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The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of the demographics on the economic development on the BRICS countries during 2009-2021. The BRICS countries as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are known starting 2009 (and 2010 for South Africa respectively), they are fast growing economies, emerging markets in the second stage of demographic transition and highly heterogeneous countries in most social economic features. Due to the fact they are counting for more than 40% of the global population, the de...

New technologies have made it possible to eliminate geographical barriers, thereby changing the traditional learning model. ICTs support lifelong learning by providing tools that allow for the creation of virtual learning environments through online courses or more informal settings. The purpose of the article is to study the theoretical and practical aspects of information and communication technologies and the conditions for their use in education in the context of Industry 5.0. It is proved that the informatiza...

In the era of digital communication, the utilization of technology in tourism marketing strategies has gained paramount importance. As digital technologies continue to evolve, their impact on marketing strategies across various sectors has become increasingly significant. The practical potential of AI-generated content may be considered by destination marketing practitioners to create personalized, effective campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences, enhancing their connection with travelers. Therefore, this ...

New media play a role transforming public spaces into interactive platforms for communication, advertising, art, and social integration (Manuel Castells, 2009) [1]. Technologies such as LED displays and digital interactive installations aim to enhance the functionality of urban spaces, broaden the experience of a place, and attract users’ attention. According to Lev Manovich (2001) [2], such technologies not only change the aesthetics of urban spaces but also the way in which people interact with them. Examples of...

Couples, like individuals, are experiencing social acceptance or rejection during different stages of their relational life. In addition, intimate couples can benefit of the tangible and emotional support that they are likely to need, especially when confronted by stress. Social networks create both opportunities and constraints for people in terms of accessing and using resources in the process of forming and developing a romantic relationship. The study examines the role of personal first impressions and feedbac...

There are many issues in cyberspace that have an impact on people and society overall in different ways, affecting all industries and nations. Part of what makes cyberspace so unique is how creatively it uses modern technologies. The research emphasises the need for a proliferation of cyber studies among academic institutions in Romania: The cyber domain is related to every area of our modern lives and affects them in an immediate and far-reaching way, being a space based on technology. Cyber programs should focus...

In the European Union, corporate social responsibility is no longer a novel concept in contemporary enterprises. In various enterprises, corporate social responsibility has reached different levels, and Latvia is also pursuing its development path in this area. Within this framework, enterprises are encouraged to pay greater attention to responsibility not only towards employees but also towards the environment and society, thus implementing a sustainable approach to corporate management. Several researchers have ...

The article explores how the 7Cs framework, a student-centric approach and a new learning paradigm, can foster language proficiency, cultural understanding, and interdisciplinary collaboration in professional English learning among university students in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). In this study, the „JobLab approach“ was used to simulate real-world tasks tailored to the specific needs of graduates, meeting the demands of the 21st century. The approach’s seven key elements, content, context, communication...

Josef Skvorecky, the eminent Czech writer and literary theorist, occupies a key place in the context of Czech literature, not only thanks to his extensive work, but also through his work as a publisher and promoter of Czech literature in exile. This paper focuses on the personality of Josef Skvorecky, who, as an author, forms the first link in the communication process in which the message is transmitted from the author to the perceiver. The analysis works with two different perspectives. The first one is the psyc...

The increasing impact of science and technology in our daily lives calls for more science communication within the general public and science art offers an effective means. Science Art is not new, but until about 20 years ago science topics in the general art world were still a rarity. This was treated as a niche form of graphic art. However, especially over the last 10 years there has true surge of interest in the artistic depiction of science subject matter in the digital networks. So, what is Science Art? Well,...

This study investigates the teachings of Saint Porphyrios the Kafsokalivite on how the appreciation of beauty in creation can lead believers closer to God. Despite his lack of formal theological training, Saint Porphyrios offered profound experiential insights into divine beauty manifest in nature, art, and music. He passionately argued that the beauty surrounding us is a reflection of divine grace, urging believers to perceive these manifestations as direct links to the Creator. Saint Porphyrios highlighted the s...

The paper will focus on the phenomenon of artification [1] in the context of well-being of seniors. We will discuss various backgrounds, especially therapeutic ones, of using this natural human ability to make everyday life exceptional. We will look at how searching for artifacts and symbols in everyday life, isolating and moving an object from its original context, giving it a different role, character, unusual meaning, symbolic actions and activating metaphorical thinking based on symbols can affect human wellbe...

Innovation and human development are key determinants of social and economic progress. The purpose of the article focused on identifying the relationship between innovation and human development in European Union (EU) countries. In order to achieve the goal, qualitative methods were used by analyzing statistical data, source documents on the European Innovation Scoreboard published annually and the Human Development Index (HDI). A theoretical-cognitive analysis was also conducted. The results of the comparative an...

