In this paper, quantitative, descriptive, and correlational research is carried out on the impact that the process of digitalization of academic activities in higher education has had on the habits ...of use of information and communication technologies (ICT) among professors and the influence of the area of knowledge on this impact. For this purpose, responses from 716 professors from different Latin American universities to a survey designed by the authors were statistically analyzed. Following the UNESCO guide on the use of ICT in higher education, the survey distinguishes the following teaching activities to measure the use of ICT: lessons, tutorials, sharing materials, and evaluation. The results show that the use of ICT has increased in all teaching activities, but unevenly, being particularly intense in those in which the use of ICT was less frequent during the pandemic—specifically, tutorials and evaluation, whose frequency of use has increased by around 50%. As a result of this uneven increase, the use of ICTs in different teaching activities has become more homogeneous after the pandemic. This increase was significantly higher among engineering and social sciences professors than in other areas of knowledge, as well as in evaluation and tutorial tools than in other activities. In addition, the ICT tools most used during the pandemic were those with which the professors or students were most familiar before the pandemic. It is recommended that universities increase the specific training of professors in the pedagogical use of ICT and that they should address the specificities of each area of knowledge.
Pink hydrogen is the name given to the technological variant of hydrogen generation from nuclear energy. This technology aims to address the environmental challenges associated with conventional ...hydrogen production, positioning itself as a more sustainable and eco-efficient alternative, while offering a viable alternative to nuclear power as a source of electricity generation. The present research analyzes the landscape of pink hydrogen research, an innovative strand of renewable energy research. The methodology included a comprehensive search of scientific databases, which revealed a steady increase in the number of publications in recent years. This increase suggests a growing interest in and recognition of the importance of pink hydrogen in the transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. The results reflect the immaturity of this technology, where there is no single international strategy and where there is some diversity of research topic areas, as well as a small number of relevant topics. It is estimated that the future development of Gen IV nuclear reactors, as well as Small Modular Reactor (SMR) designs, will also favor the implementation of pink hydrogen.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Industrial applications of hydrogen are key to the transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Hydrogen has the potential to decarbonize industrial sectors that currently rely heavily on ...fossil fuels. Hydrogen, with its unique and versatile properties, has several in-industrial applications that are fundamental for sustainability and energy efficiency, such as the following: (i) chemical industry; (ii) metallurgical sector; (iii) transport; (iv) energy sector; and (v) agrifood sector. The development of a bibliometric analysis of industrial hydrogen applications in Europe is crucial to understand and guide developments in this emerging field. Such an analysis can identify research trends, collaborations between institutions and countries, and the areas of greatest impact and growth. By examining the scientific literature and comparing it with final hydrogen consumption in different regions of Europe, the main actors and technologies that are driving innovation in industrial hydrogen use on the continent can be identified. The results obtained allow for an assessment of the knowledge gaps and technological challenges that need to be addressed to accelerate the uptake of hydrogen in various industrial sectors. This is essential to guide future investments and public policies towards strategic areas that maximize the economic and environmental impact of industrial hydrogen applications in Europe.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
In the current situation of global energy transition, nuclear energy maintains its reputation as a stable power generation technology, without dependence on other resources and without CO2 emissions. ...However, one of the main problems with its use is the management of the radioactive waste it generates, which has given rise to different international strategies: (i) reprocessing; (ii) storage; and (iii) disposal. Given the interest generated by nuclear energy in recent times and the need to manage the waste generated, this paper presents a global review of the different international nuclear waste management strategies, using a scientific method based on (i) a bibliometric review of the scientific publications related to nuclear waste management and (ii) an analysis of the technical aspects of the different international management strategies. The effective and safe management of nuclear waste will contribute to the advancement of international nuclear energy development strategies that encourage the construction of new nuclear power plants and the lifetime extension of existing ones.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Given the real problem of climate change and the consequent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear energy can be considered a real technological option in the absence of a technology that ...can supply the population with sufficient electrical energy in a sustainable way. The research and development advances of new nuclear reactor designs are evident in the case of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology. Two goals are clear in such a technology: (i) reducing onsite construction costs and time; (ii) promoting economic efficiency through the mass production of nuclear reactors. In view of the interest generated by this technology, a technical summary of PWR-SMR design is included in this paper, utilizing the scientific method based on: (i) a bibliometric review of scientific publications related to SMRs; and (ii) a technical analysis of aspects of the different PWR-SMR designs. The results obtained in the present research show a growing interest on the part of the scientific community in research on PWR reactors integrated within SMR designs. Few countries are doing research in this area; however, those that are doing so have achieved greater technological advances in their designs, resulting in greater technological variety and a higher degree of maturity.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a process of digitalisation of higher education that has forced a change in the habits of use of information and communication technologies (ICT) among professors. ...The literature analyses this impact from different perspectives, but the gender gaps that may have occurred in this regard have not been studied so far. The main purpose is to analyse the gender gap in the self‐concept of digital competence of Latin American professors and the impact that the pandemic has had on the habits of use of ICT among them. For this purpose, this paper conducts quantitative research. A questionnaire designed by the authors has been answered by a sample of 1062 professors, and the responses have been statistically analysed. The results prove that the self‐concept of digital competence influences males more than females in terms of their assessment of the didactic use of ICT. The pandemic has caused the frequencies of ICT use in different teaching activities to homogenise. Females have increased their use of ICT more than males—a certain correction of the digital gender gap occurs in the region after the pandemic, within faculty. The use of ICT among faculty has increased after the pandemic more among females than males, but insufficient digital competence hinders full digitalisation in both cases. It is recommended that universities develop digital training plans aimed at facilitating an egalitarian process of ICT integration.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Green hydrogen, produced by water electrolysis with renewable energy, plays a crucial role in the revolution towards energy sustainability, and it is considered a key source of clean energy and ...efficient storage. Its ability to address the intermittency of renewable sources and its potential to decarbonize sectors that are difficult to electrify make it a strategic component in climate change mitigation. By using a method based on a bibliometric review of scientific publications, this paper represents a significant contribution to the emerging field of research on green hydrogen and provides a detailed review of electrolyzer technologies, identifying key areas for future research and technology development. The results reflect the immaturity of a technology which advances with different technical advancements, waiting to find the optimal technical solution that allows for its massive implementation as a source of green hydrogen generation. According to the results found in this article, alkaline (ALK) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers seem to be the ones that interest the scientific community the most. Similarly, in terms of regional analysis, Europe is clearly committed to green hydrogen, in view of the analysis of its scientific results on materials and electrolyzer capacity forecasts for 2030.
A quick and effective solution to address the immediate change in teaching methods after the COVID-19 pandemic was digital learning environments (DLEs). The way in which this process of change ...towards DLEs was tackled was different around the world, depending on multiple factors, including the level of digitization, technology, and innovation. This paper conducts quantitative research on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the adaptation of university professors to DLEs. In order to achieve this objective, a sample of 723 university professors from 15 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean was taken. The participants’ self-perception of the stress generated and their levels of digital competence during the COVID-19 pandemic were studied according to the Global Innovation Index (GII) of their country of origin. The results show that professors have an intermediate–high self-perception of both their digital competence and their ability to adapt to DLEs. It is also shown that neither the professors’ level of digital competence nor the GII of the country of origin fully explain the level of pandemic stress regarding the use of DLEs. This fact suggests that there must be other influential factors to consider, thus opening new lines of future research.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
