Archives

  • Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026)

    The articles included in Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026) of the SCRD Digital Library Preprints explore the transformation of contemporary cities and public systems through digitalization, intelligent infrastructure, sustainable mobility, and resilient governance. Together, they examine how Internet of Things technologies, automation, smart transport systems, bike-sharing networks, intelligent traffic management, interoperable digital public infrastructure, and digital health services can improve urban efficiency, public safety, environmental sustainability, administrative transparency, and citizen access to essential services. The contributions also underline that technological modernization is not sufficient by itself: cybersecurity vulnerabilities, fragmented institutional systems, urban–rural digital divides, limited digital literacy, interoperability problems, and governance capacity remain major challenges. Across different territorial contexts—Albania, Romania, South Africa, and the Republic of Moldova—the volume highlights the need for integrated, secure, citizen-oriented, and evidence-based public policies capable of aligning smart city innovation with social inclusion, institutional accountability, and long-term sustainable regional development.

  • Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025)

    Volume 2, Issue 2 of the SCRD-OAP Preprints gathers interdisciplinary work that treats “smart cities” as a long-term development project where technology must be matched by robust institutions, sound financing, and social trust. A central cluster focuses on urban mobility and infrastructure transformation, ranging from an applied vision for reimagining Bucharest’s Central Station through public–private partnership and air-rights development, to systems-level discussions of AI-IoT integration for smart mobility, and practical computer-vision monitoring aimed at improving safety in public transport environments. A second line of inquiry addresses governance capacity: studies examine how transparency, auditing, and accountable local self-government shape smart-city outcomes, and how citizens evaluate e-governance service effectiveness, including under crisis conditions such as the COVID-19 period. The issue also expands beyond the city core to regional and societal effects, considering geopolitical and social drivers of digital economic policy, tourists’ perceptions of environmental sustainability in a coastal urban setting (Durrës), and the human-capital dimension – how AI may reshape labor markets and inequality over the next decade, alongside reflections on the purposes of education in a digital era. Taken together, the preprints argue for a pragmatic synthesis: innovation is valuable, but durable progress depends on planning, public accountability, and competencies that allow technology to serve genuine urban and regional needs.

  • Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025)

    The preprint bundle gathers twelve papers that together sketch the multidimensional agenda now shaping smart-city and regional-development research. Roughly half of the contributions probe cyber-resilience and artificial-intelligence tools—from empirical assessments of information-security management and web-application hardening, to case studies on how ChatGPT-style large-language models can both strengthen and threaten organisational defences, with sector-specific deep dives into Albanian accounting practice and national cyber-authorities. A second cluster looks at digital public administration, including a citizen-centred evaluation of Albania’s e-government portal and a psychometric mobile app designed to support transparent university admissions. Complementing the technology focus, several articles address the human and institutional context: a survey of lecturer motivation in engineering faculties, legal analyses of the right to life and presidential-system transitions, and reflections on the governance implications of the Ukraine conflict. Read together, the set balances technical innovation with governance, motivational and legal perspectives—offering SCRD readers a concise snapshot of how emerging tech, public policy and societal factors intertwine in the pursuit of smarter, more resilient cities and regions.

  • Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024)

    The 16 articles within this preprint collection cover a wide array of topics, emphasizing innovation and practical applications in public administration, technology, education, and urban development. Key themes include automation in education and governance, gender inequality in cybersecurity, the integration of AI and machine learning into Smart Cities, and the implications of digital transformation on traditional systems like education and healthcare.

    Readers of the SCRD Open Access Publishing Preprints section will find these articles valuable for understanding how emerging technologies reshape societal structures, enhance service efficiency, and promote inclusivity. The collection is a vital resource for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners aiming to navigate the complexities of modern technological advancements and their impact on governance, urban environments, and public well-being.