Today, in a world dominated by technology and rapid innovation, involving endusers in the development process of medical devices has become a priority. Surveys have become a relevant tool to obtain direct feedback from users, providing essential information about their needs and preferences. This study explores the impact of these surveys in the design of medical devices, highlighting the benefits of civic participation and community involvement in this process. Participation in surveys encourages people to reflec...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has changed paradigms of creativity and art, raising questions about the capacity of machines to create works that evoke emotional response and possess originality. This article explores whether AI systems can create ‘real’ art and what this means in terms of philosophy, aesthetics and cultural norms. Examples of AI art such as “Theatre D’opera Spatial” and “Portrait of Edmond de Belamy” are analyzed to assess their emotional and artistic value. The question of originality of AI art is...

This article explores the quality of life (QoL) among university students with disabilities through the lens of Bio-ecological Systems Theory and its Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model. This approach integrates insights from biological, psychological, and social sciences to examine the complex interactions between students and their environments, from microsystems to macrosystems. We clarify how environmental elements and individual traits influence students’ experiences by concentrating on dynamic engagemen...

As the saying goes, it is difficult to live in a community without being influenced by it. Daily interaction with others is inevitable. Communicating with different people can be pleasant or it can lead to conflicts and tensions. In this text, we will address one aspect of communication - aggressive behavior. Do we often experience aggression from others or do we show it ourselves? How can we manage harmful behavior that can have negative and even destructive consequences? Aggression is an essential component of h...

The object of this paper is an historical-economic analysis of the European demographic dynamics in the XIX century, with particular reference to the Italian emigration to London and the birth of Little Italy. The analysis will focus on the first settlements and on the development of the first Italian community in London and highlights the different sort of skilled and unskilled workers within the economic and social environment, an aspect that arouses great interest in the scientific debate, due to the fear of a ...

The author analyses the peculiarities of the behaviour of consumers of tourism services in terms of sustainability in Lithuanian regions. The aim of the study is to analyse the peculiarities of the behaviour of consumers of tourism services in terms of sustainability in Lithuanian regions. The objectives of the study are to carry out a theoretical analysis of the peculiarities of the behaviour of consumers of tourism services in terms of sustainability and to carry out a study of the peculiarities of the behaviour...

The idea of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) evolves with the development of the economy. The new areas and issues in this concept are linked to the changing reality and the impact that business puts on its environment. The overexploitation of natural resources, climate change, increasing pressure on the reduction of production costs, often resulting in violations of fundamental human rights, are not so new. The problems of the 21st century have shown that business must create innovations that are in line wit...

In Romania, soon-to-be-graduates who aim at joining the corporate world are expected to master English for professional communication in order to make an impact on the hiring committee when they enter the increasingly competitive international labour market. Indisputably, communication skills are in high demand nowadays, in addition to some other essential soft skills such as critical thinking, motivation, mindful listening, empathy or flexibility, among others, which can improve job prospects. ESP students, in ge...

The European directives on air pollution liability have undergone several substantial changes. The approval in October 2024 of a new directive has highlighted the problems present in the previous directives. This study analyses how they were addressed and proposes possible further innovative solutions. The definitions of environmental damage contained in Article 2 of Directive 2004/35/EC allow for the delimitation of legal areas and critical issues in the field of environmental pollution. The results indicate that...

The global food system faces environmental, social and legal challenges. Primary production has become increasingly dependent on external inputs from industrial companies, which contribute to the rising cost of nutritious food and decreasing the income of producers, particularly the producers in primary production. Adopting alternative models of short food supply chains can reduces those negative effects and moves the agri-food supply chain towards some Agenda 2030 sustainable developments goals and aims of Europe...

In a world where technology has risen dramatically and every aspect of our lives include technology one way or another, there are many aspects to mention when it comes to the virtual world. Virtual worlds contain many unbelievable places, incredible sceneries, colorful areas and fantastic creatures and NPCs (non-player characters). The problem arises when people forget which is reality and which is phantasmagory. Many teenagers get trapped in these whimsical worlds and fall prey to their gaming device that takes a...

The purpose of this paper is to discover whether Dogme ELT can efficiently lead Italian high school EFL students to develop oral fluency within the classroom, in particular if this approach is valid for General English (GE) adult intermediate classes in Italian private and state institutions. The stimulus for this research comes from the reading of academic articles on effective strategies in order to develop speaking skills and fluency in EFL learning which have been analyzed before undertaking this study in orde...

