких країн. Розкрито основні аспекти функціонування криптовалюти. Основним методом наукового дослідження виступає емпіричний метод, який дозволив провести ряд спостережень за зміною відношення країн до криптовалюти. Процес вимірювання дозволив зрозуміти об'єм ринку біткоїна. В результаті опрацювання наукової літератури, встановлено, що криптовалюта як електронні гроші є неперсоніфікованим платіжним інструментом та обертаються поза межами банківської системи в електронному вигляді, тому саме це, вливає на те, що держава не може контролювати цей процес, тому національні банки багатьох країн з недовірою ставляться до таких грошей. Країни світи на свій розсуд роблять зміни в податковому та правовому законодавстві.

The theme of the conference is: "E-learning and STEM Education". "Skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are becoming an increasingly important part of basic literacy in today's knowledge economy. To keep Europe growing, we will need one million additional researchers by 2020." (http://www.eun.org/focus-areas/stem) The monograph "E-learning and STEM Education" includes articles based on the best papers prepared and presented by authors from nine European countries and from more than twenty universities during the 11th Annual Internatio- nal Scientific Conference "Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Distance Learning", subtitled: "E-learning and STEM Education", which was held on 14-15 October 2019, organized by the Faculty of Ethnology and Sciences of Education in Cieszyn, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland. Experts on STEM and robotics in education from 10 countries, in particular Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey reflect on how STEM education is currently viewed and implemented in their country, drawing on the legislation and funding focus and using local data to predict how the future will unfold for STEM education. The speakers from the University of Innsbruck (Austria), University of Twente (the Netherlands), the Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia), Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarski" (Bulgaria), Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (Ukraine), Gdańsk Technical University (Poland), Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg (Russia), Jagiellonian University (Poland), Warsaw University (Poland), Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic), Jesuit University of Philosophy and Education "Ignatianum", Cracow, (Poland), University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland), University of Defence in Brno (Czech Republic), K. Ushynskyi South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University (Ukraine), Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (Poland), Lublin University of Technology (Poland), Mykhailo Drahomanov National Pedagogical University, Kyiv, (Ukraine), Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz (Poland), Taras Shevchenko National University "Chernihiv Collegium" (Ukraine), Dniprovsk State Technical University (Ukraine), University of Ostrava (Czech Republic), Pedagogical University of Krakow (Poland), University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw (Poland), Makarenko Sumy State Pedagogical University (Ukraine), Poznań University of Medical Sciences (Poland), Ternopil University (Ukraine), Kherson State University (Ukraine), Warsaw University of Technology(Poland), University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw (Poland), Izmail State University of Humanities (Ukraine), Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, (Poland), and other educational institutions delivered lectures providing insights into interesting studies, presented their recent research results and discussed their further scientific work. The authors include experts, well-known scholars, young researchers, highly trained academic lecturers with long experience in the field of e-learning, PhD students, distance course developers, authors of multimedia teaching materials, designers of websites and educational sites. I am convinced that this monograph will be an interesting and valuable publication, describing the theoretical, methodological and practical issues in the field of E- learning in STEM education offering proposals of solutions to certain important problems and showing the road to further work in this field, allowing exchange of experiences of scholars from various universities from many European countries and other countries of the world. This book includes a sequence of responses to numerous questions that have not been answered yet. The papers of the authors included in the monograph are an attempt at providing such answers. The aspects and problems discussed in the materials include the following: 1. E-learning and STEM Education  STEM education trends  Robots and coding in education.  Immersive learning environments. Blockchain.  Internet of things. 3D printing 2. E-environment and Cyberspace  E-environment of the University.  SMART-Universities. SMART Technology in education  E-learning in a sustainable society. 3. E-learning in the Development of Key and soft Competences:  Effective development of teachers; skills in the area of ICT and e- learning  Key competences in the knowledge society,  Use of e-learning in improving the level of students' digital competences,  Distance Learning and Lifelong Learning  Self-learning based on Internet technology Table of Contents 15 4. E-learning and Intercultural Competences Development in Different Countries:  Legal, social, human, scientific, technical aspects of distance learning and e-learning in different countries,  Psychological and ethical aspects of distance learning and e-learning in different countries,  Collaborative learning in e-learning, 5. E-learning Methodology – Implementation and Evaluation:  European and national standards of e-learning quality evaluation,  Evaluation of synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning, methodology and good examples,  MOOCs – methodology of design, conducting, implementation and evaluation,  Contemporary trends in world education – globalization, internationalization, mobility. 6. ICT Tools – Effective Use in Education:  Selected Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 technology,  LMS, CMS, VSCR, SSA, CSA,  Cloud computing environment, social media, Multimedia resources Video-tutorial design. 7. Alternative Methods, Forms and Techniques in Distance Learning:  simulations, models in distance learning,  networking, distance learning systems,  m-learning. 8. Theoretical, Methodological Aspects of Distance Learning:  Successful examples of e-learning,  Distance learning in humanities and science,  Quality of teaching, training programs and assessment,  E-learning for the disabled. Publishing this monograph is a good example of expanding and strengthening international cooperation.

