Examines spatial structure and driving mechanisms of higher education, revealing persistence in regional disparities and implications for sustainability.
Key Points
The study aims to assess the geographic configuration of higher education in China and understand the factors driving its development over time.
Composite assessment of higher education development from 2002 to 2021
Multiple spatial-inequality diagnostics to analyze regional disparities
Identification of persistence in spatial hierarchy and lagging regions
A stable top tier of higher education in a few leading cities, with stability index > 0.90
Education-quality center of gravity along the North China–East China axis, with reduced migration distance from 76.58 km to 16.63 km
Distinctive regional constraints observed, with eastern regions driven by economic scale, market demand, and innovation investment; western regions constrained by economic factors