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Higher education and economic growth: A longitudinal study of European regions 2000–2017

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  • Agasisti, Tommaso
  • Bertoletti, Alice

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of regional higher education systems (HESs) on economic growth, based upon 284 European regions (NUTS 2) over an 18-year period (from 2000 to 2017). The empirical framework specifically models the heterogeneity of the HESs by including indicators on university concentration, on the size of the HES and on HES performance and other important factors. The analysis is based on a novel and integrated dataset, created by collecting and combining indicators from different data sources (Eurostat, OECD, WHED and InCites). The results reveal that an increase in number of universities in a region is conducive to stronger economic growth within that region. The quality of research and a specialisation in STEM subjects are the primary drivers through which universities impact positively on the regions’ economic development.

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  • Agasisti, Tommaso & Bertoletti, Alice, 2022. "Higher education and economic growth: A longitudinal study of European regions 2000–2017," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceps:v:81:y:2022:i:c:s0038012119306809
    DOI: 10.1016/j.seps.2020.100940
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    2. Emanuela Marrocu & Raffaele Paci & Stefano Usai, 2022. "Direct and indirect effects of universities on European regional productivity," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(5), pages 1105-1133, October.
    3. Tan, Qijia & Li, Cuilan & Qin, Zhaohui & Yu, Siming & Pan, Yuchen & Andrianarimanana, Mihasina Harinaivo, 2023. "Impact of fiscal education expenditure on innovation of local listed enterprises: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    4. Moutinho, Victor & Santos de Oliveira, Helena M. & Viana Espinosa de Oliveira, Henrique & Puime Guillén, Félix, 2023. "The augmented and integrative model of economic growth: Theoretical and empirical evidence from USA," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    5. Tommaso Agasisti & Alice Bertoletti & Gaetano Francesco Coppeta, 2024. "Policy responses to COVID-19 and the efficiency of Italian universities," Working papers 117, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    6. E. Marrocu & R. Paci, 2024. "The influence of regional contextual factors on public university efficiency in Italy," Working Paper CRENoS 202424, Centre for North South Economic Research, University of Cagliari and Sassari, Sardinia.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Higher education; Regional economic growth; Human capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A2 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics
    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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