Research on the impact of colleges’ English education on regional economic development: A case study of Shanghai and Jiangsu province

In the era of globalization of the knowledge economy and significant global population mobility, language serves not only as a tool for acquiring and exchanging information but also as a bridge and conduit for the dissemination and promotion of technology, culture, and knowledge on a global scale. Language can serve as both a tool to acquire other knowledge and skills, forming human capital, and can also be directly used to serve society, bringing about relative economic benefits to both the nation and individuals. The world language, English, with its unique advantages of spanning regions and borders, widely disseminates various technological, cultural, and economic information. With the increasing integration of the global economy and the development of regional economies in China, there is a growing and strong interactive relationship and interdependence between college English education and regional economic development. This paper selects relevant data from Shanghai and Jiangsu Province over the past decade and, through correlation analysis and regression analysis, establishes a significant correlation between colleges English teaching and regional economic development. It proves that college English teaching has become an important factor in promoting sustainable regional economic development. Based on this conclusion, it proposes the concept that colleges of English teaching and regional economic development should support and promote each other, achieving harmonious development and mutual progress.