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The research conducted in this paper aims to examine the role of energy innovations, digital technological transformation, and environmental performance in enhancing the sustainable economic development of the European Union (EU) countries, widely shaped by the globalization process. An advanced empirical analysis is configured on a cross-sectional dataset of EU-27 Member States compiled at the level of 2018 based on several modern econometric procedures, namely robust regression, structural equation modelling (SEM) and network analysis through Gaussian graphical models (GGM). We apply the econometric procedures to firstly identify and assess the direct, indirect, and total interlinkages between all considered variables, as well as their further cumulated spillover impact on sustainable economic development. EU countries are afterward clustered according to the Ward method inset on hierarchical clustering for an in-depth assessment and tailored policy design by accounting for the level of financial and trade globalization (captured through the KOF Index of Globalization), environmental performance and sustainability (captured through the Environmental Performance Index—EPI), and the degree of integration of digital technologies (proxied through the Digital Economy and Society Index—DESI). Main results highlight that there are significant beneficial effects induced by energy innovations, increased environmental performance and digital transformation on the sustainable development of EU countries, with notable differentiation among them. Policy guidelines and strategic directions are also enhanced and largely presented within the paper.

This paper examines the shaping factors, drivers, and impact credentials of students’ entrepreneurial intention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed framework addresses the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention among students in Romania, focusing on three focal constructs, namely, risk-taking, proactiveness, and innovativeness, with a keen focus on the mediation effect of the entrepreneurial university environment. The study used self-reported data collected through an online questionnaire during November 2020–February 2021 from a sample of 1,411 students in western Romania. The methodology relies on two modern techniques of modeling cross-sectional data, namely, structural equation modeling (SEM) and Gaussian graphical models (GGMs). The main results highlight that the three constructs positively relate to students’ entrepreneurial intention in a comprehensive framework where the entrepreneurial university environment drives innovativeness. The paper brings forward, in an innovative way, that entrepreneurship education and training at the university level enhance students’ entrepreneurial intentions as it fosters the attainment of advanced knowledge and skills. The results are well associated with the start-up process as prerequisites for successful entrepreneurship engagement of youth in a globalized digital economy, particularly during this challenging pandemic outbreak, but also post-pandemic times. This research sheds new light on the essential role played by higher education institutions in providing advanced knowledge and necessary skills matched with the labor market needs, thus enhancing students’ innovativeness and their entrepreneurial intentions.