This study examines the impact of school–enterprise cooperation on firms’ technological innovation in China. Using firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey, this paper investigates whether collaboration between firms and universities promotes innovation activities. A logistic regression model is employed as the main estimation method, complemented by ordinary least squares (OLS) analysis for robustness. The results show that school–enterprise cooperation has a significant positive effect on firms’ technological innovation. Firms engaged in collaboration with universities are more likely to introduce new products or technologies. The findings also indicate that firm size positively influences innovation, while firm age does not have a significant effect. These results remain consistent across different model specifications. This study contributes to the literature by providing micro-level empirical evidence on the relationship between school–enterprise cooperation and firm innovation in the Chinese context. It also highlights the importance of external collaboration as a mechanism for enhancing firms’ access to knowledge and resources. The findings offer practical implications for policymakers and managers seeking to promote innovation through strengthened university–industry linkages.
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