中文摘要
本研究利用跨越数十年、涵盖多个国家的大样本，考察学术自由改革对大学毕业生创造力的影响。我们基于职业任务数据构建了一个新的创造力指数，并分析个体母国的改革如何影响其移民美国后的创造力。利用各国改革时间的差异，我们发现，学术自由改革提升了毕业生在劳动力市场中的创造力，且这一效应具有统计显著性。采用多种双重差分（DID）估计量、替代模型设定、安慰剂检验、工具变量（IV）方法以及处理潜在偏误的方法后，结果依然稳健。效应在发展中国家、实行分权治理的环境以及腐败程度较低的环境中尤为明显。改革似乎通过鼓励提高受教育程度、促进进入高科技和研究导向领域，以及促进从事管理和专业性岗位来提升创造力。我们的研究结果凸显了学术自由的经济价值，以及将其作为培育学生创造力的政策工具的潜力。
Abstract
This study examines the impact of academic freedom reform on university graduates’ creativity using a large, multi-decade, cross-country sample. We construct a novel creativity index based on occupational task data and analyze how reforms in an individual’s home country affect their creativity after immigrating to the United States. Exploiting variation in reform timing across countries, we find that academic freedom reform significantly enhances graduates’ labor market creativity. Results are robust to multiple DID estimators, alternative specifications, placebo tests, and IV methods, as well as approaches addressing potential biases. Effects are particularly pronounced for developing countries, environments with decentralized governance, and low corruption. Reforms appear to boost creativity by encouraging higher educational attainment, facilitating entry into high-tech and research-oriented fields, and promoting managerial and professional roles. Our findings underscore the economic value of academic freedom and its potential as a policy instrument for nurturing student creativity.