earticle

영어

Scientific and technological innovation in higher education has become increasingly critical in China due to the disappearing demographic dividend and expansion of higher education institutions in the country. While existing research has examined various aspects of university innovation, significant gaps remain in this field of study. By proposing a multi-method assessment framework, this study addresses a key gap in higher education research, and its empirical results can guide higher education institutions in China in scientifically arranging their input–output resources for technological innovation and consequently improve their technological innovation efficiency in a highly competitive environment. Using data from 29 provinces and combining the DEA game-cross model with the CCR model, we evaluate the technological innovation efficiency of higher education institutions and its spatial distribution across China from 2011 to 2020. It reveals the spatial and temporal patterns of efficiency distribution. We also perform a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to identify the optimal process configurations for improving the technological innovation efficiency of higher education institutions in China. Our analysis incorporates multiple dimensions including R&D personnel, university-enterprise interaction, market openness, technological communication, government support, and infrastructure development. The study reveals three distinct pathways to achieving high innovation efficiency. The infrastructure-driven path, exemplified by provinces, relies on the support from infrastructure to attract R&D talent and enterprise collaboration. The collaboration-based path leverages synergies between university-enterprise interaction, technological communication, and infrastructure development. The policy-supported path, observed in provinces like Fujian and Gansu, achieves efficiency through either superior infrastructure or targeted government support. The study finds that: (1) The efficiency of technological innovation in Chinese universities shows an overall growth trend, with acceleration after 2018, though displaying a persistent 'western depression' in spatial distribution. (2) In the new era situation, mastering cutting-edge knowledge alone is insufficient; higher innovation efficiency requires strong enterprise collaboration. (3) The attractiveness of good infrastructure and R&D personnel endowment catalyzes more school-enterprise cooperation, driving higher educational technology innovation efficiency. These findings advance our understanding of regional innovation systems by demonstrating how different combinations of factors can lead to successful innovation outcomes in varying regional contexts. The results contribute to technological innovation management in educational institutions and offer practical implications for policymakers that can help enhance the innovation capabilities of different regions. Apart from contributing international experiences to the construction of a globally innovative higher education landscape, this endeavor also aims to effectively build global strategic, scientific, and technological capabilities and provide high-quality services for establishing global talent hubs and innovation centers.