Volume 81 (2026) continues the journal’s interdisciplinary orientation by bringing together empirical and conceptual studies that address contemporary challenges in education, communication, governance, economic development, and organizational management. The contributions in this issue reflect the increasing interdependence between institutional practices, technological change, and societal transformation across diverse regional contexts.

A first thematic cluster focuses on education and learning development, highlighting the role of pedagogical innovation and assessment tools in improving educational outcomes. The studies examine the development of critical thinking through culturally responsive teaching at the primary school level, the lived experiences of nurse educators implementing the CHED Memorandum Order 15 (Series of 2017) in higher education, and the design and validation of a social skills assessment instrument for Vietnamese preschool children aged 5–6. Together, these contributions emphasize the importance of pedagogical adaptation, evaluation methods, and policy implementation in shaping inclusive and effective learning environments.

The issue also advances discussions in communication sciences and media systems, exploring how communication processes shape social interaction, technological infrastructures, and public awareness. The articles analyze communication dynamics and social conflict in coastal communities in East Java, investigate algorithmic transparency and personalization in music recommendation systems through attention visualization and model retraining, assess the role of newspapers in promoting public awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, and examine how social media communication influences water resource conservation under the stewardship of the Lake Victoria Basin Water Board in Tanzania. These studies collectively demonstrate how communication practices operate at the intersection of media technologies, community relations, and sustainability discourse.

Questions of law and governance are addressed through a legal analysis of the constitutional grounds and institutional mechanisms for the dismissal of the President and/or Vice President in Indonesia. This contribution provides insight into the legal frameworks that regulate executive accountability and democratic institutional stability.

Several articles examine economic performance, development resilience, and digital transformation. One study proposes a dynamic resilience framework for understanding food security trajectories in contexts marked by fluctuating hunger levels. Another investigates the impact of digital transformation factors on the business performance of five-star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, highlighting the strategic importance of technological adoption in the hospitality sector.

The volume further explores psychological and behavioral dimensions of professional conduct, with a systematic review of psychological capital literature (2015–2025) examining how internal psychological resources influence professional behavior in policing. Complementing this perspective, the issue includes research on management and organizational effectiveness, such as an analysis of cost control mechanisms and quality of care within healthcare insurance systems in Lebanon.

Leadership and institutional performance are also addressed through a study assessing the competencies of directors of private healthcare facilities in Vietnam using the Gap Model, as well as research in strategic management investigating the relationship between financial inclusion services, women’s financing schemes, and the growth of women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises.

Finally, the volume includes a study situated at the intersection of governance and national security, measuring provincial defense capacity through the implementation of campus-based non-military defense programs in Java, Indonesia. This contribution highlights the role of educational institutions in strengthening civic preparedness and national resilience.

Taken together, the articles in Volume 81 provide empirically grounded insights into how educational systems, communication infrastructures, legal frameworks, and organizational practices respond to the pressures of digital transformation, socio-economic change, and global development challenges. By integrating perspectives from multiple disciplines and geographic regions, the volume contributes to a deeper understanding of how institutions and communities adapt to evolving technological, regulatory, and societal environments.