Context: Over the last 20 years, universities have become significant regional actors, taking on an important role in helping to develop the regions in which they are located. The attractiveness of universities to international students extends beyond academic prestige; it represents a catalyst for economic and social growth in host regions. International students bring valuable human capital, enriching cultural diversity and fostering innovation. Their presence also generates a direct economic impact through tuition fees, accommodation costs, and spending on various goods and services. Research suggests that the presence of international students can stimulate the local economy, creating new job opportunities and increasing demand for goods and services (Uni-Italia, 2023). Additionally, these students contribute to knowledge creation and facilitate the transfer of technology, further advancing regional growth and development. Attracting global talent at both national and regional levels has become a vital component in driving innovation and economic growth across the European Union. As businesses face challenges in securing local talent, they are increasingly turning to international recruitment as a solution. This highlights the importance of adopting a comprehensive and strategic framework for talent management policies to effectively address these multifaceted challenges (MPF, 2024). Even if the number of foreign students has increased over the years, there Is a lack of disaggregated data at the university level regarding students from third countries (Sospiro, P., et all. 2024). Methodology: Aligned with the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), this research investigates the attractiveness of universities within the UNI ADRION consortium, a non-profit association dedicated to strengthening international cooperation and of favouring the progress of culture, science, training and research in the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian basin. The study focuses on the number of non-national students, internationalisation strategies, agreements, and challenges faced by universities in the 10 countries: Croatia, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, and Serbia. These findings will be analyzed in comparison with the European average to identify key trends and gaps. To achieve this, a mixed-methods approach has been adopted, consisting of the following: a) University Questionnaires: Structured questionnaires will be distributed to all universities in the UNI ADRION consortium to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. These insights will help provide a detailed overview of the internationalisation strategies and practices employed by these institutions. b) Universities’ Websites Scraping Analysis: We will perform a text analysis of the selected universities' websites, looking for potential correlations between the frequency and usage of specific words or combination of words and the university’s level of attractiveness and internationalization. c) Quantitative Analysis Using Descriptive Statistics and Econometrics: The collected data will be subjected to various quantitative analyses to derive meaningful patterns and conclusions. Results: This research will highlight insights into regional differences, best practices, and actionable recommendations for improving the attractiveness of universities in the Adriatic-Ionian Regions.
UNIVERSITY ATTRACTIVENESS AND INTERNATIONALISATION STRATEGIES: INSIGHTS FROM THE ADRIATIC-IONIAN REGIONS
Sospiro, Paolo
Membro del Collaboration Group
;Liscio, Marco Ciro
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
2025-01-01
Abstract
Context: Over the last 20 years, universities have become significant regional actors, taking on an important role in helping to develop the regions in which they are located. The attractiveness of universities to international students extends beyond academic prestige; it represents a catalyst for economic and social growth in host regions. International students bring valuable human capital, enriching cultural diversity and fostering innovation. Their presence also generates a direct economic impact through tuition fees, accommodation costs, and spending on various goods and services. Research suggests that the presence of international students can stimulate the local economy, creating new job opportunities and increasing demand for goods and services (Uni-Italia, 2023). Additionally, these students contribute to knowledge creation and facilitate the transfer of technology, further advancing regional growth and development. Attracting global talent at both national and regional levels has become a vital component in driving innovation and economic growth across the European Union. As businesses face challenges in securing local talent, they are increasingly turning to international recruitment as a solution. This highlights the importance of adopting a comprehensive and strategic framework for talent management policies to effectively address these multifaceted challenges (MPF, 2024). Even if the number of foreign students has increased over the years, there Is a lack of disaggregated data at the university level regarding students from third countries (Sospiro, P., et all. 2024). Methodology: Aligned with the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), this research investigates the attractiveness of universities within the UNI ADRION consortium, a non-profit association dedicated to strengthening international cooperation and of favouring the progress of culture, science, training and research in the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian basin. The study focuses on the number of non-national students, internationalisation strategies, agreements, and challenges faced by universities in the 10 countries: Croatia, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, and Serbia. These findings will be analyzed in comparison with the European average to identify key trends and gaps. To achieve this, a mixed-methods approach has been adopted, consisting of the following: a) University Questionnaires: Structured questionnaires will be distributed to all universities in the UNI ADRION consortium to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. These insights will help provide a detailed overview of the internationalisation strategies and practices employed by these institutions. b) Universities’ Websites Scraping Analysis: We will perform a text analysis of the selected universities' websites, looking for potential correlations between the frequency and usage of specific words or combination of words and the university’s level of attractiveness and internationalization. c) Quantitative Analysis Using Descriptive Statistics and Econometrics: The collected data will be subjected to various quantitative analyses to derive meaningful patterns and conclusions. Results: This research will highlight insights into regional differences, best practices, and actionable recommendations for improving the attractiveness of universities in the Adriatic-Ionian Regions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
