Archive for month: March, 2026

Modernizing education and training within the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) is critical to strengthening national defense capability and operational readiness amid evolving regional and global security participation. This study examines the key factors influencing modernization initiatives in RCAF training and educational institutions. It adopts the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, integrating constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, Theory of Reasoned Action, and Technology Acceptance Model. To enhance explanatory power, Self-Efficacy and Anxiety were incorporated into the UTAUT model. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 509 instructors, senior officers, and students across two Cambodian military universities. The findings indicate that Behavioral intention to use new technologies was found to be highly influenced by performance expectancy, self-efficacy, facilitating conditions, anxiety, and social influence, but not by effort expectancy. In turn, actual use of modern education and training technologies was highly influenced by behavioral intention. However, challenges such as limited resources, resistance to organizational change, and insufficient capacity- building efforts hinder progress. This study offers practical policy implications for defense leaders and emphasizes the importance of sustained institutional reform. It also underscores the need for further research to address existing gaps and support the long-term transformation of military education and training in Cambodia.

In the Philippines, the rising prevalence of youth mental health concerns has highlighted a critical gap: current training for Registered Guidance Counselors (RGCs) often fails to address the complex socio-cultural realities of high-caseload, under-resourced schools. While existing local literature documents mandated roles and systemic challenges, there is a dearth of research explicitly exploring how the unique Filipino context shapes actual counseling practice. Utilizing Giorgi’s descriptive-phenomenological approach, this study investigates the professional lived experiences of Filipino RGCs. The analysis yielded three core themes: the dynamic evolution of the RGC role, the profound influence of Filipino values (specifically malasakit) on practice, and a persistent professional gap. These findings culminate in the proposed Filipino Counselor Empowerment (FCE) Framework, a contextualized model for understanding and supporting the unique professional reality of RGCs in the Philippines.

Investment in energy transition projects is an effective way to promote sustainable economic growth. Although the sector has strong potential and receives policy support in many countries, projects in developing economies have not yet attracted sufficient investment. This study examines the determinants of policy effectiveness in attracting investment for energy transition projects in Vietnam. The study uses a survey of 296 stakeholders involved in renewable energy projects and applies exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling to process and analyze the data. The results show that infrastructure and administrative and governance capacity have positive and statistically significant effects on investment attraction. The findings contribute to the theoretical basis of factors that influence the effectiveness of policies to attract investment for the energy transition and provide practical implications to mobilize private capital in the near future.

Nnewi, located in Anambra State, Nigeria, has emerged as one of the most prominent indigenous industrial clusters in sub-Saharan Africa. Often described as the Japan of Africa, the town has transitioned from a trading settlement into a manufacturing powerhouse, particularly in automobile and motorcycle components. Despite this remarkable transformation, scholarly attention has largely focused on Nnewi’s entrepreneurial success stories rather than on a systematic analysis of its industrial potential, enabling conditions, and sustainability pathways. This paper addresses this gap by examining Nnewi’s capacity to function as a sustainable industrial hub in the Southeast of Nigeria. Drawing on Schumpeter’s theory of creative destruction, Porter’s cluster theory, and the Sustainable Development Goals framework, the study adopts a qualitative methodology based on archival research, policy analysis, and secondary economic data. The paper argues that while Nnewi possesses substantial industrial potential rooted in indigenous entrepreneurship, realizing and sustaining this potential requires deliberate investments in infrastructure, finance, human capital, security, governance, and environmental management. The study contributes to debates on endogenous industrialization in Africa and provides for regional development planning.

This literature review examines the historical evolution, contemporary structures, and future directions of Chinese education in Malaysia within the broader Southeast Asian context. Historically, Malaysian Chinese education developed under colonial governance and transnational networks connecting Southeast Asian diaspora communities with China, creating a unique educational trajectory distinct from neighboring countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand. Following independence, nation-building policies, including the Razak Report (1956) and subsequent education ordinances, enabled Chinese primary schools to integrate into the national education system, while Chinese secondary education largely persisted as privately funded independent schools supported by community contributions. In the contemporary period, Chinese education faces multiple challenges, including teacher shortages, funding inequities, curriculum adaptation to multilingual classrooms, and the integration of digital technologies. Significant research gaps remain in teacher-centered studies, technological innovation, and strategies to balance cultural preservation with intercultural cohesion. Future directions highlight the need for evidence-based policymaking, formal recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), and human-centered approaches to ensure institutional sustainability, educational quality, and social inclusivity across Malaysia’s pluralistic society.