This paper investigates the effects of prospective migration on students’ investment in tertiary education. A simple theoretical model is presented in which individual educational choices, different across potential students because of heterogeneity in migration costs, are driven by expected returns and costs of tertiary education. In this framework, a larger probability of after-graduation migration is shown to affect educational choices by both reducing the rate of enrollment at home and favoring pre-graduation migration (i.e., enrollment at universities outside the residence region). The theoretical predictions are confirmed by the empirical investigation carried out on Italian interregional graduate migration in 2001–2016. In the lagging regions of Southern Italy, out-migration of students and graduates, and weak incentives to acquire tertiary education turn out to bring about depletion of local human capital.

Does skilled migration reduce investment in human capital? An investigation on educational choices in Italian regions (2001-2016) / Nifo, Annamaria; Scalera, Domenico; Vecchione, Gaetano. - In: METROECONOMICA. - ISSN 0026-1386. - 71:4(2020), pp. 781-802. [10.1111/meca.12302]

Does skilled migration reduce investment in human capital? An investigation on educational choices in Italian regions (2001-2016)

Scalera, Domenico;Vecchione, Gaetano
2020

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of prospective migration on students’ investment in tertiary education. A simple theoretical model is presented in which individual educational choices, different across potential students because of heterogeneity in migration costs, are driven by expected returns and costs of tertiary education. In this framework, a larger probability of after-graduation migration is shown to affect educational choices by both reducing the rate of enrollment at home and favoring pre-graduation migration (i.e., enrollment at universities outside the residence region). The theoretical predictions are confirmed by the empirical investigation carried out on Italian interregional graduate migration in 2001–2016. In the lagging regions of Southern Italy, out-migration of students and graduates, and weak incentives to acquire tertiary education turn out to bring about depletion of local human capital.
2020
Does skilled migration reduce investment in human capital? An investigation on educational choices in Italian regions (2001-2016) / Nifo, Annamaria; Scalera, Domenico; Vecchione, Gaetano. - In: METROECONOMICA. - ISSN 0026-1386. - 71:4(2020), pp. 781-802. [10.1111/meca.12302]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2020_NSV_meca.pdf

non disponibili

Licenza: Accesso privato/ristretto
Dimensione 1.04 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.04 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11588/813803
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 1
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
social impact