The expansion of road networks, taken place during the last decades, was driven by technological progress and economic growth. The most innovative products of this trend—modern motorways and international road corridors—provide an excellent level of service, traffic safety and necessary information to travelers. However, despite this undeniable progress, major impediments and respective challenges to road authorities and operators still remain. The present paper analytically presents the main current challenges in the road engineering field, namely: a) financing new projects, b) alternative energy resources, especially renewable energy, c) serviceability, including maintenance of road infrastructure, traffic congestion and quality of the network, d) climate change hazards due to greenhouse gas emissions increase, e) environmental impacts, f) safety on roads, streets and motorways, and g) economy and cost-effectiveness. In each country and over each network, challenges and concerns may vary, but, in most cases, competent authorities, engaged in road development policies, have to deal with most of these issues. The optimization of the means to achieve the best results seems to be an enduring stake. In the present paper, the origin and the main features of these challenges are outlined as well as their tendency to get amplified or diminished under the actual evolving economic conditions worldwide, where growth alternates with crisis and social hardship. Moreover, responses, meant to provide solutions to the said challenges, are suggested, including research findings of Aristotle University and innovative technological achievements, to drive the transition to a more sustainable future.

The debate on relocating Indonesia’s national capital from Jakarta stems from critical issues such as overpopulation, social inequality, environmental degradation, and natural disaster risks. These challenges highlight the need to reassess Jakarta’s viability as the nation’s administrative center. This study evaluates Indonesia’s readiness to address the complexities of relocation by analyzing Jakarta’s socio-economic, political, cultural, and geographical conditions. Using a systematic literature review (SLR) with a qualitative approach, the research explores key questions: Do Jakarta’s conditions necessitate relocation? What challenges might arise from the move? How prepared is Indonesia to tackle these challenges? The SLR process includes defining questions, sourcing literature from reputable databases, applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, and synthesizing data for analysis. Findings reveal Jakarta’s multifaceted challenges, including social disparities, environmental degradation, disaster risks, and governance issues, which emphasize the urgency of considering relocation. However, the study also identifies significant hurdles, such as high costs, logistical complexities, potential social conflicts, and environmental risks at the new capital site. Relocating the capital is a strategic and complex undertaking that requires meticulous planning. Indonesia must weigh Jakarta’s current issues, address potential relocation challenges, and ensure readiness for risk mitigation and sustainable development. Comprehensive and thoughtful planning is essential to achieve a successful and balanced transition.

Health data governance is essential for optimal processing of data collection, sharing, and reuse. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed practical guidelines for managing health data during the pandemic, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that many countries still lack the use of health data for decision-making. Therefore, this research aimed to identify and assess the challenges faced by health organization in implementing health data governance from various countries based on research articles. The challenges were assessed based on key components of health data governance from practitioner and scientist perspectives. These components include stakeholder, policy, data management, organization, data governance maturity assessment, and goals. The method used followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for collecting and reporting. Data were collected from several databases online with large repositories of academic studies, including IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, National Library of Medicine, ProQuest, Taylor and Francis Group, Scopus, and Wiley Online libraries. Based on the 41 papers reviewed, the results showed that policy was found to be the biggest challenge for health data governance. This was followed by data management such as quality, ownership, and access, as well as stakeholders and data governance organization. However, there were no challenges regarding maturity assessment and data governance goals, as the majority of research focused on implementation. Policy and policymaker awareness were identified as major components for the implementation of health data governance. To address challenges in data management and governance organization, creating committees focused on these components proved to be an effective solution. These results provided valuable recommendations for regulators and leaders in a healthcare organization to optimally implement health data governance.

The introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) marks the beginning of a revolutionary period for the global economic environments, particularly in the developing economies of Africa. This concept paper explores the various ways in which AI can stimulate economic growth and innovation in developing markets, despite the challenges they face. By examining examples like VetAfrica, we investigate how AI-powered applications are transforming conventional business models and improving access to financial resources. This highlights the potential of AI in overcoming obstacles such as inefficient procedures and restricted availability of capital. Although AI shows potential, its implementation in these areas faces obstacles such as insufficient digital infrastructure, limited data availability, and a lack of necessary skills. There is a strong focus on the need for a balanced integration of AI, which involves aligning technological progress with ethical considerations and economic inclusivity. This paper focuses on clarifying the capabilities of AI in addressing economic disparities, improving productivity, and promoting sustainable development. It also aims to address the challenges associated with digital infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and workforce transformation. The methodology involves a comprehensive review of relevant theories, literature, and policy documents, complemented by comparative analysis across South Africa, Nigeria, and Mauritius to illustrate transformative strategies in AI adoption. We propose strategic recommendations to effectively and ethically utilize the potential of AI, by advocating for substantial investments in digital infrastructure, education, and legal frameworks. This will enable Africa to fully benefit from the transformative impact of AI on its economic landscape. This discourse seeks to offer valuable insights for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and investors, emphasizing innovative AI applications for business growth and financing, thereby promoting economic empowerment in developing economies.

This study aims to predict whether university students will make efficient use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the coming years, using a statistical analysis that predicts the outcome of a binary dependent variable (in this case, the efficient use of AI). Several independent variables, such as digital skills management or the use of Chat GPT, are considered.The results obtained allow us to know that inefficient use is linked to the lack of digital skills or age, among other factors, whereas Social Sciences students have the least probability of using Chat GPT efficiently, and the youngest students are the ones who make the worst use of AI.