Access to Higher Education and Inequality: The Chinese Experiment

This blog includes a series of posts and links to the subject of postgraduate study specifically "MSC Economics", "MSc Finance" and related degrees concentrating on the top Universities such as the University of Birmingham, London School of Economics (LSE), University of Manchester, University College London (UCL), University of Warwick, University of Bristol, University of Southampton, Exeter University etc. To this end a number of "University rankings" are provided.

The goal is for overseas students to spend their education investment wisely.

This blog is also concerned with the economics of China. With 4.9m graduates a year and a great deal of importance placed on education by parents in China this is an important subject.

This research paper combines the two interests of this blog:

"Access to Higher Education and Inequality: The Chinese Experiment"
IZA Discussion Paper No. 2823

Author: XIAOJUN WANG
University of Hawaii at Manoa - Department of
Economics
Email: xiaojun@hawaii.edu
Auth-Page: http://ssrn.com/author=327869

Contact: BELTON M. FLEISHER
Ohio State University - Department of Economics,
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
Email: fleisher@econ.ohio-state.edu
Auth-Page: http://ssrn.com/author=2127

Co-Author: HAIZHENG LI
Georgia Institute of Technology - School of
Economics
Email: haizheng.li@econ.gatech.edu
Auth-Page: http://ssrn.com/author=381193

Co-Author: LI SHI
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) -
Institute of Economics, Institute for the Study of
Labor (IZA)
Email: shi.li@econ.hit-u.ac.jp
Auth-Page: http://ssrn.com/author=242901

Full Text: http://ssrn.com/abstract=996402

ABSTRACT: We apply a semi-parametric latent variable model to estimate selection and sorting effects on the evolution of private returns to schooling for college graduates during China's reform between 1988 and 2002. We find that there were substantial sorting gains under the traditional system, but they have decreased drastically and become negligible in the most recent data. We take this as evidence of growing influence of private financial constraints on decisions to attend college as tuition costs have risen and the relative importance of government subsidies has declined. The main policy implication of our results is that labor and education reform without concomitant capital market reform and government support for the financially disadvantaged exacerbates increases in inequality inherent in elimination of the traditional "wage-grid".

The following posts may be of interest:
Econphd Ranking of "Economics departments"

Ten Reasons Why You Should Study in Britain

RateUKcourses.com?

Studying "Economics in the UK": General Links

Which UK University to study in? "Academic Ranking of World Universities"

Studying in the UK: Cost of Accommodation

World University Rankings: Rankings and text

"UK University Ranking": large city effect