Issue #1 (Volume 10 2026)

Type of the article: Research Article

Editorial boards are vital components of scholarly journals, ensuring the integrity, quality, and academic rigor of published research. They play a key role in guiding a journal’s vision, selecting content, and upholding ethical standards. Journal reputations are reinforced by the endorsement of recognized scholars. Although many scientists worldwide have chosen to distance themselves from Russian institutions following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, we noticed that members of the global scientific community were still included on the editorial boards of journals published by an international publisher and edited by academic institutions in the Russian Federation. Given their importance, during 2024, we performed an email survey of members of non-Russian institutions serving on the editorial boards of 140 such journals and sent the letters to 709 international members of these boards. Based on 165 responses received, the findings reveal that 70.9% of international members of these editorial boards were either unaware of their membership, or did not fulfill their editorial duties, or were retired, or were deceased (17 cases). Inclusion of these individuals without their knowledge or consent clearly constitutes an unauthorized misrepresentation as to editorial board memberships, which might be harmful to the reputation of specific scientists. After the inquiries, 60.1% of respondents reported their decision to withdraw their names from these editorial boards as an ethical conflict resolution. The results of the analysis help to understand how journals and researchers respond to ethical and geopolitical challenges, ensuring that their practices comply with international standards and values.

Acknowledgment
Alex Plastun gratefully acknowledges financial support provided by Volkswagen Foundation, Ref.: 9C853, Project “Sustaining Ukrainian Scholarship”, hosted by New Europe College.

Type of the article: Research Article

Modern defense environments demand sustainable, knowledge-driven training systems that adapt to technological, organizational, and strategic challenges. This study explores the sustainability of military distance learning in Lithuanian military education and its role in enhancing adaptability and resilience. It assesses how digital, knowledge-based systems support long-term effectiveness and flexibility. Sustainability refers to maintaining scalable, resilient education under changing conditions. Adaptability is the ability to adjust learning processes and technologies, while resilience ensures institutional stability and performance during disruptions. The study employs fuzzy logic integrated with the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to analyze interdependencies among eight critical factors of sustainable distance learning. A structured expert survey was conducted in 2024 with 17 Lithuanian military education specialists, all holding Ph.D. degrees and possessing extensive academic and practical experience in e-learning, instructional design, and technology management. The analysis revealed that technological infrastructure, instructional design, and scalability function as primary causal drivers shaping learner engagement and institutional support. Quantitative results show that technological infrastructure exerted the highest influence weight (0.187), followed by instructional design (0.162), while psychological support acted primarily as an effect factor. These findings confirm that sustainable distance learning enhances adaptability by ensuring uninterrupted access to training, flexible pacing, and integration of emerging digital tools. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that sustainable military distance learning serves as a strategic enabler of knowledge transfer, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness, thereby strengthening both the adaptability and institutional resilience of military education systems.

Acknowledgment
We acknowledge the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania for financial support in publishing this article.

Type of the article: Research Article

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, higher education institutions face increasing challenges in faculty retention. The study analyzes the impact of Student Initiatives, Mentorship, Advocacy, and Collaboration on faculty intention to stay through the mediation of faculty satisfaction. The research process began with an exhaustive review of existing literature and the development of a structured questionnaire using a quantitative approach. A further survey was undertaken by collecting 390 responses from faculty members working in higher education institutions in Karnataka, India. The mediation was analyzed utilizing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to check the model fit and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test hypothetical relationships. Results revealed significant direct effects of Student-Led Peer Mentorship, Advocacy Groups, Student Initiatives, and Collaborative Learning on faculty satisfaction. These constructs also significantly predicted faculty retention, both directly and through the mediating effect of faculty satisfaction. Faculty satisfaction mediated these relationships, with the strongest total effect for advocacy groups (β = .537). While collaborative learning had a strong direct effect (β = .347), its mediated impact was comparatively weaker (β = .082). This study highlights that institutions that recognize and value the connection between student engagement and faculty engagement are poised to develop a strong academic community. The practical significance of the current study is considerable for institutional decision-makers and academic leaders. Institutions should not rely on just extrinsic rewards, such as salary or tenure, to be able to develop their faculties, but rather should intentionally develop a participative academic culture.

Acknowledgment
The authors acknowledge financial support for the Article Processing Charges (APC) from Yenepoya (Deemed to be University).

Type of the article: Research Article

This study examines whether knowledge management practices in commercial banks influence employees’ knowledge of environmental law, providing empirical evidence from Vietnam’s banking sector as an emerging Asian economy. Data were collected from 568 employees across 35 Vietnamese commercial banks in the first quarter of 2025, and the hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that all three knowledge management components (information-sharing systems, a learning-oriented organizational culture, and training and skill development) have positive effects on both work motivation and perceived organizational support. Information-sharing systems exert a strong influence on organizational support (β = 0.188) and work motivation (β = 0.207), while a learning-oriented culture significantly enhances organizational support (β = 0.204) and work motivation (β = 0.165). Training and skill development show the strongest effects on work motivation (β = 0.240) and organizational support (β = 0.185). In turn, work motivation and organizational support directly and positively affect employees’ environmental law knowledge (β = 0.343 and β = 0.363, respectively). Moreover, both variables significantly mediate the relationships between KM components and environmental law knowledge. These findings underscore the relevance of social exchange theory in explaining how effective knowledge management practices enhance employees’ legal knowledge, thereby contributing to more sustainable organizational development. Accordingly, practical implications are proposed for bank managers to strengthen knowledge management implementation.

Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank the Editor-in Chief and a reviewer for their helpful comments that in our view have helped to improve the quality of the manuscript significantly. Beside, this study is the result of collaboration between researchers from the University of Law, Hue University, and School of Business and Economics, Duy Tan University. The authors would like to thank both institutions for their support and facilitation in the publication of this research.

Type of the article: Research Article

Equal participation in scientific activity is an important indicator of the fair distribution of opportunities in a democratic society. This article examines the issue of women’s representation as leaders in Kazakhstani science, with a particular focus on the gender aspect of participation in scientific projects. For this purpose, the study analyzed the distribution of grants for scientific projects funded by the government between 2018 and 2024 in Kazakhstan. The findings show a positive trend in women’s participation in project leadership over the period analyzed, with the share of projects led by women increasing from 38.2% in 2018 to 48.4% in 2022, noting that most projects are funded for three years. At the same time, the analysis reveals pronounced disciplinary disparities. Women are most strongly represented in the social sciences and humanities, while their participation remains considerably lower in technical and natural science fields. The results also indicate a persistent gender gap in access to large-scale funding, as projects with higher budget allocations are predominantly led by male researchers. Overall, the results highlight both quantitative progress and structural limitations, underscoring the need for targeted policy measures aimed not only at increasing women’s participation but also at reducing gender imbalances across scientific fields and funding levels in Kazakhstani science.

Acknowledgments

The research presented in this paper was funded by the Science Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan under grant No. AP22784063 “Strategic Directions of Women’s Empowerment and Access to Quality Employment in Kazakhstan”.