东北大学学报(社会科学版) ›› 2025, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (6): 110-121.DOI: 10.15936/j.cnki.1008-3758.2025.06.012

• 高等教育研究 • 上一篇    下一篇

研究生教育规模促进经济增长的因果推断分析

李锋亮1, 刘漫卿1, 闵维方2   

  1. 1.清华大学 教育学院,北京 100084
    2.北京大学 教育学院,北京 100871
  • 收稿日期:2024-12-24 出版日期:2025-11-25 发布日期:2025-12-03
  • 作者简介:李锋亮,清华大学教授,博士生导师
    刘漫卿,清华大学博士研究生
    闵维方,北京大学教授,博士生导师。
  • 基金资助:
    北京市社会科学基金规划重点项目(22JYA003)

Causal Effect of Postgraduate Education on Promoting Economic Growth

Fengliang LI1, Manqing LIU1, Weifang MIN2   

  1. 1.School of Education,Tsinghua University,Beijing 100084,China
    2.Graduate School of Education,Peking University,Beijing 100871,China
  • Received:2024-12-24 Online:2025-11-25 Published:2025-12-03

摘要:

已有很多研究发现了研究生教育规模与地区经济增长之间的正相关关系,但是因果关系并不清晰。使用我国省际面板数据,借助工具变量法实证验证了研究生教育规模与地区经济增长之间的因果效应,研究发现:整体而言,在控制了基础教育、本专科教育以及物质资本投资、人力资本投资、对外开放水平等因素后,研究生教育规模能够显著促进经济增长。这一结论在考虑了内生性的情况下仍然是稳健的,即研究生教育规模增长是因,经济增长是果。分经济地理地区来看,研究生教育规模的扩大能够显著促进东、中、西部地区的经济增长,在影响程度上呈现东、西、中的递减。分经济战略地区来看,研究生教育规模的扩大能够显著促进长三角、粤港澳、环渤海地区的经济增长,在影响程度上呈现长三角、粤港澳、环渤海的递减。研究生教育规模对地区经济增长的促进作用受到人才流动与产业结构的正向调节,且产业结构高级化是经济地理地区差异的原因,产业结构合理化是经济战略地区差异的原因。研究生教育规模和研究生就业人口占比共同作用于经济增长,高学历人才的有效就业对经济增长有积极作用。

关键词: 研究生教育规模, 地区经济增长, 人才流动, 产业结构

Abstract:

Many studies have identified a positive correlation between the scale of postgraduate education and regional economic growth; however, the causal relationship remains unclear. Based on the provincial panel data from China, an instrumental variable approach is employed to empirically examine the causal effect of postgraduate education on regional economic growth. The main findings are as follows: Overall, after controlling for basic education, undergraduate and junior college education, physical capital investment, human capital investment, and the degree of openness, the scale of postgraduate education is found to significantly promote economic growth. This result remains robust after addressing endogeneity, confirming that the expansion of postgraduate education is a cause rather than a consequence of economic growth. Regionally, the expansion of postgraduate education significantly boosts economic growth across eastern, central, and western China, with the magnitude of the effect decreasing in the order of eastern, western, and central regions. In terms of economic zones, postgraduate education positively contributes to economic growth in the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the Bohai Rim, with the strongest effect observed in the Yangtze River Delta, followed by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Bohai Rim. Moreover, the positive impact of postgraduate education on economic growth is moderated by talent mobility and industrial structure. Specifically, industrial structure upgrading explains regional differences across geographic areas, while industrial rationalization accounts for differences among strategic economic zones. Additionally, both the scale of postgraduate education and the proportion of employed postgraduates jointly influence economic growth, underscoring the importance of effective employment of highly educated talents.

Key words: scale of postgraduate education, economic growth, talent mobility, industrial structure

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