working papers

1. submitted

   The Impact of Financial Aid on High-Achieving, Low-Income Students: Evidence from France

   2023

   abstract PDF

   I evaluate a financial aid policy which automatically granted 1,800 euros annually to low-income students scoring in the top 5% of high school students and enrolling in higher education. Using a regression discontinuity design, I find that it had no significant impact on various higher education outcomes, and small positive effects on geographic mobility. These null results do not appear to be driven by (i) students being unaware of this aid, (ii) crowding out of parents’ financial support, or (iii) the aid being awarded on top of other grants. This highlights potential complementarities between financial aid and academic ability.

1. R&R

   Intergenerational Income Mobility in France: A Comparative and Geographic Analysis

   (previously "The Anatomy of Intergenerational Income Mobility in France and its Spatial Variations")

   with Sirugue, Louis

   R&R Journal of Public Economics
   2022

   abstract latest version

   We provide new estimates of intergenerational income mobility in France for children born in the 1970s using rich administrative data. Since parents’ incomes are not observed, we employ a two-sample two-stage least squares estimation. Our results show that France is characterized by a strong persistence relative to other developed countries.10% of children born to parents in the bottom 20% reach the top 20% in adulthood, four times less than children from the top 20%. We uncover substantial spatial variations in intergenerational mobility across departments, comparable to those observed across countries. We find that the upward mobility gains from geographic mobility are slightly decreasing in parent income and increasing in the income level of the destination department. The expected income rank of individuals from the bottom of the parent income distribution who moved towards high-income departments is around the same as the expected income rank of individuals from the 75th percentile who stayed in their childhood department.

ongoing research

1. in progress

   Higher Education Mismatch: Causes and Consequences

   abstract

pre-phd publications and policy reports

1. France Stratégie

   Quelle influence du lieu d’origine sur le niveau de vie ?

   with Dherbécourt, Clément

   2020

   HTML PDF

1. OECD

   Occupational mobility, skills and training needs

   with Bechichi, Nagui, Jamet, Stéphanie, Grundke, Robert, and Squicciarini, Mariagrazia

   2019

   abstract HTML PDF

   This work investigates how education and training policies may facilitate occupational transitions. It proposes a methodology to estimate cognitive and task-based skill distances across occupation. It identifies the occupational transitions that can occur upon small (of up to 6 months), moderate (up to 1 year) or important (up to 3 years) (re)training spells. “Possible” transitions, i.e. transitions implying reasonable upskilling needs and similar knowledge areas, are distinguished from “acceptable” occupations, i.e. possible transitions entailing limited loss of human capital and income, if any. Possible and acceptable transitions exist for the quasi-totality of occupations, when up to one year of training is considered. Low-skilled occupations display fewer acceptable transitions and generally require higher cognitive or task-based skills. Transitions for many high-skilled occupations entail important wage decreases or skills excesses. Acceptable transitions for occupations at high-risk of automation are harder to find, and tend to require cognitive and task-based skills-related training.

2. OECD

   OECD Skills Outlook 2019: Thriving in a Digital World

   with Bechichi, Nagui, Jamet, Stéphanie, and Minea-Pic, Andreea

   2019

   HTML

1. pre-PhD

   Does educational expertise matter for PVCs education? A UK study of PVCs’ educational background and skills

   with Mountford-Zimdars, Anna

   Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management
   2018

   abstract HTML PDF

   Pro-Vice-Chancellors (PVCs) form the second-tier leadership of UK higher education institutions. However, their role and position remain under-theorised and under-researched. The present article explores the extent to which a PVC Education role requires core expertise in education or generic managerial skills. Using a mixed-methods approach, we first establish the disciplinary backgrounds of PVCs Education in Russell Group (RG) and post-1992 institutions. Fewer than one in five PVCs Education have a disciplinary background or additional formal training in education. Second, we conducted 24 semi-structured interviews with PVCs Education, Heads of Education Departments and Heads of Learning and Teaching units. These interviews suggest the PVC Education role requires managerial skills, usually acquired in previous headships, as well as academic credibility and knowledge of institutional processes rather than particular expertise in education. In sum, generic managerial skills rather than educational expertise are paramount for understanding the profile of PVCs Education in UK universities.