Although cities are now home to more than half of the world's population, these concentrations of people, assets, and economic activities are subject to increasing risks as the consequences of climate change begin to take effect. As a result, the concept of urban vulnerability has gained renewed prominence in academic discourse and policy discussion, as it is a crucial means of understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change on cities. Within this context, the paper focuses on urban vulnerability and examines how it can be measured and evaluated in a comprehensive and systematic manner. The research focuses on a climate-related hazard which is particularly salient in urban environments - heatwaves. We present a composite index that incorporates climate, land-cover, socio-economic and governance indicators to provide a comprehensive assessment of the vulnerability of various Slovak cities to extreme heat conditions. The study applies robust quantitative methods and integrates three different methodological approaches to develop a final database outlining 15 partial indicators for 141 Slovak cities. The contribution of the paper lies in the methodological framework that proposes assessing urban vulnerability to heatwaves, but the research also has a practical application; the results identify the Slovak cities which are most vulnerable to extreme heat conditions, providing evidence-based data which can be used by decision-makers to formulate informed and targeted risk-assessment policies and climate adaptation measures.
European university alliances are evolving into instruments of internationalisation, as well as vehicles for reducing regional disparities and strengthening innovation capacity across Europe. The present study examines the manner in which joint study programmes developed within European university alliances contribute to both the academic integration of higher education institutions (HEIs) and the innovation performance of the regions in which they operate. Utilising a comprehensive set of data sourced from the EQAR (External Quality Assurance Results), ETER (European Tertiary Education Register) and the European Innovation Scoreboard databases, together with an illustrative contextual example from the Ulysseus European University alliance (with the Technical University of Ko & scaron;ice as a member), this study employs analytical techniques encompassing spatial visualisation, clustering methods and statistical analysis. The primary objective of this integrated approach is to discern and identify patterns of collaboration and innovation across diverse geographical regions and countries. The findings of this study demonstrate that universities participating in alliances have a significantly higher number of joint study programmes, and that the innovation performance of a country is positively associated with the prevalence of such programmes. Concurrently, the findings suggest that alliances are not confined to high-innovation regions, but also extend to institutions in less innovative areas, thereby fostering cross-regional partnerships. The integration of human capital development with regional innovation ecosystems is facilitated by joint study programmes, which function as a strategic tool for balanced European integration. The study provides a foundation for further research on how European joint programmes can enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of both universities and regions. The study also offers policy-relevant insights on how university alliances can be leveraged not only as a mechanism for academic excellence but also as an instrument of cohesion policy, helping to spread knowledge, good practices and innovation capacity to less-developed regions. The study aligns with the journal's focus on regional innovation through European university alliances and joint programmes.
Political awareness is widely recognized as a foundation for democratic participation, yet the mechanisms through which awareness translates into action remain underspecified, particularly in digitally mediated environments. While prior research has examined political awareness, civic engagement, and digital literacy separately, few studies have tested how these factors interact to shape participation. It has largely overlooked how digital competencies condition the behavioral pathway from awareness to participation. This study integrates these elements within an extended civic voluntarism model and proposing a moderated mediation framework: civic engagement partially mediates the relationship between political awareness and political participation, and critically digital literacy moderates this mediation pathway. Drawing on two-wave survey data collected in Mongolia in October and December 2024 (N = 295), the study finds that civic engagement partially mediates the effect of political awareness on political participation, and that the strength of this pathway depends on individuals’ digital literacy levels. Those with higher digital literacy are more likely to translate political awareness into engagement, and civic engagement is, in turn, associated with higher political participation. Whereas low digital literacy weakens this conversion. This conditional indirect effect is statistically significant, indicating that the translation of awareness into action is contingent upon digital competence. The findings refine the classic model of participatory behavior and demonstrate that digital skills are essential for informed citizens to move from awareness to action. The results carry practical implications, suggesting that efforts to increase participation should combine digital literacy training with traditional civic education.
This study provides a quantitative analysis of the relationship between Seville's public bicycle-sharing system usage and the city's environmental conditions, employing an unsupervised artificial intelligence method. The dataset spans from 2018 to 2023 and combines operational service data (daily rentals, turnover) with weather data (temperature, precipitation, humidity), including the heat index as a measure of thermal comfort. The method is based on self-organising maps (SOM), implemented through a neural network with a 12 & times; 12 hexagonal grid. After 100 iterations of unsupervised training, hierarchical clustering was applied to the neuron weight vectors, resulting in 8 clusters representing distinct patterns of usage and environmental conditions. The results indicate that segmentation is strongly influenced by weather variables, showing a negative relationship between service demand and precipitation and a nonlinear relationship with thermal sensation, which discourages system use at extreme levels. The proposed model provides a practical tool for operational planning and demand forecasting, enabling system management optimisation based on weather forecasts. Additionally, its application could benefit other cities with similar mobility systems.
The article examines the extent to which the Smart City (SC) concept is integrated into regional development strategies in Czechia, responding to the growing importance of smart approaches and the persistent inconsistencies in their strategic application across regions. The aim of the study is to evaluate how Czech regions incorporate SC principles into their strategic documents and to identify the main barriers that hinder their effective implementation, ultimately offering recommendations for more coherent and results-oriented regional smart development. The analysis is based on a qualitative content assessment of 21 strategic documents, including both general development strategies and dedicated smart strategies, with attention given not only to the presence of SC elements but also to their depth, structure, and thematic orientation. This approach made it possible to uncover substantial differences in the way regions conceptualize and operationalize smart principles. The results show that although all regions address the SC concept to some degree, the level of integration varies considerably, with only half of the regions having a standalone smart strategy and even these differing widely in their structure, priorities, and strategic logic. The study identifies nine key barriers, such as conceptual fragmentation, inconsistent methodological approaches, insufficient stakeholder involvement, and a pronounced implementation gap that limits the translation of strategic intentions into practice. These barriers are mutually reinforcing and closely linked to broader administrative and strategic challenges at the regional level. The findings highlight the need for stronger national coordination, clearer methodological guidance, enhanced regional capacities, and more systematic stakeholder engagement.
