AN EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS OF HIGHER EDUCATION’S ROLE IN REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF GUIZHOU

บทคัดย่อ

This study aims to: 1) examine the overall level of higher education management in supporting regional economic development in Guizhou Province; 2) identify the key managerial dimensions through which higher education contributes to regional economic development; and 3) conduct a quantitative research study by collecting data from 500 university administrators, faculty members, and graduates in Guizhou Province, and analyze the data using descriptive statistics and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with SPSS.

The findings indicate that:  1) Higher education in Guizhou Province demonstrates an overall high level of support for regional economic development. 2) Five principal dimensions were extracted through Exploratory Factor Analysis, namely Institutional Governance and Management Capacity, Teaching and Talent Cultivation, Innovation and Research Support, University–Industry Collaboration, and Social Responsibility and Community Engagement. 3) Among these dimensions, Institutional Governance and Teaching-related factors exert relatively stronger influences, whereas University–Industry Collaboration and Social Responsibility show comparatively weaker factor loadings, suggesting structural constraints and areas requiring further enhancement.