scholarly journals The Role of Universities in Sustainable Development and Circular Economy Strategies

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 5365
Author(s):  
Marta Sukiennik ◽  
Karolina Zybała ◽  
Dariusz Fuksa ◽  
Marek Kęsek

In this article, the conditions and determinants of the introduction and development of the circular economy (CE) in Poland were presented against the background of the widely discussed essence of circular economy, with particular emphasis on the Polish mining sector. In addition, the European Green Deal—an action plan for a sustainable economy for the entire European Union, was discussed. Particular attention was paid to the role of human resources in the area of supporting research and stimulating innovation, and in the area of activating education and training. These issues are further discussed in the next chapter by presenting the forms, ways and scope of education for sustainable development in the international context. Another chapter describes the EIT Raw Materials KAVA 5 RIS competition in Poland (in Kraków) at AGH-UST from 2019 to 2022, an international project in a consortium of four universities whose main objective is to strengthen entrepreneurship in the V4 countries in line with the recommendations of the “Green action plan for SMEs” in a way to meet the requirements of circular economy. The initiatives and trainings carried out within the framework of this project were discussed, and the results of the student survey on the level of knowledge achieved regarding entrepreneurship in the area of the raw materials industry were analysed. The validity and necessity of continuous education in eco-responsible citizenship has thus been confirmed.

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.V. Ratner

Subject. The article considers the concept of circular economy, which has originated relatively recently in the academic literature, and is now increasingly recognized in many countries at the national level. In the European Union, the transition to circular economy is viewed as an opportunity to improve competitiveness of the European Union, protect businesses from resource shortages and fluctuating prices for raw materials and supplies, and a way to increase employment and innovation. Objectives. The aim of the study is to analyze the incentives developed by the European Commission for moving to circular economy, and to assess their effectiveness on the basis of statistical analysis. Methods. I employ general scientific methods of research. Results. The analysis of the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy enabled to conclude that the results of the recent research in circular economy barriers, eco-innovation, technology and infrastructure were successfully integrated into the framework of this document. Understanding the root causes holding back the circular economy development and the balanced combination of economic and administrative incentives strengthened the Action Plan, and it contributed to the circular economy development in the EU. Conclusions. The measures to stimulate the development of the circular economy proposed in the European Action Plan can be viewed as a prototype for designing similar strategies in other countries, including Russia. Meanwhile, a more detailed analysis of barriers to the circular economy at the level of individual countries and regions is needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1899
Author(s):  
Fabiana Gatto ◽  
Ilaria Re

Reducing the environmental pressure along the products life cycle, increasing efficiency in the consumption of resources and use of renewable raw materials, and shifting the economic system toward a circular and a climate-neutral model represent the heart of the current macro-trends of the European Union (EU) policy agendas. The circular economy and bioeconomy concepts introduced in the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and the Bioeconomy Strategy support innovation in rethinking economic systems focusing on market uptaking of greener solutions based on less-intensive resource consumption. In recent decades, industrial research has devoted enormous investments to demonstrate sustainable circular bio-based business models capable of overcoming the “Valley of Death” through alternative strategic orientations of “technological-push” and “market-pull”. The study highlights industrial research’s evolution on bio-based circular business model validation, trends, and topics with particular attention to the empowering capacity of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to close the loops in renewable biological use and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The research methodology involves a bibliographic search based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach and the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Data Hub investigation to understand SMEs’ key success factors and start-ups of the circular bioeconomy sector. Eco and bio-based materials, nutraceuticals, and microalgae represent the most sustainable industry applications, leading to circular bioeconomy business models’ future perspective.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (02) ◽  
pp. 216-227
Author(s):  
Abustan Abustun

