The local impact of university decentralisation: evidence from higher education policy in France
评估法国U2000计划在二线城市新建大学对当地人力资本的影响，发现27年内高学历居民比例提升4个百分点，且未挤占历史大学城市的毕业生。
This paper evaluates the impact of new universities established under France's U2000 Plan on local human capital in secondary cities. Using the synthetic control method, it finds these universities increased the share of higher educated residents (excluding students) by 4 percentage points over 27 years (an 18% rise from the counterfactual). This effect implies broader attraction mechanisms, not merely students staying in the area, and does not displace graduates near historical universities. The increase in local human capital varies across cases and is associated with employment growth, an influx of young residents and a rise in skilled employment.