The growing interconnectedness of the world has led to a rise in cybersecurity risks. Although it is increasingly conventional to use technology to assist business transactions, exposure to these risks must be minimised to allow business owners to do transactions in a secure manner. While a wide range of studies have been undertaken regarding the effects of cyberattacks on several industries and sectors, However, very few studies have focused on the effects of cyberattacks on the educational sector, specifically higher educational institutions (HEIs) in West Africa. Consequently, this study developed a survey and distributed it to HEIs particularly universities in West Africa to examine the data architectures they employed, the cyberattacks they encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic period, and the role of data analysis in decision-making, as well as the countermeasures employed in identifying and preventing cyberattacks. A total of one thousand, one hundred and sixty-four (1164) responses were received from ninety-three (93) HEIs and analysed. According to the study’s findings, data-informed architecture was adopted by 71.8% of HEIs, data-driven architecture by 24.1%, and data-centric architecture by 4.1%, all of which were vulnerable to cyberattacks. In addition, there are further concerns around data analysis techniques, staff training gaps, and countermeasures for cyberattacks. The study’s conclusion includes suggestions for future research topics and recommendations for repelling cyberattacks in HEIs.

China established pilot carbon markets in 2013. In 2020, it set targets for carbon peaking in 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. China’s national carbon market officially commenced operations in 2021. Based on the national market and seven pilot markets, this study established the factors influencing carbon trading prices by examining market participants, macroeconomics, energy prices, carbon prices in other markets, etc. Asymmetrical development among the seven pilot cities, for which the study employed a mixed-effects model, was the primary factor impacting carbon prices. The carbon prices in the pilot cities cannot be extrapolated to the entire country. In the national carbon market, where the study employed a multiple regression lag model, the SSE index was positively correlated with carbon prices, whereas the Dow Jones index had no significant effect on carbon prices in terms of macroeconomics. Coal and natural gas prices were negatively correlated with carbon prices, whereas oil prices were positively correlated with energy prices. The EU market prices have a positive correlation with prices in other markets. The significance of this study is that it covers the largest national Emissions Trading System (ETS) in the world and allows for comparing the characteristics of the Chinese market with those of other ETS markets. Additional studies, including more sectors, should be conducted as China’s ETS coverage increases.

Lifelong learning is the core content of university education work in the new period, and it is also the basic task of education work in colleges and universities. The second classroom is a kind of organized and planned educational and practical activities aiming at cultivating students' extracurricular ability and comprehensive quality. In the context of the new era, emphasizing and strengthening the construction of the second classroom in colleges and universities is an inevitable requirement for improving the quality of ideological and political education in colleges and universities. At present, there are still some problems in the moral education of the second classroom in colleges and universities in China. In order to enhance the effect of moral education in the second classroom of colleges and universities in the context of the new era, it is necessary to make a clear target positioning of the moral education of the second classroom, improve the process between the second classroom and the first classroom, and establish a three-dimensional system of moral education in the second classroom, so as to enhance its infectious and persuasive power.

The purpose of the article is the analysis of the constitutional regime in the Republic of Poland, the study of democratic and authoritarian tendencies. The article is devoted to the coverage of one of the most pressing issues, namely the constitutional principles of Polish democracy, which play an important role in determining the political system and functioning of the State. They establish the basic principles of a democratic system, protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, and determine the relationship between the Government and the people. Poland, as a democratic republic, has its own constitutional principles, ensuring the stability of the political system and the development of democracy in the country. The article analyzes the constitutional principles in the doctrine of constitutional law and constitutional practice of Poland, examines their nature and significance for the supremacy of the Constitution and the development of the legal system. Authoritarian tendencies are covered as well. It is determined that nowadays there is a tense interaction between democratic principles and tendencies towards authoritarianism in the Republic of Poland. This situation is reflected in political actions, legislative changes and Government actions that can contribute to the undermining of democratic institutions and values.

Competency-based education is one of the many important educational objectives in the cultivation of senior vocational talents. In the past education model, the importance of achievement is greater than ability. Teachers rely on the scores of test papers to classify students' grades. Competency-based education has changed this situation very well, paying special attention to students' ability training. This paper mainly studies how to better promote the reform and innovation of English teaching in higher vocational colleges and strengthen students' learning ability and vocational skills while ensuring students' ability development.

The PBL teaching method emphasizes using specific problems as a guide in practical application, guiding students to achieve better teaching implementation results in practice. The integration of cross-border e-commerce and English teaching is a practical English course content in the teaching of English majors. In the current stage of English course teaching, it is an important method that is innovative and targeted to improve students' English course learning effectiveness. In the specific application process, the application of PBL teaching method requires teachers to provide important support for improving the teaching effectiveness of cross-border e-commerce English courses under the PBL model by building educational and teaching training bases, actively providing sufficient practical education guidance platforms, and emphasizing the innovation and richness of teaching evaluation links.