Dalam perjalanan ketatanegaraan Indonesia, sistem pemerintahan desa kembali mulai diseragamkan melalui Undang-Undang Nomor 6 Tahun 2014 tentang Desa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan peran lembaga pemerintahan desa dalam pelaksanaan pembangunan berkelanjutan di pedesaan serta tata kelola kebijakan pembangunan desa melalui pemanfaatan Dana Desa. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah penelitian hukum empiris. Hasil penelitian ini menjelaskan bahwa faktor pendukung pelaksanaan tugas Kepala Desa di Kecamatan Trucuk yaitu adanya pengarahan, bimbingan, serta pelatihan bagi Kepala Desa dalam menyusun rancangan peraturan desa untuk mewujudkan percepatan pembangunan desa yang berkelanjutan. Sedangkan faktor yang menghambat pelaksanaan tugas Kepala Desa di Kecamatan Trucuk yaitu rendahnya partisipasi masyarakat dalam menyikapi program kerja yang dijalankan oleh pemerintah desa serta rendahnya kesadaran masyarakat dalam memelihara fasilitas umum yang ada di desa. Pemerintahan desa yang baik adalah sebuah kerangka institusional untuk memperkuat otonomi desa karena secara substantif desentralisasi dan otonomi desa bukan hanya masalah pembagian kewenangan antarlevel pemerintah, melainkan sebagai upaya membawa pemerintah untuk lebih dekat dengan masyarakat. Pemerintah desa yang kuat dan otonom tidak akan bermakna bagi masyarakat tanpa ditopang oleh transparansi, akuntabilitas, responsivitas, dan partisipasi masyarakat.   IMPLEMENTATION OF ACCELERATION OF VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT IN REALIZING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BASED ON LAW NUMBER 6 YEAR 2014 ABOUT VILLAGE Abstract In the course of the Indonesian state administration, the village government system began to be uniform again through Law Number 6 of 2014 concerning Villages. This research aims to explain the role of village government institutions in the implementation of sustainable development in rural areas and the governance of village development policies through the use of Village Funds. The method used in this research is empirical legal research. The results of this research explain that the supporting factors for the implementation of the duties of the village head in Trucuk Village are direction, guidance, and training for village heads in drafting village regulations to realize the acceleration of sustainable village development. Meanwhile, the factors that hinder the implementation of the duties of the village head in Trucuk Village are the low participation of the community in responding to the work programs run by the village government and the low awareness of the community in maintaining public facilities in the village. Good village governance is an institutional framework to strengthen village autonomy because substantively decentralization and village autonomy are not just a matter of sharing authority between levels of government, but as an effort to bring the government closer to the community. A strong and autonomous village government will not be meaningful to the community without being supported by transparency, accountability, responsiveness and community participation.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-96
Author(s):  
Urška Fric

Abstract The article describes the role of legislative and legal framework which brought about a new approach to waste management through the concept of circular economy, and its drivers. We explicitly focus on the impact of ambitious EU environmental policy and its financial support from the European Commission (EC) which helped social actors recognize not only the ecological, but also the economic and social benefits of the circular economy. Over 50 actions under the “Circular Economy Action Plan” launched in 2015 have been delivered or are being implemented in this period in European Union (EU). Through overview of the EU’s ambitious policy, best practice of the circular economy in the world and status quo in circular economy at EU level we also show the circular economy is nowadays a crucial megatrend and there is still needed to increase up action at EU level, provide the competitive advantage it brings to EU economy and close the loop. Beside impact of ambitious EU environmental policy article focuses on the Cultural Political Economy (CPE) approach as a political economy approach with the purpose for explaining the role of legislative and legal framework as a mechanism for selection and retention of the paradigm of circular economy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28
Author(s):  
Endre Szabó ◽  
Katinka Bajkai-Tóth ◽  
Ildikó Rudnák ◽  
Róbert Magda

In the course of the research, we examined the impact of the selection and training system of a Hungarian automotive company on organizational performance, which together ensure the future development of the company. It contributes to the optimization of sales, purchasing and logistics processes, ensures customer satisfaction and the success of the company. In this fast-paced and globalized world, it is essential for companies to be aware that one of the most important factors of production is human resources themselves, whose proper selection and training are a key element in maintaining and developing economic competitiveness. Human resources play the biggest role in the operation of an economic organization. Process quality and process orientation reduce costs, increase profitability, and improve processes to always meet growing requirements. This is the basis of the quality strategy. Therefore, it consistently applies preventive quality assurance methods, learns from failures, eliminates the causes of mistakes without delays and transfers its experience to all areas of the company for preventive action. It is customer-oriented and strives for excellence in all areas, and thus makes it an obligation for everyone to aim for the highest level of customer service. Due to the special peculiarities and characteristics of the labor force, it cannot be compared to any of the production resources. Taking this as a basis, the human resource management used to be more of a functional purpose, while in recent decades human factors have become an essential source of competitiveness. The market operation and performance of an organization depends significantly on how we can select the most suitable workforce. We need to see what the strategic points that determine the role of HR are, and we are also looking for the answer in which direction the needs, expectations and professionalism given by the generational difference move the activities of human resources. The aim of the research is to get an answer to how the employees of one of the leading Hungarian players in the automotive industry perceive the importance of the selection and training of the workforce in maintaining and improving competitiveness. To this end, we used a semi-structured interview, with the help of which we evaluated the current selection and training processes in the light of competitiveness and made suggestions for the improvement and refinement of these processes.


