Growing environmental problems and increasing requirements of green jobs force universities around the world not only to transform their curricula but also to enrich existing ones with contents related to the promotion of sustainable development. This paper aims to show the importance of measuring and monitoring the share of green contents in all university activities, as only in that way it is possible to monitor trends and give realistic assessments of their effect and importance. The paper presents a comparative analysis of different types of methodologies for assessing sustainable activities at universities as well as research conducted at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia and its comparison with the University of Gothenburg (Sweden). This research aims to point out the importance of increasing competitiveness in higher education through assessment of green content in a curriculum and its promotion. In this way, through eco-labeling methodology, it would be easier to identify those contents that, in a certain share, contribute to the promotion of sustainable development. Furthermore, this methodology can easily be extended across the country and the region, which would bring positive effects to all stakeholders in higher education.

Background The study background is based on the fact that The Recovery Plan for Europe envisages investing 30% of the huge budget in climate change, with the goal of zero gas emission by 2050. This ambitious plan will require (for now indefinitely) investments in research and innovation. The study’s main objective is to check and analyze the existing and propose a new model of effective investments in eco-innovation. This will contribute to effective long-term investment policy, climate change impact, and mitigation of consequences. Methods The basic methodological tools for solving the problems discussed in this study were correlation analysis, regression analysis, and paired sample t-test. All calculations were performed in the SPSS 20 statistical software. Time series data of the selected indicators were obtained from the European Innovation Scoreboard 2020. The database used to collect the data for the EU member countries and selected third countries for the analysis is the European Innovation Scoreboard 2020. To avoid sample selection bias, the authors considered all of the available data for all the member countries and selected third countries in the European Innovation Scoreboard 2020 for the 2012 to 2019 period. Results The study results show the path developing countries should follow in directing their inevitable and increasing eco-innovation investments, taking into account the arguments of structural differences in financing Research and Development (R&D). The authors’ findings support the thesis that investments in R&D is low in developing countries, while in developed EU countries, there are more investments in R&D from the business sector for the 2012–2019 period. Conclusions Study conclusions are summarized as a proposal of the appropriate R&D financing model approach to developing countries with a greater share of eco-innovation and self-sustainable R&D financing for climate preserving products. This study is important as it provides new evidence on financing R&D investments in innovation leader countries and emerging innovator countries according to Summary Innovation Index.

This paper puts emphasis not only on employment problems but also on perspective of increasing employment rate in the Republic of Serbia (Serbia) in the field of circular economy. Circular economy, the 21 century concept and model, is a great chance for making employment rate higher, as well as for ecological protection and budget savings. This topic is very important for the Republic of Serbia (Serbia), candidate for the European Union (EU), and in that context greening economy is obligatory. What is one of the key measures for increasing of (green) employment is the state aid for training of employees, and strategic approach in that sense.

SAŽETAK: Državna pomoć nedopuštena je u skladu sa članom 107(1) Ugovora o funkcionisanju Evropske unije. Ipak, od opšte zabrane dodele državne pomoći postoje izuzeci, sadržani u Ugovoru o funkcionisanju EU i aktima sekundarnog zakonodavstva Unije. U radu su analizirane odredbe sadržane u Smernicama EU o državnoj pomoći u sektoru poljoprivrede i šumarstva, kao i u ruralnim područjima za period od 2014-2020. godine, pri čemu je stavljen akcenat na državnu pomoć za ruralni razvoj u Evropskoj uniji, kao i na mogućnosti podsticanja socijalnog preduzetništva u ruralnim područjima. Istraživanje je

In the approaching time of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, our planet has undergone dramatic changes, that will leave its mark on all aspects of our life. For this reason, countries around the world have been challenged to reinstate or redefine their national strategies in order to adjust to the requirements of the new age. Policy -makers of today are expected to evaluate each country's readiness to adopt and implement the concepts underlying the Industry 4.0. Analyzing the existing models, it became apparent to the authors and other researchers that there is no suitable model that provides adequate information on the attitude of states towards the criteria of the fourth industrial revolution. For this reason, this paper proposes a new model consisting of 42 quantitative and 8 mixed indicators, 10 of which, directly relate to the characteristics of the new age that is before us. The model has been applied in 17 OECD countries, as it is currently best suited to measure the competitiveness of the most developed countries, which offer the most data within the parameters that describe the characteristics of the smart society of the future. Nevertheless, the authors of the paper believe that the presented model will, very soon, be applicable to a much wider range of countries, and above all, that it will be well suited for measuring the competitiveness of all European countries.