The US Infrastructure Investment and Job Act (IIJA), also commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, passed in 2021, has drawn international attention. It aims to help to rebuild US infrastructure, including transportation networks, broadband, water, power and energy, environmental protection and public works projects. An estimated $1.2 trillion in total funding over ten years will be allocated. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill is the largest funding bill for US infrastructure in the recent history of the United States. This review article will specifically discuss funding allocations for roads and bridges, power and grids, broadband, water infrastructure, airports, environmental protection, ports, Western water infrastructure, electric vehicle charging stations and electric school buses in the new spending of the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act and why these investments are urgently necessary. This article will also briefly discuss the views of think tank experts, the public policy perspectives, the impact on domestic and global arenas of the new spending in the IIJA, and the public policy implications.

This research investigates the impact of digital academic supervision (DAS) on teacher professionalism (TP), with a focus on the mediating role of personal learning networks (PLNs) and their implication for educational policy. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), data were collected from 276 teachers in prestigious secondary schools in East Java, Indonesia. The study uses a regression model design to explore direct and mediated effects between DAS, PLNs, and TP. Findings demonstrate that DAS directly impacts both PLNs (0.638) and TP (0.550), while PLNs also directly influence TP (0.293). Mediated analysis indicates that DAS enhances TP through PLNs (0.187). These results underscore the importance of digital tools in academic supervision, fostering collaboration, and promoting teacher professional development. The empirical evidence supports the effectiveness of DAS in enhancing teacher professionalism, suggesting significant implications for educational policy and practice in Indonesia in terms of regulatory framework, such as data privacy and security, standardization, training programs, and certification and accreditation.

This study aims to explore the research on Chinese higher education policy from 2005 to 2024 through a bibliometric analysis. It is revealed that a continuous growth trend and sustained academic interest in this field. Mainland China leads in publication quantity, showcasing the active involvement of Chinese scholars in higher education policy research. Institutions like Peking University, the University of Hong Kong, and Beijing Normal University play significant roles in this research domain. The focus of research has shifted from student attitudes to international students, teachers, innovation models, changing demands, and urban education development, reflecting a growing emphasis on sustainability and internationalization. The study highlights the positive development trajectory of Chinese higher education policy research, with expanding research focuses and deepening concerns for sustainability and internationalization.

This paper employs a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies spanning from 2011 to 2022 to empirically investigate the influence of climate policy uncertainty on the corporate cost of debt, based on the theory of financial friction. We find that climate policy uncertainty significantly increases the corporate cost of debt, and the result is supported by robustness tests. To avoid biases arisen from endogeneity, this paper introduces an instrumental variable approach and propensity score matching method for verification. The endogeneity test results support the baseline regression results as well. Finally, this paper also discovers that financing constraints are the potential mechanism behind the impact of climate policy uncertainty on the corporate cost of debt.

This research aims to explore the impact of government policies to promote mass tourism in Bali. Qualitative method with the support of a phenomenological approach and in-depth interviews and FGD. The Butler tourism area life cycle model theory is used to evaluate the impact of tourism on land use and cultural conflict with six stages of destination development, namely exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation, and decline or rejuvenation. The findings reveal that Bali has experienced all stages of Butler’s model. From 1960–1970, Bali was in the exploration phase, offering tourists authentic experiences. At the beginning of 1970–2000, Bali had entered five phases marked by rapid tourism growth. Now, Bali reached a consolidation phase with a focus on managing tourism quality. Now, Bali is entering a phase of stagnation, facing challenges such as overcrowding and environmental degradation. Bali is at the crossroads between phases of decline and rejuvenation, with efforts to overcome environmental problems and diversify tourism products. This study concludes that mass tourism has significant positive and negative impacts on tourist destinations. Although it can improve the local economy and preserve culture, it can also cause environmental damage and cultural conflict. The Bali government’s policy strategy for the future is to overcome cultural conflicts including tourist education, sustainable tourism development, empowerment of local communities, enforcement of regulations, and intercultural dialogue. The implementation of this policy strategy can be carried out effectively to manage cultural conflicts towards a sustainable Bali tourism future.