The teacher of English as a foreign/ second language (EFL, ESL), in general and the one for specific purposes (ESP), in particular needs to bring specialty knowledge to the classroom to adjust to the requirements of the students’ specialism. Alongside comes the (cap)ability to pass on language skills to learners and sensitize them in matters of intercultural communication. In this sense, Medical English classes (mainly addressed to students in General Medicine but also fitting Nursing and Nutrition ones) could par...

The intricate interplay between fashion and culture has been a subject of extensive scholarly inquiry. This research delves into the perceptions and attitudes of Generation Z, a cohort significantly shaped by the pervasive influence of online media. Exposed to a complex tapestry of societal trends, including the rise of neo-conservatism and the growing LGBTQIA+ rights movement, Generation Z presents a unique lens through which to examine not only contemporary fashion and culture but, more important, ability and in...

Latvian exile literature was formed when a part of Latvian society left homeland, when the country was reoccupied by the Soviet army at the end of the Second World War. Exile society and, accordingly, literature maintained both the dream of restoring independence and returning to the homeland as the goal of the exiles. The independence was regained after 45 years and this makes the concept of return problematic. This motif is one of the essential ones in post-exile literature. This research examines the representa...

The problem of lack of motivation is considered one of the most urgent problems for organizations because not only an increase in the social and creative activity of employees but also the success of the organization depends on the creation and application of a successful motivation system. There are several methods of motivating employees, but in each specific situation, the most proper methods of motivating employees should be applied so that the employees work efficiently. Human motivation is primarily based on...

Creating and consuming media products in a self-reflective mode is possible through and as a result of critical thinking. Meanwhile being part of media practices that reflect on their medial aspects develops the sense of critical thinking. Social technologies can be understood with help of different media practices. While mediatization refers to the increasing influence of media in various aspects of society, there are instances when media practices can work against this trend. Arguments and examples will be prese...

Color is not only a matter of visual arts but also of music. It can influence how we feel, how we perceive the world, and even tell a lot about one’s personal artistic style based on their favorite colors choices. Color is also a powerful means of communication. It can signify action, influence mood, and even physiological reactions. Colors can stimulate creativeness and affect productivity. Some experts tells about the powerful red, restful green, emotional yellow, playful orange or intellectual blue. Colors appe...

The poster as the genre of graphic arts is a medium where the representation of the human body functions as an important semiotic sign. This genre has also reflected and influenced the most diverse spectrum of artistic, social and political processes. In addition to informative and illustrative content, the inclusion of the human body in the composition of the poster has always had ideological purpose. The aim of this paper is to discuss how political ideology integrates the images of the human body in the posters...

The paper analyses the juridical issues that are met in practice regarding the goods that must be included in the public domain, due to their special features. For identifying those goods, it is necessary to establish some criteria which have to be applied by the public administrative authorities that are empowered by the law to decide about the sphere of the public domain. This is also related to the comparison between public and private domain in Administrative Law and to the presentation of the enforce European...

Neuroscience has witnessed profound scientific and technological advancements over recent decades, transforming our understanding of the brain and leading to significant improvements in both diagnosing and treating neurological disorders. This field of knowledge is an exciting topic for researchers and health professionals, psychologists, educators, and even the general public. The rapid expansion and the complexities of neurosciences have also led to the emergence and spread of several neuromyths. These myths con...

The shape of all constructions has its origin in a geometric shape, such as a cuboid, a pyramid or a cylinder. Every builder (architect or civil engineer) has determined the choice of geometric shape for the requirements of a building primarily by its purpose, but in addition to this utilitarian condition, he also wanted to achieve a certain aesthetic impression. This desire to achieve the desired aesthetic impression led to the use of increasingly complex shapes and their combinations, and this became even easier...

The landscape is the place on earth where life can exist. Life in the landscape significantly shapes people and influences their existence and personality. The peaceful life of man in the landscape, which he transforms by his good deeds, creates the landscape of humanism. It is thanks to St Francis of Assisi, the author of the text “Cantico delle creature” (Canticle of Creatures), written in Assisi in 1224, that the landscape becomes admirable for man. This song is an admiring celebration of the 13th-century lands...

The process of displacement and the large numbers of Baltic refugees due to the return of Soviet occupation at the end of World War II is important theme in literature. In the literatures of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia after war a new and long-lasting phenomenon appeared – literature of exile. This paper will turn to three texts that are from different decades and are written in different styles about displacement. The research focus will be on the novel “After Doomesday” (1968, English translation 2017) [3] by ...

