This paper explores the multidimensionality of individual social capital by distinguishing between the effects of social support, social engagement, and societal trust on cognitive decline. The study focuses on Indonesian individuals aged 50 years and above, using data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey. Ordinary Least Squares regression is employed to determine vulnerable groups, while a moderating effect model is used to examine the role of social capital in buffering cognitive decline. This paper differentiates cognitive domains such as episodic memory, time orientation, numeracy, and verbal fluency. Evidence suggests that females, less educated, retired, and rural residents generally have lower cognitive function levels. However, the buffering impacts of social capital on cognitive domains are complex and vary among groups. For example, societal trust did not significantly affect the cognitive domains of females or the less educated but was significant for retirees’ and rural residents’ episodic memory. Social engagement buffered the verbal fluency of the less educated, while social support was crucial for their numeracy. Future research should explore these different moderating roles of social capital and consider community social capital to broaden intervention policy frameworks.

International student education in China is an important aspect of the Belt and Road Initiative (bri) construction, as well as a beginning point for enhancing the internationalization level of education. China has become the world’s top ten recipients of international students, and its worldwide influence on education is increasing. This research investigates the factors that influence the scale of international students in China and the impact of the bri on education by employing the “Push-Pull Theory”. In particular, we find that joining the bri will significantly increase a country’s student scale in China, both for degree and non-degree education. This effect is especially noticeable in the African region, as well as in middle- and low-income countries. These empirical findings support policy implications for international student education in China.

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