Course Descriptions and Skill Supply: An Exploration of Green Content and Uniqueness

Nicolò Barbieri (), Pietro Casavecchia (), Fabio Landini (), Giacomo Roberto Lupi (), Alberto Marzucchi (), Giovanni Pagliarini (), Ugo Rizzo (), Daniele Rotolo () and Guido Sciavicco ()
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Nicolò Barbieri: Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Pietro Casavecchia: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Applied Computational Logic and Artificial Intelligence (ACLAI) Lab, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Fabio Landini: University of Parma
Giacomo Roberto Lupi: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Alberto Marzucchi: Gran Sasso Science Institute
Giovanni Pagliarini: Applied Computational Logic and Artificial Intelligence (ACLAI) Lab, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Ugo Rizzo: Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
Daniele Rotolo: Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Polytechnic of Bari, Bari, Italy; SPRU – Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School, Brighton, United Kingdom
Guido Sciavicco: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Applied Computational Logic and Artificial Intelligence (ACLAI) Lab, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

No 626, SEEDS Working Papers from SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies

Abstract: This paper develops a novel empirical framework to measure the skill content of higher education programmes. Using natural language processing techniques, we link the official descriptions of Italian degree programmes to the ESCO taxonomy of labour-market skills, constructing a high-dimensional skill provision matrix covering more than 48,000 programme-year observations over 2013–2022. We exploit this skill-based representation in two applications. First, we map the distribution and evolution of green skills across disciplines and territories. Second, we construct measures of programme-level uniqueness and examine their association with first-year enrolment. While abstract skill-based uniqueness is not significantly related to enrolment, a geographically weighted measure—capturing differentiation relative to proximate alternatives—is positively and robustly associated with student demand. The proposed methodology provides a scalable and flexible tool to open the “black box†of curricular content and can be readily extended to a wide range of applications, including the analysis of skill alignment, institutional adaptation, and the evolving geography of higher education provision.

Keywords: Skill Provision; Higher Education; Green Skills; Programme Uniqueness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I23 I25 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2026-02, Revised 2026-02
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http://www.sustainability-seeds.org/papers/RePec/srt/wpaper/0626.pdf First version, 2026 (application/pdf)
http://www.sustainability-seeds.org/papers/RePec/srt/wpaper/0626.pdf Revised version, 2026 (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:srt:wpaper:0626

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