In response to the prevailing energy crisis, this research focuses on elevating the potential of lithium niobate (LN) thin films for advanced optoelectronic applications. Employing electron beam evaporation, films undergo precise annealing (700°C to 1100°C), revealing a structural evolution through X-ray diffraction—crystallite sizes transition from 69.34 nm (unannealed) to 47.90 nm (1100°C). Scanning electron microscopy captures the transformation from coarse grains to photonic crystal clusters, while energy dispersion X-ray analysis discloses LN's composition (97.27 wt.% oxygen, 2.73 wt.% niobium). Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy illustrates surface damage post-Helium ion implantation, proportionate to depth. UV-VIS spectrophotometry highlights a significant blue shift in the optical band gap (3.70 eV to 2.52 eV), with further reduction at 700°C (2.48 eV) and a climactic shift at 1100°C (2.68 eV). This study not only addresses the pressing energy crisis but also emphasizes the indispensable role of lithium niobate in shaping the future of optoelectronics. It provides insights into tailoring LN properties for sustainable advancements in optoelectronic devices, marking a crucial chapter in our collective journey towards energy resilience. The urgency of innovation in the face of global challenges is underscored, marking a crucial chapter in our collective journey towards energy resilience.

This study investigates the relationship between hydrological processes, watershed management, and road infrastructure resilience, focusing on the impact of flooding on roads intersecting with streams in River Nile State, Sudan. Situated between 16.5° N to 18.5° N latitude and 33° E to 34° E longitude, this region faces significant flooding challenges that threaten its ecological and economic stability. Using precise Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and advanced hydrological modeling, the research aims to identify optimal flood mitigation solutions, such as overpass bridges. The study quantifies the total road length in the area at 3572.279 km, with stream orders distributed as follows: First Order at 2276.79 km (50.7%), Second Order at 521.48 km (11.6%), Third Order at 331.26 km (7.4%), and Fourth Order at 1359.92 km (30.3%). Approximately 27% (12 out of 45) of the identified road flooding points were situated within third- and fourth-order streams, mainly along the Atbara-Shendi Road and near Al-Abidiya and Merowe. Blockages varied in distance, with the longest at 256 m in Al-Abidiya, and included additional measurements of 88, 49, 112, 106, 66, 500, and 142 m. Some locations experienced partial flood damage despite having water culverts at 7 of these points, indicating possible design flaws or insufficient hydrological analysis during construction. The findings suggest that enhanced scrutiny, potentially using high-resolution DEMs, is essential for better vulnerability assessment and management. The study proposes tailored solutions to protect infrastructure, promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Economic growth is a pressing issue facing the global community transitioning to sustainable development. Sustainable development is impossible without rapid economic growth limited by imperfect technologies and social structure. Most often, the limit of economic growth is related not so much to the amount of natural resources as to the possibilities of the environment. The atmosphere, water reservoirs, and the earth are already at the limit of their capabilities. This forces us to look for ways to develop production in combination with the economic and environmental spheres. Advanced companies are the first environmentally oriented enterprises, because reducing the amount of primary raw and other materials and energy, switching to secondary raw materials, and processing them reduces the cost of production, and, most often, brings additional profit. This study evaluates socioeconomic approaches to the development of the environmental management system. The creation of an environmentally friendly enterprise’s field of activity is not only a solution to many economic and environmental issues but also one of the ways to transition to a normally functioning market system, given the financial capabilities of enterprises and the understanding of the necessity of state sustainable development by the company management and the population.

Balancing broad learning outcomes in graduate programs with detailed classroom learning outcomes is increasingly crucial in education systems. This study employs a qualitative paradigm through a case study method to address the gap between learning outcomes at the graduate program level and those at the course level. Using the ESSENTIA CURRICULUM framework—a curriculum design methodology derived from software engineering practices—we propose an innovative and adaptable approach for aligning program-wide and course-specific learning outcomes. The ESSENTIA CURRICULUM, named for its focus on the “essence of the curriculum”, is applied to the ICT for Research course within the M.Sc. program in University Teaching at the University of Nariño. This framework fosters a consistent educational journey centered on learning achievements and demonstrates its effectiveness through a comprehensive self-assessment process and stakeholder feedback. The implications of this research are twofold: it highlights the potential of adopting interdisciplinary methodologies for curriculum design and provides a scalable and alternative strategy for harmonizing learning outcomes across diverse educational contexts. By bridging principles from software engineering into education, this novel approach offers new avenues for improving curriculum coherence and applicability.

It is possible to provide green, ecological, and innovative products and services through green and sustainable public procurement. This study analyzes the opportunity offered to public contracting authorities in the Republic of Croatia (RH) in transformation from existing economy to a sustainable one through the inclusion of small and medium sized (SME) companies and inclusion of selection criteria that promote all three sustainable goals. The study employed a qualitative method and empirical analysis of public procurement procedures for eggs in the period from 2013 to 2021 in RH. The product was procured in many social institutions, hospitals, schools, student canteens and by procuring a sustainable product, added value could be created for the entire community. Data from the Electronic Public Procurement Classifieds of the Republic of Croatia (EOJN RH) and Data from the State and European Union (EU) Statistical Office were used. The research showed that sustainable procurement criteria were used for the first time in 2021, and that public contracting authorities put a stronger focus on the environmental pillar of sustainability and less or almost none on the economic and social pillar. The volume of demand and production was also calculated. The study found that the first contractor for sustainable product was SME company, producer of food, who adapted to the green conditions of public procurement in a short period of time. The paper empirically demonstrated that public procurement can be a powerful tool, but it was not used enough in the observed period for the observed products in RH.