Is the rising education level a driving factor of economic growth in cities?

In earlier literature there is a strong implication for education as a driver for economic growth in cities. Broadly categorized, cities offer advantages on the production and consumption side of the economy. Cities in general can lead to higher productivity, an increased adaptability of the workforce and knowledge spillovers. In theory, a higher educated population accelerates these positive externalities. The main goal of this study is to understand (economic) city growth and its driving factors. Using panel data on the ten largest cities in the Netherlands, I aim to quantify the relationship between higher education and economic development of cities and differentiate results on population size. I conclude that there is a strong correlation between higher education and economic city growth, even when implementing various control variables. However, it is not clear what impact the difference in population size has on this relationship.