Lei is a micro-economist with research interests in the economics of education, and labour economics broadly defined. His research primarily relies on novel identifications due to the pervasive confounding factors in many non-experimental observational studies. His research focuses on estimating the production function in secondary education, the selection of the field of education and occupation, work-based learning with a special focus on apprenticeships, and career mobility.
Before joining Loughborough University, Lei has previously worked at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and Bournemouth University. He has published in esteemed international journals including the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Oxford Economic Papers, Journal of Housing Economics, China Economic Review, etc. His research has been funded by various funders, including the Centre for Vocational Education Research, UKRI, Education Endowment Foundation, HMRC, What Works for Children’s Social Care, and Nuffield Foundation.
Research Interests
- Economics of Education
- Labour Economics
- Chinese Topics
- Research Fellow, Global Labor Organization
- Research Affiliate, IZA
- HEA fellowship
“Does the employment effect of National Minimum Wage vary by non-employment rate? A Regression Discontinuity approach” with Yu Zhu. The Manchester School, 2023.
“Higher Education Expansion and Supply of Teachers in China” with Fengyan Dai and Yu Zhu. China Economic Review, 2022.
“Return to apprenticeships: A comparison between existing apprentices and newly recruited apprentices.” with Stefan Speckesser. Oxford Economic Papers, 2022.
“The impact of an underfunded migrant education policy: Evidence from the 2013 China Education Panel Survey” with Massimiliano Tani and Yu Zhu. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 2021.
“Elite school designation and house prices: Quasi-experimental evidence from Beijing, China.” with Bin Huang, Xiaoyan He, and Yu Zhu. Journal of Housing Economics, 2020.