Higher Education and Digitalization of the Economy: The Case of Russian Regions

Abstract

Building on the resource-based theory, we examine the association between the digitalization of the economy and the quality of higher education in Russian regions. We use the regression model to analyze data collected in Russian regions from 2011 to 2018. The quality of higher education is measured by the education potential in the regions. Regional factors of economic digitalization are categorized by mobile and Internet activities, technological background, and innovation activities. The information database contains official dates drawn from federal and regional statistical sources. The results showed that regions that had higher levels of innovation activities had a higher quality of higher education. On the contrary, mobile and Internet activities had a weakly negative influence on the quality of higher education. Our results are controversial with respect to the technological background of the region and its influence on the quality of higher education. Nonetheless, the study provides insights into the resource-based theory, demonstrating that the factors of economic digitalization increase the competitive advantage of the region regarding education, and they play an important role in regional sustainable development.