"This book describes the political, social, and economic connections between gender and the Covid-19 pandemic. The authors offer innovative ideas for recovery that will build a more prosperous, healthy, equitable, and sustainable future for African women and girls, targets identified under Goal 5 (Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment) of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals slated to be achieved by 2030. Within this context, authors identify issues related to the protection of women and girls from poverty, hunger, and gender-based violence; improved healthcare and healthcare workforce experiences; girl-child education; financial inclusion; and entrepreneurship opportunities for women in fintech, tourism, and information, communication and technology (ICT). The book concludes with a discussion of economic empowerment for women that focuses on normalising the 'un-normal' outcome of the pandemic. The book will be of value to policymakers, non-profit organisations, practitioners, and scholars who understand the importance of gender equality and women empowerment in the African continent."

Actual importance of study. At the beginning of the 2020s developed world countries and countries which are the leaders of world economic development faced up the challenges of radical structural reformation of social production (from industry to service system) which is based on digitalization. Digital technologies in world science and business practice are considered essential part of a complex technological phenomenon like 'Industry 4.0'. Digitalization should cover development of all business processes and management processes at micro-, meso- and microlevels, processes of social production management at national and world economy levels. In general, in the 21st century world is shifting rapidly to the strategies of digital technologies application. The countries which introduce these strategies will gain guaranteed competitive advantages: from reducing production costs and improved quality of goods and services to developing new sales market and making guaranteed super-profits. The countries which stand aside from digitalization processes are at risk of being among the outsiders of socio-economic development. Such problem statement highlights the actual importance of determining the directions, trends and strategic priorities of social production digitalization. This issue is really crucial for all world countries, including Ukraine which is in midst of profound structural reformation of all national production system. Problem statement. Digital economy shapes the ground for 'Industry 4.0', information, It technologies and large databases become the key technologies. The main asset of 'Industry 4.0' is information, the major tool of production is cyberphysical systems that lead to formation the single unified highly productive environmental system of collecting, analyzing and applying data to production and other processes. Cyberphysical systems provides 'smart machines' (productive machines, tools and equipment which are programmed) integration via their connection to the Internet, or creation special network, 'Industrial Internet' (IIoT) which is regarded as a productive analogue of 'Internet of Things' (IoT) that is focused on the consumers. 'Internet of Things' can be connected with 'smart factories' which use 'Industrial Internet' to adjust production processes quickly turning into account the changes in costs and availability of resources as well as demand for production made. One of the most essential tasks for current economics and researchers of systems and processes of organization future maintenance of world production is to determine the main strategic priorities of social production digitalization. Analysis of latest studies and publications. Valuable contribution to the study of the core and directions of strategic priorities concerning social production digitalization was made by such foreign scientists as the Canadian researcher Tapscott D [1], foreigners Sun, L., Zhao, L [2], Mcdowell, M. [3] and others. Yet, the study of issues concerning social production digitalization are mainly done by the team of authors as such issues are complicated and multihierarchical. Furthermore, the problem of social production digitalization is closely linked to the transition to sustainable development, which is reflected in the works by Ukrainian scholars like Khrapkin V., Ustimenko V., Kudrin O., Sagirov A. and others in the monograph "Determinants of sustainable economy development" [4]. The edition of the first in Ukraine inter-disciplinary textbook on Internet economy by a group of scientists like Tatomyr I., Kvasniy L., Poyda S. and others [5] should also be mentioned. But the challenges of social production digitalization are constantly focused on by theoretical scientists, analytics and practitioners of these processes. Determining unexplored parts of general problem. Defining strategic priorities of social production digitalization requires clear understanding of prospective spheres of their application, economic advantages and risks which mass transition of social production from traditional (industrial and post-industrial)to digital technologies bear. A new system of technological equipment (production digitalization, Internet-economy, technology 'Industry 4.0', NBIC- technologies and circular economy) has a number of economic advantages for commodity producers and countries, as well as leads to dramatical changes in the whole social security system, changes at labour market and reformation the integral system of social relations in the society. Tasks and objectives of the study. The objective of the study is to highlight the core and define the main strategic priorities of social production digitalization, as they cause the process of radical structural reformation of industrial production, services and social spheres of national economy of world countries and world economy in general. To achieve the objective set in the article the following tasks are determined and solved: - to define the main priorities of digital technologies development, which is radically modify all social production business processes; - to study the essence and the role of circular economy for transition to sustainable development taken EU countries as an example; - to identify the strategic priorities of robotization of production processes and priority spheres of industrial and service robots application; - to define the role of NBIC-technologies in the process of social production structural reformation and its transition to new digital technologies in the 21st century. Method and methodology of the study. While studying strategic priorities of social production digitalization theoretical and empirical methods of study are used, such as historical and logical, analysis and synthesis, abstract and specific, casual (cause-and-effect) ones. All of them helped to keep the track of digital technologies evolution and its impact on structural reformation of social production. Synergetic approach, method of expert estimates and casual methods are applied to ground system influence of digital technologies, 'Industry 4.0' and their materialization as 'circular economy' on the whole complicated and multihierarchical system of social production in general. Basic material (the results of the study). Digital economy, i.e. economy where it is virtual