Abstract:

Scientific and technological innovation is indispensable in achieving the goal of national strength through economic prosperity. Based on the interprovincial panel data from 2000 to 2015 in China, the paper, adopting human capital theory and human capital spillover effect model, examines the impact of educational human capital and its spillover effect on scientific and technological innovation in China based on an empirical analysis. The results show that the educational human capital and its spillover effects are positive in lifting overall level of scientific and technological innovation in China. To be more specific, if the spillover effect is not added, the level of scientific and technological innovation will increase by an average of 0. 2233% with 1% increase of the stock of educational human capital which is judged by the average number of years of education. If the spillover effect is taken into account, the figure will rise to 0.3648%. It is important that we should break the mobility barriers of human capital among different regions while increasing educational investment and the level of educational human capital. We should guide, encourage and pull together highquality talents for exchanges so as to further expand the positive spillover effect of educational human capital on scientific and technological innovation.

Key words: educational human capital, dynamic panel model, scientific and technological innovation, spillover effect