The 'gravity' of quality: research quality and the attractiveness of universities in Italy. Issue 10 (3rd October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bratti, Massimiliano; Verzillo, Stefano
• Is Part Of: Regional studies. Volume 53:Issue 10(2019)
• Page Start: 1385
• Page End: 1396
• Publication Date: 2019-10-03
• Subjects: research quality -- student mobility -- university -- Italy; I23; Regional planning -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 307.14
• DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2019.1566701
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-3404

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates whether or not research quality is significantly associated with a university's ability to attract students from other provinces in Italy. First-university enrolments of students over the period 2003–11 are regressed on universities' research-quality indicators computed from various bibliometric databases using fixed-effects gravity models. The estimates suggest that research performance is a significant predictor of student enrolment, with estimated elasticities between 0.013 and 0.059, depending on the indicator used.