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Natural Disasters and University Enrolment: Evidence from L'Aquila Earthquake

Author

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  • Cerqua, Augusto

    (University of Westminster)

  • Di Pietro, Giorgio

    (European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre)

Abstract

This paper uses the synthetic control method to look at how the L'Aquila earthquake affected subsequent enrolment at the local university. Such an issue is closely related to the economic consequences caused by this event given the large contribution made by the university to the local economy before the earthquake. The empirical results indicate that the earthquake had no statistically significant effect on first-year enrolment at the University of L'Aquila in the three academic years after the disaster. This natural disaster, however, caused a compositional change in the first-year student population, with a substantial increase in the number of students aged 21 or above. This is likely to have been driven by post-disaster measures adopted in an attempt to mitigate the expected negative effects on enrolment triggered by the earthquake. Finally, the results show also that the effect of the earthquake on enrolment varied by Faculty.

Suggested Citation

  • Cerqua, Augusto & Di Pietro, Giorgio, 2015. "Natural Disasters and University Enrolment: Evidence from L'Aquila Earthquake," IZA Discussion Papers 9332, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9332
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    Cited by:

    1. Buonanno, Paolo & Plevani, Giacomo & Puca, Marcello, 2023. "Earthquake hazard and civic capital," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Marina Murat & Luca Bonacini, 2020. "Coronavirus pandemic, remote learning and education inequalities," Department of Economics (DEMB) 0177, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Economics "Marco Biagi".

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    synthetic control method; natural disaster; university enrolment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A20 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - General
    • H84 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Disaster Aid
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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