Education, Institutions and Growth: Fact-finding using available data

The data analysis on education, institution and growth shed further light on the limitations to empirical research as well as provide patterns that may be a useful reference for it. Firstly, carrying out Cluster Analysis similar-country grouping is obtained, and unsurprisingly, it is shown that all “good” qualities tend to come together. The mapping so generated allows a visualization of “classes” and provides a more “structured” reference to interpret human capital and growth than standard (though with a loss of precision). Secondly, the internal analysis on education institutions using aggregated data on schools, staff, resources and practices from Pisa 2012, aids to link good education outcomes with “softer” variables (in comparison to more traditional factors as resources, socio-economic background, etc.); the external analysis explores externalities and interactions between education institutions and contextual settings. This analysis suggests stronger than expected links of learning outcomes to the economic environment, and weaker than expected impact of educational practices which seem to relay on rather more “native” elements for success, not considered in the analysis.