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This paper offers the first comprehensive analysis of the effect of changes in university rankings on applicant and institution behaviour in the UK. When their rank worsens, universities are found to experience small but statistically significant reductions in the number of applications received as well as in the average tariff score of applicants and accepted applicants. Although the effects found are stronger for certain types of students and institutions, they tend to be modest overall, and suggest that other factors play a more important role in attracting applicants to universities.

This paper estimates the effects of an education policy (Triple Science) in England aimed at increasing the take-up and attainment of young people in science subjects. The effect of the policy is identified by comparing two adjacent cohorts of pupils in schools that offer Triple Science to one cohort, but not to the other. The results suggest some large and significant effects on later subject choice and attainment, and these appear to be particularly strong for boys and pupils from more deprived backgrounds.

This paper estimates the returns to university selectivity in the UK using administrative data on applications and admissions to university, linked to a survey of graduates three and a half years after graduation. It compares students who indicated preferences for, and were conditionally accepted to, the same universities--but who attended different ones because some failed to meet the conditions of their preferred offer. The results suggest that one standard deviation in selectivity leads to a 7% increase in earnings. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)

Using both qualitative and quantitative (meta-analysis) methods, this paper reviews the growing evidence on the impact of minimum wages on employment in 14 major emerging economies (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey). Overall, minimum wages are found to have only a minimal impact on employment, and there is evidence of reporting bias towards statistically significant negative results. More vulnerable groups (e.g. youth and the low-skilled) are marginally more negatively affected, and there is some indication that higher minimum wages lead to more informal employment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Using the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), this paper documents how the returns to education and skill change with experience for a sample of 22 OECD countries. It does this within the framework of the Altonji and Pierret (2001) employer learning model, and therefore also tests the relevance of this theory in a wide range of countries using comparable data and a consistent methodology. Significant heterogeneity is found in the experience profiles of the returns to education and skill across countries, and convincing evidence in support of the employer learning theory is only found in a sub-set of the countries analysed. While these countries vary significantly from one another in terms 0/their labour market institutions and educational systems, the analysis does seem to suggest that employer learning is most common in those countries where employment protection legislation on temporary contracts is weak. This is consistent with a model in which temporary contracts allow employers to test and learn about young workers, and give them the flexibility to adjust wages in line with observed productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimate the rate of return to education for 12 African countries using recent data and a range of methodologies, which we apply consistently across all countries. Our findings confirm that the return to basic education is the lowest (7–10%). The returns to upper secondary and tertiary education are similar to one another (25–30%). Accounting for the risk of joblessness increases these rates of return, particularly for basic education and for women at tertiary level. Our results at the country level suggest that great care should be taken in choosing the appropriate methodology to estimate rates of return. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Health research can play an important part in achieving the goals of improving health, economic development and reducing poverty, even though a review of the literature suggests that little attention is given to the subject. Mozambique as a developing country has scarce resources for health research and so its health research efforts need targeted at pressing concerns and be capable of influencing policy-making. A way forward is being developed so that position of policy-makers and researchers is clarified and co-ordination better organised. This will also involve a review of financing, formulation of agendas, the avoidance of wasted resources and improving management skills.