The spatial mobility network and influencing factors of the higher education population in China

The scale and frequency of talent mobility in the world have increased sharply, and the competition for talent has intensified in various regions. This paper mainly studies the spatial mobility characteristics and influencing factors of China’s highly educated talents. It found that China’s higher education population mobility network has prominent uneven characteristics, the central and eastern regions of China, especially the eastern coastal regions, are the hotspots of the network. The higher education population flows frequently in large cities and regional central areas. The hierarchical structure follows a “north-south division,” which is dominated by Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. Geographical distance has a specific hindering effect in this context. Furthermore, the similarity of culture, institutions, customs, and dialect facilitates the mobility of the higher education population. Cities with high economic levels, centralized educational resources, sound infrastructure, and aesthetically appealing environments are also likely to attract more talents.