In Ghana, youth unemployment remains significant challenges, with technical and vocational education and training (TVET) emerging as a potential solution to equip young people with practical skills for the job market. However, the uptake of TVET programmes among Ghanaian youth remains low, particularly among females. This study therefore explores the determinants that influence TVET choices among Ghanaian youth, with the goal of informing policy development to enhance participation in vocational education. Applying an enhanced multinomial logistic regression (MLR) model, this research examines the influence of socio-economic, demographic, and attitudinal factors on career decisions. The enhanced model accounts for class imbalances in the dataset and improves classification accuracy, making it a robust tool for understanding the drivers behind TVET choices. A sample of 1600 Ghanaian youth engaged in vocational careers was used, ensuring diverse representation of the population. Key findings reveal that males are approximately three times more likely to choose TVET programs than females, despite females making up 50.13% of Ghana’s population. Specific determinants influencing TVET choices include financial constraints, parental influence, peer influence, teacher influence, self-motivation, and vocational limitations. In regions with limited vocational options, youth often pursue careers based on availability rather than preference, which highlights a gap in vocational opportunities. Parental and teacher influences were found to play a dominant role in steering youth towards specific careers. The study concludes with recommendations for policymakers, instructors, and stakeholders to increase the accessibility, relevance, and quality of TVET programmes to meet the socio-economic needs of Ghanaian youth.

A panel data analysis of nonlinear government expenditure and income inequality dynamics in a macroprudential policy regime was conducted on a panel of 15 emerging countries from 1985–2019, where there had been a non-prudential regime from 1985–1999 and a prudential regime from 2000–2019. The paper explored the validity of the nonlinearity between government expenditure and income inequality in the macroprudential policy regime as well as the threshold level at which excessive spending reduces income inequality using the Bayesian spatial lag panel smooth transition regression (BSPSTR) and fix effect models. The BSPSTR model was adopted due to its ability to address the problems of heterogeneity, endogeneity, and cross-section correlation in a nonlinear framework. Moreover, as the transition variable often varies across time and space, the effect of the independent variables can also be time- and space-varying. The results reveal evidence of a nonlinear effect between government spending and income inequality, where the minimum level of government spending is found to be 29.89 percent of GDP, above which expenditure reduces inequality in emerging countries. The findings confirmed an inverted U-shaped relationship. The focal policy recommendation is that fiscal policy decisions that will reinforce the need for more emphasis on education and public expenditure on education and health, as important tools for improving income inequality, are crucial for these economies. Caution is needed when introducing macroprudential policies, especially at a low level of government expenditure.

The Trans Sumatra Toll Road (TSTR) is a mega toll road project with an assignment State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) scheme in Indonesia. In its development, TSTR has several limitations, including funding, low investment feasibility and the un-optimum implementation of land value capture (LVC). This has the impact of delaying the completion of project development, decreasing the performance of toll road developer companies and even causing bankruptcy. LVC is an alternative funding scheme proven successful in other countries such as Hongkong, England and Vietnam. Several transportation projects based on transit-oriented development have successfully achieved profits using the LVC method. With a low project feasibility, the implementation of the Road Plus Property Developer (RPPD) business model is expected to be a solution to improve investment performance in the TSTR project. RPPD is defined as an assignment scheme toll road business model based on LVC implementation. This research aims to develop policies for implementing the RPPD business model on toll road SOE-assigned schemes. The data was collected by in-depth interviews with experts in two stages. The data analysis method used is Soft System Methodology (SSM). This research produces two recommended actions: ratification of the Presidential Regulation regarding the implementation of LVC and institutional transformation of regionally owned business entities in the property sector. It is hoped that implementing the RPPD policy will become a priority in completing the TSTR project.

Although much bibliometric research has been conducted to analyze publications on energy policy, a systematic investigation of the sustainability of nuclear energy use after the Fukushima nuclear accident is still lacking. Therefore, this study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric review of the sustainability of nuclear energy policy (NEP). This study discusses NEPs, highlighting their disadvantages; emerging research themes; and networks of the most productive authors, countries, journals, and institutions over the last 20 years (2002–2022). This timeframe was selected because of the Fukushima nuclear accident, which has been one of the largest environmental disasters in recent years. Bibliometric analysis was carried out by reviewing 1146 documents from the Scopus database using the keywords “energy policy” and “nuclear energy.” The OpenRefine software was used to deep-clean keywords with the same meaning, and VOSviewer was used to visualize them. The results show that over the past two decades, future research themes and trends in the study of NEP have focused on nuclear fuel, the Fukushima nuclear accident, risk perception, energy transition, and renewable energy. Bibliometric analysis has positively affected the development of NEP in countries that do not yet have nuclear power plants, such as Indonesia.

Iran has one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and many elements of today’s urban planning and design have their origins in the country. However, mass country-city migration from the 1960s onwards brought enormous challenges for the country’s main cities in the provision of adequate housing and associated services, resulting in a range of sub-standard housing solutions, particularly in Tehran, the capital city. At the same time, and notably in the past decade, Iran’s main cities have had significant involvement in the smart city movement. The Smart Tehran Program is currently underway, attempting to transition the capital towards a smart city by 2025. This study adopts a qualitative, inductive approach based on secondary sources and interview evidence to explore the current housing problems in Tehran and their relationship with the Smart Tehran Program. It explores how housing has evolved in Tehran and identifies key aspects of the current provision, and then assesses the main components of the Smart Tehran Program and their potential contribution to remedying the housing problems in the city. The article concludes that although housing related issues are at least being raised via the new smart city technology infrastructure, any meaningful change in housing provision is hampered by the over centralized and bureaucratic political system, an out of date planning process, lack of integration of planning and housing initiatives, and the limited scope for real citizen participation.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a paradigm shift in education, marked by an increasing reliance on technology and virtual platforms. This study delves into the post-pandemic landscape of Islamic higher education at the State Islamic Institute of Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, focusing on students’ readiness, attitudes, and interests toward sustained engagement with e-learning. A cohort of 300 students across all semesters of Islamic Education partook in the investigation. Utilising Structural Equation Modelling, the study gauged students’ preparedness, perceptions, and inclinations toward online learning. Results indicate a general readiness among students for online learning, with a pivotal role attributed to technological devices and internet connectivity. Positive attitudes toward online learning were prevalent, with flexibility and accessibility emerging as significant advantages. Moreover, students showed keen interest in online learning, valuing its technological advancements, affordability, and intellectually challenging nature. These findings highlight the digital transformation of traditional teaching methods among Islamic higher education students, who are typically known for their emphasis on direct interaction in teaching and learning. Their receptivity to innovative learning modalities and adaptability to the digital era’s difficulties highlight the need for educational institutions to leverage this enthusiasm. Comprehensive online learning platforms, robust technological support, and a conducive learning environment are advocated to empower Islamic higher education students in navigating the digital landscape and perpetuating their pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment.