Does international student mobility lead to more emigration? An empirical study of the expatriation intentions of students at the University of Udine

Abstract

The recent increase in emigration of young Italian university graduates represents a significant challenge for the country's economy, reflecting a global phenomenon of academic and professional mobility. This paper focuses on the University of Udine in order to understand the emigration intentions of attending students who were about to complete a Bachelor’s degree. Through analysing a sample of more than ten thousand questionnaires completed between 2018 and 2022 by Bachelor’s degree candidates, we investigated their international mobility intentions and factors contributing to the decision to seek opportunities abroad. Using a logit model, it was possible to highlight the significant impact of previous international mobility experiences during university studies, such as those related to the Erasmus programme. This study confirms that international student mobility may lead to more emigration, bolstering the conclusions of a previous report by AlmaLaurea, an Italian consortium linking universities, graduates and companies.