Overwhelming studies unanimously agreed that preservation of the environment is a central climax in the discourse of green banking. There is a growing interest in exploring green banking practices for fostering financial inclusion, economic growth and sustainable development as part of Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia. There are insufficient studies that examine this in the context of Saudi Arabia. This study aims at exploring the potential of green banking in order to attain sustainable banking and financial inclusion in achieving vision 2030in the country. Qualitative content analysis is used as a methodology of the study. Data were gathered through different sources such as: Web of Science (WOS), related journals, newspapers, published references, research papers, library sources and environmental organizations reports. It is indicated that green banking initiatives can be instrumental in fostering sustainable economic and environmental development in the Kingdom. The paper highlighted various activities of green banking such as: renewable and clean energy, financing green agriculture/food security, high-quality infrastructure among others. Nonetheless, some impediments to the green banking practices such as: risks facing green banks, poor quality of financial services among others are also mentioned in this paper. The paper proffers solutions to the challenges impeding green banking practices. In conclusion, the financial and banking industries in Saudi Arabia has been proving reform of the sector through greening economy. It is there suggested that the stakeholders and policymakers should provide efficient and effective technical, operational legal frameworks for enhancing green economy in achieving Vision 2030 in the country.

The SMARTER model, an innovative educational framework, is designed for blended learning environments, seamlessly integrating both online and face-to-face instructional components. Employing a flipped classroom methodology, this model ensures an equitable division between online and traditional classroom interactions, aiming to cultivate a dynamic and collaborative learning atmosphere. This research focused on developing and rigorously evaluating the SMARTER model’s validity, practicality, and effectiveness. Adopting a research and development (R&D) approach informed by the methodologies of Borg, Gall, and Gall, this study utilized a mixed-methods strategy. This encompassed a robust validation process by experts in design, content, and media, alongside an empirical analysis of the model’s application in actual educational settings. The aim was to comprehensively assess its effectiveness and practicality. The findings from this study affirm the SMARTER model’s validity, practicality, and effectiveness in improving students’ information literacy skills. Comparative analysis between a control group, taught using a traditional expository approach, and an experimental group, educated under the SMARTER model, highlighted significant improvements in the latter group. This effectiveness underscores the model’s capacity not only to efficiently deliver content but also to actively engage students in a collaborative learning process. The results advocate for the model’s potential broader adoption and adaptation across similar educational contexts. They also establish a foundation for future research aimed at exploring the SMARTER model’s scalability and adaptability across diverse instructional environments.

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.