The most beautiful, but also the most complicated period in a person’s life is adolescence, because at this age, a series of transformations take place, making the transition from childhood to adulthood. Most teenagers, if they do not have the right guidance in life, can get lost in the thicket of emancipatory opportunities of today’s world, which give them the illusion of freedom, independence and personal autonomy in all aspects of life. A decisive role for the adolescent’s integrative education has always been ...

Mediation, an alternative dispute resolution tool, has attracted the attention of the EU, which has decided to promote its use in cross-border disputes by adopting DIRECTIVE 2008/52/EC of 21 May 2008 on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters. Subsequently, in December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the United Nations Convention on International Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the “Singapore Convention”), which applies to international settlement agreements ...

Years of research (since 2014) of the properties of colour twins based on InfraredArt theory the recording in the visible (V) and near-infrared (NIR) spectra, allowed the image to be depicted in two spectral ranges. Continued work in the field of InfraredArt painting led to the idea in 2022 of applying this artistic method to creating an artistic wool rug with a double (dual) image. This was made possible through collaboration with designers and technologists at the company reGalerija in Zabok. After numerous atte...

To tackle climate change, the European Union has set objectives of low-carbon energy transition and carbon-neutral society creation by 2050. The EU Member States should implement GHG emissions reduction targets through improved energy efficiency and use of the renewables. Digital technologies can help to accelerate this. The digitalization of the energy system is a policy priority and is linked to the European Green Deal and the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030. Lithuania supports EU ambition to achieve netzer...

The purpose of the article is to study the role and place of modern information technologies in the formation of the project culture of future teachers. Scientific methods are applied: questionnaires and surveys (to collect data from respondents), descriptive (to characterize didactic categories), comparative (to compare methods of forming project culture), experimental (creating conditions for cause-and-effect relationships between objects), grapho-analytical (for graphical interpretation of results), mathematica...

In the present paper we aim to analyze several key aspect regarding the protection of the children’s rights in the EU specially and all over the world, in general. We will refer to the 1980 Hague Convention which applies in all EU member states in regard to the children under the age of 16 who are displaced from their habitual residence in another state or are detained in this second state unlawfully. The provisions of the Hague Convention apply if the child was illegally moved to or from a country which is a part...

Although the roots of the cyclical form can be traced back centuries ago, it was the 19th century that claimed the cyclical principle as its full manifestation. Closely linked to the concept of genre and its affirmation in certain patterns, the cyclical form was adopted by composers as a working tool to ensure the unity of a multipartite sonic organism by utilizing a common thematic material that can be found in several parts of the genre. This thematically charged entity can circulate at the macro-formal level in...

Professional ethics consists of rules of conduct and prescribed deontological codes. If education is the basis of any human society, we will consider the teaching profession a very important construction of the social environment, normatively influenced by it. Social rules and expectations will be reflected in the behavior of teaching staff and will have a long-term influence on the evolution of society. For this reason, we consider it necessary to study the character traits of people who choose a teaching career....

This study investigates the evolution of national standardized tests in Romania, contextualizing these developments within international educational practices. Employing an exploratory, descriptive research methodology, the research is based on desk research and document analysis of relevant laws, regulations, and methodological guides. The primary objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the regulatory changes and their impacts on assessment processes over the past decade and a half. The findings revea...

This article explores emerging legal challenges in managing the legacy of digital assets in an increasingly connected world. In the age of technology, assets such as cryptocurrencies, online accounts, software licenses, and digital intellectual property are becoming increasingly relevant in inheritance processes. However, the lack of a clear and unified legislative framework creates difficulties in transferring these assets post-mortem. Heirs often face technological and legal barriers to accessing assets, includi...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the arts played an important role for people while coping during lockdown and other severe social restrictions. This presentation introduces a work in progress, where the researcher conducts a self-observation of herself as an artist by constructing a brand personality through storytelling on social media. Data consisted of weekly YouTube videos during a 20-week period, followed with diary entries and self-reflections and reactions of followers (YouTube, Instagram and Facebook). Each ...

Innovation and economic growth depend on entrepreneurial potential, which is fostered by a multimodal strategy that includes risk acceptance, education, resource accessibility, and supportive environments. The literature emphasizes how important training approaches, exercises, and critical phases of entrepreneurship are as success factors. The provision of mentorship, networking opportunities, and financial assistance are essential components in the encouragement of entrepreneurial pursuits, as they cultivate a me...

The paper discusses the global trends of gender inequality in the labor market and gender discrimination in the Georgian labor market; the importance of approaches to eliminate gender inequality and promote inclusiveness. The world’s best practices for promoting gender equality in the labor market are discussed. The research aimed to reveal the directions for overcoming the main challenges that hinder gender equality in the labor market. Mixed research methods were used: combination of quantitative and qualitative...