Cities’ attraction and retention of graduates: a more-than-economic approach

ABSTRACT

In skilled migration research, the role of the study location in graduates’ residential behaviour remains unclear. This paper addresses this lacuna by examining the attractiveness and retention of higher education cities for local attendants in the period after study, using Belgium as an empirical case study. Drawing on a unique linkage of census and register data for 1991–2010, logistic and Cox regressions illustrate the relative success of smaller cities once individual, familial and contextual factors are considered. Location-specific characteristics beyond the economic are found to shape skilled migration towards the higher education localities, particularly in the short term.

KEYWORDS:

• internal migration
• location-specific capital
• graduates
• higher education cities
• Belgium

JEL:

• I
• I2
• I21
• J
• J2
• J24
• R
• R1
• R11
• R2
• R23

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the anonymous referees for their useful suggestions.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2017.1362499.

ORCiD

Lena Imeraj http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6942-2584

Sylvie Gadeyne http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6890-1855

Notes

1. Cities’ surcharges – based on one's fiscal income and immovable property – raised in an attempt to reduce fiscal shortages, thereby substantially adding to the fiscal burden for stayers (Devogelaer, 2004).

2. Anderlecht, Oudergem, Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Brussel, Etterbeek, Evere, Vorst, Ganshoren, Elsene, Jette, Koekelberg, Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, Sint-Gillis, Sint-Joost-ten-Node, Schaarbeek, Ukkel, Watermaal-Bosvoorde, Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe, Sint-Pieters-Woluwe.

3. Parents are distinguished on the basis of the young adult's household composition in 1991 and 2001. Educational information for parents is derived from the 2001 or 1991 censuses in case of incomplete or missing educational information.

4. Vlaamse Arbeidsrekening, a job ratio based on the annual average of 2006.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Foundation Flanders (Aspirant Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek – Vlaanderen).