The study, taking China as an example, employs a mixed-method approach of questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews to explore the differing perspectives of disabled and non-disabled individuals on how to improve the social integration and quality of life of disabled people in developing countries. The study finds that the vicious cycle created by severe accessibility issues in developing countries is the root cause of the disabled’s difficulty in integrating into society. The impersonal barrier-free facilities suppress the desire of the disabled to travel, resulting in fewer disabled people on the streets and less visibility and attention, which leads to poorer accessibility facilities. Secondly, the study also finds that non-disabled people unconsciously show excessive sympathy and compassion when helping the disabled, which affects their self-esteem due to being patronized and helped. This creates two separate “social circles” between the disabled and the healthy. To address these issues, we have designed an application called “AbleMind” where the disabled can share experiences, make friends, seek help, and better integrate into society.

The article analyzes the process of formation of research universities as one of the elements of a strong innovation economy. The formation of a new university model is a global trend, successfully implemented in English-speaking countries. In Russia, the educational system is not yet ready to ensure the country’s effective competition in the innovation market. The Strategic Academic Leadership Program “Priority-2030” is designed to carry out the functional transformation of the entire infrastructure of human capital reproduction in a short period of time in Russia. The article presents an analysis of the main conditions for the development of a university with a research strategy, as well as an assessment of the implementation of this strategy by Moscow Polytechnic University. The methodological basis of the study was formed by qualitative methods: included observation and benchmarking of universities’ activities, which allowed to generalize the current global trends and best practices in the field of education. For the analysis we used the data of monitoring the activities of higher education organizations, data of official statistics, as well as data from reports and presentation materials of universities and online publications participating in the “5-100” and “Priority-2030” programs. The results of the study may be useful for researchers and practitioners engaged in the transformation of the Russian higher education system.

The following paper assesses the relationship between electricity consumption, economic growth, environmental pollution, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) development in Kazakhstan. Using the structural equation method, the study analyzes panel data gathered across various regions of Kazakhstan between 2014 and 2022. The data were sourced from official records of the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan and include all regions of Kazakhstan. The chosen timeframe includes the period from 2014, which marked a significant drop in oil prices that impacted the overall economic situation in the country, to 2022. The main hypotheses of the study relate to the impact of electricity consumption on economic growth, ICT, and environmental sustainability, as well as ICT’s role in economic development and environmental impact. The results show electricity consumption’s positive effect on economic growth and ICT development while also revealing an increase in pollutant emissions (emissions of liquid and gaseous pollutants) with economic growth and electricity consumption. The development of ICT in Kazakhstan has been revealed to not have a direct effect on reducing pollutant emissions into the environment, raising important questions about how technology can be leveraged to mitigate environmental impact, whether current technological advancements are sufficient to address environmental challenges, and what specific measures are needed to enhance the environmental benefits of ICT. There is a clear necessity to integrate sustainable practices and technologies to achieve balanced development. These results offer important insights into the relationships among electricity consumption, technology, economic development, and environmental issues. They underscore the complexity and multidimensionality of these interactions and suggest directions for future research, especially in the context of finding sustainable solutions for balanced development.

The paper proposes a methodology for the analysis and evaluation of the traffic scheme of Bulgarian cities. The authors combine spatial, network, and socio-economic analyses of cities with transport operators’ financial-economic evaluation, sociological studies of transport habits, and the possibilities of new information technologies for transport modeling (such as geographic information systems). The model proposes several approaches to optimize the municipality’s transport scheme. It results from a new need to improve urban traffic, the quality of transport services, and the integration of urban transport into the regional economy of Stara Zagora municipality. It presents a description, analysis, and outline of the opportunities for developing urban transport connectivity and mobility in Stara Zagora municipality. The research results show a deficit of transport connectivity between the different parts of the city, reflecting on the regional economy’s development and the efficiency of the environment and the population.

The Bini people of Edo State, located in the Edo South senatorial district, have been the focus of a study investigating the impact of international migration on Nigerian infrastructure. The study employed a descriptive-qualitative approach, using a survey research methodology and structured questionnaires to gather data from 401 respondents. The study used regression and thematic analysis to examine the collected data, focusing on the connection between migration and the advancement of infrastructure. The findings suggest that low incomes, job insecurity, and the development of domestic infrastructure contribute to the momentum behind international migration movements. The study suggests that remittances from migrants and investments are needed to alleviate the situation, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and sustainable approach to addressing the challenges faced by the Bini people in Edo State.

The R3A Route represents a collaborative initiative involving the governments of Thailand, Laos, and China aimed at bolstering connectivity along the North-South Economic Corridor, as a vital component of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program (GMS). Since its inception in 2008, this endeavor has substantially enhanced the logistical framework between Thailand, Laos, and China. However, it has also revealed an imbalance in the benefit distribution of value chains within the tourism industry. One of the fact that, local stakeholders in each country often leverage their home country’s advantages, leading to the exploitation of counterparts with lower capacity in other nations. This unfair utilization goes against the initial intentions of fostering collaboration among these countries. Given China and its development as a starting point for tourism and its popularity among tourists traveling this route, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of China’s policy and insights of its influences on R3A tourism development in Laos and Thailand. The study constructs a content analysis with an umbrella of stakeholder analysis based on reliable data and is cross-verified through data triangulation. The findings lead to recommendations aimed at making Thai-Lao-Chinese tourism cooperation more sustainable and effective.