Where Students Study Abroad Depends on What They Value Most
A study of Swedish exchange students reveals that destination choices split into three camps: culture-seekers flock to Mediterranean countries, quality-focused students pick Nordic institutions, and city size dramatically influences enrollment. For universities and policymakers, this suggests reputation and location each play distinct roles in attracting international talent.
Originaltitel: Swedish Erasmus students' valuations of study destinations: How countries, cities, and institutions relate to choices and experiences
<p>Based on a survey of Swedish participants in the Erasmus+ exchange programme from the 2014 and 2015 application years, our study uses specific Multiple Correspondence Analysis to explore students’ valuations of their study destinations across different scales – country, city, and institution. Our findings indicate that places were valued based on three types of logic – academic, cultural, and labour market – where each type of logic emphasised each scale differently. First, the choice of the receiving institution relates to the country of destination. Students who primarily valued culture, language, and geographical location were overrepresented in Mediterranean countries, while students who emphasised the quality, reputation, and learning offer ofthe receiving institution were overrepresented in the Nordic countries. Second, the city matters in that students clearly preferred institutions inlively metropolises, which had a clear advantage over other mid-sizedor smaller cities. Thirdly, the higher education institutions themselves play a role in study abroad choices. If the institutions are prestigious and high-ranked, this can outweigh a disadvantageous location. These types of logic tend to overlap so that the most dominant and sought-after countries are more likely to have highly attractive cities and metropolitan regions where highly ranked higher education institutionsare often also found.</p>