New Evidence on Interregional Mobility of Students in Tertiary Education: The Case of Italy

28 Pages Posted: 4 Oct 2017

Date Written: June 15, 2017

Abstract

A relatively low geographical mobility of students in the Centre and North of the country and a large incidence of movers from southern regions to universities located in the Centre and North are well-established features of the Italian academic system. Exploiting a novel administrative dataset on academic enrollments, this paper shows that the interregional mobility of Italian students has increased in recent years. We highlight that the increase in mobility, which has occurred in a period of declining entry rates, is not attributable to a change in the composition of the enrolling students. We investigate some of the main drivers of student mobility by relating regional flows to the attractiveness of universities and show that mobility is positively associated with the quality of research and teaching and with the job prospects offered by the hosting university. Student flows are instead negatively correlated with the distance between the university and the region of origin and with drop-out rates. The empirical evidence also suggests that in recent years the distance from the university of destination has become less relevant in explaining mobility, whereas the role played by university quality has increased.

Keywords: university, student mobility, quality of research, labour market

JEL Classification: I20, I23

Suggested Citation

De Angelis, Ilaria and Mariani, Vincenzo and Torrini, Roberto, New Evidence on Interregional Mobility of Students in Tertiary Education: The Case of Italy (June 15, 2017). Bank of Italy Occasional Paper No. 380, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3047197 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3047197

Ilaria De Angelis (Contact Author)

Bank of Italy ( email )

Via Nazionale 91
Rome, 00184
Italy

Vincenzo Mariani

Bank of Italy ( email )

Via Nazionale 91
Rome, 00184
Italy

Roberto Torrini

Bank of Italy ( email )

Via Nazionale 91
Rome, 00184
Italy

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