Universities and Innovation Potential of the City - A Quasi-Experimental Study of Newly Built Campuses of Colleges and Universities in China

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr

Colleges and universities increasingly shape regional innovation-driven development. This quasi-experimental study uses panel data from 287 Chinese cities (1999–2016) to estimate how newly built campuses, constructed after expanded college enrollment, affect patentable inventions and innovation outcomes. Employing a time-varying DID model, the analysis finds positive effects on multiple innovators, growing over time, with differentiated impacts by college type and campus location.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Research Hypotheses

Universities and Innovation Potential of the City: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Newly Built Campuses of Colleges and Universities in China Dongyang Chen, Wei Ha Institute of Economics of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China Abstract: Colleges and universities have been playing an increasingly important role in regional innovation-driven development. Based on panel data (1999-2016) of 287 cities in China, this study conducted an empirical analysis of the influences of the new campuses which were built for the expanded college enrollment on the city’s patentable inventions and innovations. The Time-varying DID model was adopted in the analysis. The regression results demonstrate that newly built campuses have boosted inventions and innovations in their cities, benefiting various innovators including individuals and firms; that the impact of newly built campuses increases over time; the newly built campuses of vocational colleges have mainly influenced innovation actors like businesses, while those of regular colleges and universities have impacted both individuals and organizations; that the new campus built in the different city from its headquarter exerts greater promoting effects on the innovation of the city than the campus relocated in the original city and the campus of a newly established university; that the indirect effect of newly built campuses on the invention of all innovation actors is more significant than the impact of their direct collaboration with the latter; that a newly built campus have a more prominent effect on regional innovation when it is situated in an area with a high concentration of universities; and that the existence of the old campus of a university amplifies the promoting effect of its newly built campus on local innovation and the amplifying function strengthens over time. Best Evidence in Chinese Education 2022; 12(2):1635-1642. Doi: 10.15354/bece.22.ab015 How to Cite: Chen, D., & Ha, W. (2022). Universities and innovation potential of the city: A quasi-experimental study of newly built campuses of colleges and universities in China. Best Evidence in Chinese Education, 12(2):1635-1642. Keywords: Colleges and Universities, Innovation of the City, Newly Built Campuses Correspondence to: Wei Ha, Institute of Economics of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. E [mail:](mail: wha@pku.edu.cn)[ ](mail: wha@pku.edu.cn)[wha@pku.edu.cn](mail: wha@pku.edu.cn) [Conflict of Interests](Conflict of Interests: None.)[: None.](Conflict of Interests: None.) © 2022 Insights Publisher. All rights reserved. Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 License ([http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/](http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed by the Insights Publisher. Introduction As a result of the intensified reform of market-oriented economy, serving economic development, undertaking scientific research, and training talent have been equally emphasized in China’s higher education. The predominance of higher education institutions in the nation’s scientific research and innovation has been well acknowledged. Universities’ role in social development was further confirmed by a succession of external policies such as the National Revitalization through Science and Education Strategy 1995, the Action Plan for Revitalizing Education in the 21st Century and the National Key Basic Research Development Plan (the “973 Plan”) in 1998, and the empowerment of universities in patent applications in 2002. Over the past twenty years, local governments have committed substantial investment to constructing additional campuses in response to the expansion of college enrollment. At the same time, they have

FAQs

What data and method does the study use to assess campus effects?

The study uses panel data from 287 cities in China for 1999–2016 and applies a time-varying DID model to evaluate impacts on patentable inventions and innovations.

How do newly built campuses influence innovation in cities?

Regression results indicate that newly built campuses boost inventions and innovations in their cities, and the effect increases over time.

Do effects differ between vocational colleges and regular colleges/universities?

Yes. Newly built campuses of vocational colleges mainly influence innovation actors such as firms, while regular colleges and universities impact both individuals and organizations.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Bulrr