No 3 (2025)

The successful implementation of the concept of sustainable development depends on the active participation of all sectors of society in all spheres of human activity, in which education plays a crucial role. Universities are of particular importance as they contribute to the establishment and integration of higher education in the field of sustainable development based on ESG principles – in other words, they work in the environmental (E), social (S), and governance (G) spheres of sustainable development. Since 2015, Russian universities have been developing their sustainability strategies and modifying their organizational structures to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (hereafter referred to as SDGs). Russian higher education institutions have also gained experience in implementing educational programs designed to develop competencies for professionals in the field of sustainable development. This comparative analysis examines Bachelor’s, Master’s, postgraduate, and continuing education programs in fields such as economics, management, public and local administration, law, and environmental studies. The study found that the foundations for Education for Sustainable Development (hereafter ESD) were laid in Russia in the 1990s, but have only become a widespread phenomenon in the last five years. In the early stages, the leading universities, particularly in Moscow and St. Petersburg, were the most active participants. Currently, the number of Master’s programs is increasing, and the share of regional universities in implementing these programs has risen significantly in recent years, accounting for 40–45%.

China is rapidly developing into an aging society, and traditional forms of senior education are facing development bottlenecks, including insufficient resources, a single mode, and limited outreach, which makes it challenging to meet the growing demand for senior education. The rapid development of artificial intelligence technology offers new ideas and solutions to address the challenges in senior education. Artificial intelligence can achieve personalized adaptation, support teaching, create an immersive learning experience, and optimize teaching through big data analysis, thus promoting educational equity and active aging. However, there are several challenges to the deep integration of AI and the education of older people, and China’s education for older people has also engaged with AI. In the future, we need to strengthen the top-level design further, increase financial investment, improve the curriculum system, strengthen the construction of teaching personnel, and promote the deep integration of AI technology in senior education, to create a better learning life for older people, promote the high-quality development of senior education, and promote positive aging.

This article explores the phenomenon of Escapism and examines its primary characteristics. It highlights the ambivalent and complex nature of Escapism and emphasizes its social, cultural, and psychological roots. The study examines the meaning of Escapism in real and virtual contexts. It argues that the life of a modern individual, especially a young person, unfolds in two parallel worlds – the real and the virtual – resulting in conflicting perceptions and ambiguous consequences for personal development and social interaction. It is noted that Escapism, as a way of living, thinking, and behaving socially, has occurred throughout human history and has been shaped by specific historical and cultural contexts. Both the real and virtual worlds have a complex and ambivalent influence on the cognitive abilities and behavioral strategies of adolescents and young people. The article explores the differences between Escapism in real and virtual environments, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects inherent in each of these worlds. Excessive immersion in the Internet and social media can lead to a decline in critical thinking and an inadequate awareness of events in the real world. The increasing complexity and uncertainty of modern life encourage individuals to seek solace in virtual environments full of illusions, which is very attractive to young people. For many young people, existence in such environments is becoming a mass trend and a core value. It is emphasized that virtual environments offer a way to escape the negative and traumatic aspects of real life that many teenagers and young adults do not want to accept. It is concluded that intense engagement in a virtual world, especially when accompanied by digital addiction, brings with it a variety of risks associated with Escapism. One of the most critical manifestations is loneliness, which becomes a seemingly convenient and effective survival strategy.