Author(s):  
IGG Heru Marwanto ◽  
Gandung Satriyono

This study is inspired by the limited educational resources in sports education, especially those that discuss the role of leadership in improving the quality of education and training of athletes in achieving the quality of human resources in the form of improving performance in sport. Through this research, it is hoped that a pedagogical resource can be used as a model, that improving the achievements of the young generation in the field of sport is not enough with the education and training of athletes, but strong leadership is needed by the Regional Head of Kediri, East Java, Indonesia, and the Indonesian National Sports Committee of Kediri City is the parent of the research. This method of research is qualitative. Data was collected using in-depth interviewing and participatory observation techniques. The results showed that the role of leadership in the education and training of athletes plays a very important role in improving the performance of sport in the area. Its form may be in the form of a leader's decision on the allocation of funds, monitoring, motivation and maximum moral support.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Mae O. Pogoy ◽  
Mauro Allan Padua Amparado

The study determined the maritime students’ knowledge on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the University of Cebu Maritime Education and Training Center, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines, Summer 2011. The findings served as bases for a proposed action plan. This study aimed to answer the questions: (1) what is the profile of the respondents in terms of age, year level, civil status, type of high school education, socio-economic status, place of origin, and sources of information on STIs; (2) what is the respondents’ level of knowledge on sexually transmitted infections in terms of basic knowledge on STIs, mode of transmission, sexual practices, and prevention; (3) is there a significant relationship between the respondents’ profile and their level of knowledge on STIs; (4) based on the findings of the study, what action plan may be proposed.This study utilized the descriptive-correlational design using a researcher-made questionnaire. The respondents of the study were 177 maritime students of the University of Cebu Maritime Education and Training Center. The responses of the study were subjected to statistical treatment with the use of frequencies, simple percentage and chi-square Test of Independence.Majority of the respondents were 19-21 years old, single, third year level, who graduated from a private high school, with family income of less than 5,000 Philippine pesos, and are residents of Cebu City. They cited friends as the main source of information about STIs. The respondents’ level of knowledge on STIs was satisfactory. Their knowledge on the mode of transmission, sexual practices, and prevention was fair. There were significant relationships between the respondents’ profile variables and level of knowledge on STIs.Recommended citation: Pogoy, H. M. O. & Amparado, M. A. P. (2015). Maritime Students’ Knowledge on Sexually Transmitted Infections. Journal of Research in Nursing, 1(1), 50-59.


Author(s):  
Yasemin Bal ◽  
Serdar Bozkurt

As a result of globalization, many firms have begun to compete on a worldwide basis. This situation has led Human Resources Management (HRM) to gain more importance in the global arena and “international HRM” field. Over the past few decades, international HRM has gained considerable attention from both academicians and practitioners. The increasing globalization of business has required organizations to manage their workforces effectively. Managing a foreign workforce can differ drastically from managing a domestic one. HRM in the international context requires managing diverse workforces originating from different nationalities with various cultures. Therefore, workforce diversity has become increasingly important for organizations that plan to expand into global markets and target different consumer groups. Organizations can adopt different approaches for managing their workforces and every function of HRM systems should be designed consistent to the workforce diversity of the organization. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate the concept of international HRM and diverse workforce in global organizations. Additionally, the importance of managing diverse workforces effectively in global organizations in the context of HRM functions and the role of HRM in this process will be discussed briefly.


Author(s):  
Cornel Lazăr ◽  
Mirela Lazăr

Although its share in Romania's Gross Domestic Product is relatively small (about 5%), agriculture is one of the important activities of the national economy, with direct implications on ensuring food security. Achieving an efficient modern agriculture represents a major strategic objective for Romania, imposed both by the need of ensuring food security and the role of this activity in supporting export. In this chapter it is analysed the evolution of Romanian agriculture in the context of sustainable development's objectives, through the resources available in this activity: land, technical means, human resources and financial resources. In doing so, we considered an analysis of the agricultural real estate, labour force, investments and loans used in agriculture on the period 2008 – 2014.


Author(s):  
Cornel Lazăr ◽  
Mirela Lazăr

Although its share in Romania's Gross Domestic Product is relatively small (about 5%), agriculture is one of the important activities of the national economy, with direct implications on ensuring food security. Achieving an efficient modern agriculture represents a major strategic objective for Romania, imposed both by the need of ensuring food security and the role of this activity in supporting export. In this chapter it is analysed the evolution of Romanian agriculture in the context of sustainable development's objectives, through the resources available in this activity: land, technical means, human resources and financial resources. In doing so, we considered an analysis of the agricultural real estate, labour force, investments and loans used in agriculture on the period 2008 – 2014.


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