中国吸引留学生来华的影响因素研究——基于中国与全球172个国家双边数据的实证分析

An Empirical Study on the Determinants of International Students to China——Based on Bilateral Data Between China and 172 Origin Countries

利用中国与全球172个来源国留学生跨国流动数据,从经济因素、教育质量因素、社会文化因素和教育政策因素四个方面,我们实证分析了中国吸引来华留学生的影响因素。研究发现,从整体上来看,中国与来源国经济发展水平差异、经贸联系是促进来华留学生流入的重要经济因素;奖学金政策、教育合作政策、学历学位互认政策是促进来华留学生流入的重要教育政策因素;中国高校教育质量是促进来华留学生流入的重要教育质量因素;中国与来源国之间的地理距离、移民网络、语言相似性是影响来华留学生流入的重要社会文化因素。社会文化因素中的"两国语言相似性"和"移民网络"、教育政策因素中的"中国政府奖学金支持力度"、教育质量因素中的"中国高校教育质量"是吸引博士和硕士层次留学生来华的重要因素。因此,今后国家政府要继续充分发挥"中国政府奖学金"的作用,高度重视在国内加大非英语语言的推广力度,加强与重点国家双边移民网络的构建,提高中国高校教育质量,从而推动来华留学事业发展。

Usingthe data between China and 172 origin countries from 2003 to 2014, we empirically analyze the determinants of international students to China from four dimensions (economic factors, educational quality factors, socio-cultural factors and educational policy factors). We find that, overall, the economic gap and trade relationship between China and origin countries in the economic factors are significant. The quality of Chinese universities in the educational quality factor is significant. The geographical distance, migration network and language proximity in the socio-cultural factors are significant. The scholarship policy, education cooperation policy and diploma recognition policy in the educational policy factors are significant. Further study shows that the language proximity and migrant network (socio-cultural dimension), the quality of Chinese universities (educational quality dimension) and Chinese government scholarships (educational policy dimension) can significantly attract master and Ph.D students. Therefore, Chinese government should give full play to the role of "Chinese Government Scholarships", and attach great importance to the promotion of non-English language in China. It is also critical to construct bilateral migration network with some specific countries and improve the education quality of Chinese universities.