No 4 (2026)

The article examines the role of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in advancing China’s global and regional security concept. The study draws upon speeches by Chinese leaders, official government documents, Chinese academic literature on international security, as well as official and media materials related to CICA. China views the Conference not only as a platform for advancing its own security initiatives, but also as a tool for shaping a closed, Asia-centered security contour insulated from external influences and grounded in so-called “Asian values”. The broad interpretation of security promoted by China enables discussions on a wide range of issues and fosters institutional development within CICA, laying a foundation for dialogue and confidence-building. At the same time, such an approach carries the risk of diluting the organization’s original objectives and consolidating CICA’s role as a political dialogue forum rather than an effective mechanism for ensuring regional stability.

The M23 armed group’s resurgence in eastern DRC (2021–2026) has destabilized Central Africa and triggered a severe Kinshasa-Kigali crisis. This study explores the causes of M23’s return, its evolution into a quasi-state entity, and the failure of international conflict resolution. Based on UN and NGO reports, and applying the rebel governance framework, the analysis reveals that M23’s reorganization was driven by the failed integration of ex-rebels into the DRC army, shifting regional geopolitics, and direct Rwandan support. The study finds that significant factors in M23’s reorganization included the failure of the policy to integrate former rebels into the army of the DRC, shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Great Lakes region, and direct military support from Rwanda. It is shown that having captured Goma and Bukavu, M23 has fundamentally changed its own nature. It now operates as an institutionalized political actor, establishing extensive administrative, judicial, and fiscal systems in controlled territories. Consequently, traditional “disarmament-demobilization-reintegration” peacekeeping initiatives have proven ineffective, as they fundamentally clash with the rebels’ established governance structures. The conflict has entered a qualitatively new phase: M23 will likely seek either regime change in Kinshasa or consolidated autonomy, making peaceful settlement prospects extremely uncertain.

The article analyzes a systemic shift in China’s higher education, observed through the 2025 national college entrance exam (gaokao) results. The data indicates a disruption of the decades-long university hierarchy maintained by state initiatives (“985”, “211”, “Double First-Class”). A key transformation indicator was the outperformance of several regional vocational institutions over elite universities in minimum admission scores. This phenomenon signifies a transition from the paradigm of “education for status” to “education for competencies”. The success of new institutions stems from their deep integration into technological clusters and industry, ensuring high graduate employment rates. Applicants’ pragmatic preference for job guarantees and location in dynamic regions over historical prestige underscores a profound structural realignment. In this system, a university’s value is increasingly defined by its adaptability to labor market demands. In this context, revising state educational policy becomes a crucial step for maintaining the competitiveness of traditional institutions. This transformation reflects a broader move towards a polycentric model where geographic advantages and hyper-specialization challenge entrenched academic hierarchies.

The aim of this study is to identify current trends, achievements, and existing challenges in human capital among women in BRICS+ countries. The article analyzes indicators of female human capital: life expectancy; higher education attainment; doctoral graduation rates for both men and women; and female unemployment. The study employed a comparative method for analyzing national statistical data from BRICS+ countries. The study’s results demonstrate that BRICS+ is making significant efforts to overcome gender inequality, as evidenced by national statistics on education and life expectancy. Russia leads BRICS+ countries in terms of the lowest female unemployment rate and the share of women with higher education, while China leads in female life expectancy and annual female doctoral output. The article highlights a broader global trend toward rising educational attainment, professional activity, and life expectancy among women in BRICS+ countries, reflecting their growing contribution to human capital.

Inclusive education refers to a setting where neurotypical and neurodiverse pupils attend the same school and where barriers are eliminated to promote equitable academic and social involvement. Although inclusive education has drawn attention from throughout the world, it is still relatively new in Nigeria and faces several challenges, including a teacher shortage, a lack of facilities and resources, and a lack of understanding and awareness. The study examined experts’ viewpoints on the challenges facing inclusive education in Nigeria along with possible solutions. Four interrelated themes emerged from the findings: a gap between policy and practice, societal stigmas, resource constraints, and structural obstacles. The study comes to the conclusion that a multi-level, comprehensive strategy that tackles issues at the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem levels is necessary for the advancement of inclusive education in Nigeria. Semi-structured interviews with experts were carried out under the guidance of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. Data were subjected to thematic analysis in order to identify problems and suggested remedies.

Review of the book: Juhea Kim. Beasts of a Little Land (Moscow, 2024, 544 p.) (In Russ.) ISBN 978-5-04-162285-5