Journal of Security and Sustainability Issues

Europe demands that its people be culturally and intellectually equipped in the ways that are suitable for their present and future. Only in this way they will be able to live meaningful lives in person and together. Higher education institutions play a key role in developing appropriate strategies as they are responsible for preparing their students for viable development of career and citizenship. Universities and other higher education institutions are increasingly realizing that their movement is a moving target and their leadership in the field of knowledge and understanding development and transfer means a new sensitivity to a society change. They are increasingly consulting their customers. Education inspires societal progress, but at the same time, it must respond with discernment to society by developing appropriate strategies for future study programs.

The discussion about the impact of financial development on economic growth is still relevant for economists. However, in recent years, after the financial crises of the first decade of the 21st century, there has arisen certain scepticism about the positive impact of the growing financial sector on economic growth rates. Moreover, specific cases of negative consequences of such a connection or its absence have become known. The 2008-2010 crises, certainly, played an important role in rethinking the nature of the impact of the financial sector on the real sector in the economy, which led to new arguments in favour of a relatively more cautious approach to stimulating the financial sector, given the potential negative effects on the country’s socio-economic security. The aim of the research is to determine the nature of the relationship between financial development and economic growth and its direction in Latvia in the period 1995–2017.

This study was performed to evaluate and examine financial literacy and retirement planning in sector employment in Vietnam in the context of financial safety during lifecycle. In order to collect primary data, a questionnaire was designed and distributed to 257 employees in the public and private sectors in Ho Chi Minh City. The results of descriptive analysis indicated that those who work in the public sector have a higher percentage of correct answers to questions about financial literacy and knowledge of social insurance than that of employees in the private sector. The results of a linear probability model (LPM) and two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression show that financial knowledge and regular saving are significant factors that enhance retirement planning, whereas sector employment is insignificant to retirement planning. These findings should improve the knowledge of financial literacy, pensions and social insurance disseminated through retirement seminars and education programs for workers. More research, however, should be conducted on these topics in Vietnam.

The article presents an analytical overview of models of social policies in the context of their application to socio-economic system of Latvia. In the article, the history and peculiarities of the creation of integrated social policy of member states of the European Union, European social model as well as a system of Key Indicators characterizing the social policy of Latvia in the context of the European Integration are analyzed. The problems faced by Latvia in its socio-economic development and ways to overcome them are identified. The necessity of forming a new model of socio-economic policy in Latvia by the transition to a model of sustainable development is justified. Proposals to improve the social policy of Latvia by the transition to the model of sustainable development of the country are made.

The concept of national security is defined as purposeful action, which is subdued to the interests of state wellbeing and inner order. State agencies and organizations are granted the rights to fulfill such kind of activities. At the same time the definition of national safety does not involve quality of life of state’s inhabitants, environment protection interests and stability of political processes in the state. The idea of national security is overlooked only from the military force alert’s view not taking into account such social phenomena as crime level in the country. The concept of national safety of Latvia is researched through the economic and demographic processes making final conclusions based on statistics.