Purpose: The number of students studying abroad is increasing worldwide, which may also result in an increase in the number of international students studying in the United States (US). Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the empirical relationship between international students and the economy of the US. Design/methodology/approach: To answer the research question laid out in the introduction, we used a linear model to examine the relationship between GDP per capita and international student enrollment in the US. This is a common approach in economics. Our data was obtained from reputable sources, including Federal Reserve of St. Louis Economic Research Data (FRED) and the Institute of International Education websites. The dataset covers the years from 1948 to 2022, including the 2022/2023 academic year. Findings: In contrast to previous research, this study utilizes empirical tests to obtain the following results: (1) international student enrollment in the US is trending; (2) there is no robust long-run relationship between a change in US GDP per capita and the change in the number of international students. However, some relationships may not be ruled out – international students may contribute to the US economy while international students may not be motivated to come by the state of the US economy and (3) we quantified the impact of international students on the US economy, and we found that the impact is much larger when the number of international students decreases than when the number increases. Originality/value: Our research has shown that an increase in international student enrollment has a positive impact on the growth rate of US GDP per capita. This suggests that policies aimed at promoting international student enrollment will enhance US GDP per capita growth and should be encouraged. However, it is important to consider the long-term economic benefits of international student enrollment, rather than focusing solely on GDP. These policies should be tailored to the specific country or region, as the effects of international student enrollment may differ. As universities continue to recognize the economic and cultural values that international students bring to their campuses, we anticipate that these numbers will continue to rise, further benefiting the US economy.

In this study, we analyze the relationship between educational attainment and hourly earnings. With large survey data on young adults, our results suggest that there is a significant relationship between earnings and years of schooling, age, sectors of occupation, job tenure, years of experience and gender. Furthermore, having a high school diploma, two- or four-year college degree, master’s or doctorate degree leads to changes in earnings. However, these changes are negative. These negative results may occur because employers value work experience much more than a diploma.

Purpose: This study analyzes the evolution of global research on port sustainability and examines how these trends relate to the governance and development challenges of the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico, with implications for sustainable port transitions in emerging economies. Method: A combined Bibliometric and Systematic Review (BSR), following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, analyzed 307 Scopus-indexed documents (1999–2025) using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer, complemented by a documentary review of Manzanillo’s main planning instruments. Results: Scientific production accelerated after 2020 and remains concentrated mainly in China and Europe, with limited Latin American representation and 29.97% international co-authorship. Thematic evolution shows a shift from environmental management and sustainable development toward Smart Ports, digitalization, and decarbonization. In Manzanillo, sustainability follows a context-specific pathway characterized by infrastructure expansion, operational modernization, environmental management, and progressive technological adoption, while advanced Smart Port technologies remain emerging. Conclusion: The findings suggest that sustainable port transitions in emerging economies depend not only on technological innovation but also on governance arrangements, infrastructure priorities, and long-term planning. Manzanillo illustrates how global sustainability agendas can be progressively adapted to regional and local port contexts.