Score contribution per author:
α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count
Can a new technology-oriented research university start a virtuous cycle by inducing industrial agglomeration? In this paper, I study the effect of the opening of the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in 2009 on local industrial specialization. Using synthetic control, I find that the opening of the university increased manufacturing employment through the entry of new firms between 2009 and 2016. These new firms were mainly found in industries technologically close to the university’s research. The number of firms in closely connected industries increased more than 30% compared with little change in less-related industries. My results suggest that a university can lead to local industrial specialization toward industries more closely related to that university’s innovative strengths.