Higher Education Popularization and International Talent Competitiveness: Evidence from Cross-country Panel Data

The popularization of higher education is an inevitable trend in the global development of education systems. Given the crucial role that higher education plays in the economic and social development of nations, this study empirically examines the impact of higher education popularization on international talent competitiveness, using panel data from 240 countries and regions spanning the years 2000 to 2022. The findings reveal several key insights: First, an increase in the level of higher education popularization within a country or region significantly enhances its international talent competitiveness. Second, the effect of higher education popularization on international talent competitiveness is heterogeneous. It is more pronounced in countries with already a high degree of higher education enrollment and those with a larger average number of international students. Moreover, the effect is stronger in OECD countries and regions compared to their non-OECD counterparts. Third, the results from a threshold model indicate that the relationship between higher education popularization and international talent competitiveness is nonlinear.