The spatial pattern and growth performance of higher education in China: A longitudinal study in China from 2006 to 2020

China has entered a new era of mass higher education, and the growth performance of higher education is uncertain. This paper aims to determine the economic performance associated with the quantity and quality of higher education resources in China and whether there is regional heterogeneity. An econometric model incorporating temporal and special aspects is applied to a unique data set involving thousands of universities from 31 provinces over 15 years. The findings show that the quantity of higher education institutions restrains economic growth, and the quality of higher education promotes growth. The growth performance of higher education in the eastern, central and western regions is in line with that in China as a whole, while the strength and significance of the variables’ effects are different. Possible explanations and policy implications are given based on the data analysis.