but not material or physical assets and transactions are of the greatest value, institutional environment in which business processes as well as all managerial processes are developed on the basis of digital computer technologies and information and communication technologies (ICT), lies as the ground for social production digitalization. ICT sphere involves production of electronic equipment, computing, hardware,.software and services. It also provides various information sevices. Information Technology serves as a material basis for digital economy and digital technologies development. Among the basic digital technologies the following ones play the profound role: technology 'Blockchain', 3D priniting, unmanned aerial vehicles and flying drones, virtual reality (VR). Augmented reality (AR), Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Internet of Value (IoV) which is founded on IT and blockchain technology, Internet of Everything (IoE), Artificial Intelligence (AI), neuron networks and robots. These basic digital technologies in business processes and management practices are applied in synergy, complexity and system but not in a single way. System combination of digital technologies gives maximal economic effect from their practical application in all spheres of social production-from industry to all kinds of services. For instance, in education digital technologies promote illustrating and virtual supplement of study materials; in tourism trade they promote engagement of virtual guides, transport and logistics security of tourist routes, virtual adverts and trips arrangements, virtual guidebooks, virtual demonstration of services and IT brochures and leaflets. Digital technologies radically change gambling and show businesses, in particular, they provide virtual games with 'being there' effect. Digital technologies drastically modify the retail trade sphere, advertisement and publishing, management and marketing, as well as provide a lot of opportunities for collecting unbiased data concerning changes in market conditions in real time. Digital technologies lie as the basis for 'circular economy', whose essence rests with non-linear, secondary, circular use of all existing natural and material resources to provide the production and consumption without loss of quality and availability of goods and services developed on the grounds of innovations, IT-technology application and 'Industry 4.0'. Among priorities of circular economy potential applications the following ones should be mentioned: municipal services, solid household wastes management and their recycling, mass transition to smart houses and smart towns, circular agriculture development, circular and renewable energy, The potential of circular economy fully and equally corresponds to the demands for energy efficiency and rational consumption of limited natural resources, so it is widely applied in EU countries while transiting to sustainable development. In the 21st century processes of social production robotization draw the maximal attention of the society. There is a division between industrial and service robots which combine artificial intelligence and other various digital technologies in synergy. Industrial robots are widely used in production, including automotive industry, processing industry, energetic, construction sectors and agriculture Services are applied in all other spheres and sectors of national and world economies –from military-industrial complex (for instance, for mining and demining the areas, military drones) to robots-cleaners (robots-vacuum cleaners), robots-taxis, robots engaged in health care service and served as nurses (provide the ill person with water, tidy up, bring meals). Social production robotization is proceeding apace. According to "World Robotic Report 2020", within 2014 – 2019 the total quantity of industrial robots increased by 85 %. By 2020 in the world the share of robots in the sphere of automated industrial production had comprised 34 %, in electronics – 25%, in metallurgy – 10 %. These indicators are constantly growing which results in structural reformation of the whole system of economic and industrial processes, radical changes in world labour market and the social sphere of world economy in general. Alongside with generally recognized types of digital technologies and robotization processes, an innovation segment of digital economy – NBIC – technologies (Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information technology, Cognitive Science) are rapidly spread. Among the priorities of NBIC-technologies development the special place belongs to interaction between information and cognitive technologies. As a material basis for its synergy in NBIC-technologies creation of neuron networks, artificial intelligence, artificial cyber brain for robots are applied. It is estimated as one of the most prospective and important achievements of digital economy which determines basic, innovational vector of social production structural reformations in the 21st century. The sphere of results application. International economic relations and world economy, development of competitive strategies of national and social production digitalization of world economy in general. Conclusions. Digital technologies radically change all spheres of social production and social life, including business and managerial processes at all levels. Digital technologies are constantly developing and modifying, that promotes emergence of new spheres and new business activities and management. 21st century witnessed establishing digital economy, smart economy, circular economy, green economy and other various arrangements of social production which are based on digital technologies. Social production digitalization and innovative digital technologies promotes business with flexible systems of arrangement and management, production and sales grounded on processing large Big Data permanently, on the basis of online monitoring in real time. Grounded on digital technologies business in real time mode processes a massive Big Data and on their results makes smart decisions in all business spheres and business processes management. Radical shifts in social production digitalization provides businesses of the states which in practice introduce digital technologies with significant competitive advantages - from decrease in goods and services production cost to targeted meeting of specific needs of consumers. Whereas, rapid introduction of digital technologies in the countries-leaders of world economic development results in a set of system socio-economic and socio-political challenges, including the following: crucial reformatting the world labour market and rise in mass unemployment, shift from traditional export developing countries' specialization, breakups of traditional production networks being in force since the end of the 20th century, so called 'chains of additional value shaping', breakups of traditional cooperation links among world countries and shaping the new ones based on 'Industry 4.0' and 'Industrial Internet'. Socio-economic and political consequences of radical structural reformation of all spheres in national and world economy in the 21st century, undoubtedly, will be stipulated with the processes of social production digitalization. It will require further systemic and fundamental scientific studies on this complicated and multi hierarchical process.