The Economic Determinants of University Student Mobility: The Case of Student Financial Aid (Dsu) in Italy

Raffaella Rubino, University of Bari (It)
Anna Paterno, University of Bari
Thaís García-Pereiro, University of Bari

University student mobility is a complex and continuously evolving phenomenon, gaining increasing importance in the global landscape of higher education. Numerous studies have explored this subject, aiming to analyze its causes, trends, and implications. However, several areas remain unexplored. This paper examines the European landscape of tertiary education funding and the proportion of university graduates across EU countries. It then focuses on Italy, evaluating the impact of political measures related to Student Financial Aid (Diritto allo Studio, DSU) on regional student mobility, both incoming and outgoing. The primary objective is to assess how these financial aid tools influence students' decisions to move to specific regions and whether they help reduce educational disparities. The analysis is based on data from Italian and European institutional sources, including MIUR, ANS, ISTAT, Eurostat, and regional student aid observatories. By employing multivariate statistical models, the study identifies the most significant policy interventions that affect student inflows into specific regions. Through the analysis of endogenous factors, the findings of this research contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics shaping higher education in Italy, providing valuable insights for policymakers and university administrators.

Keywords: Human Capital, Education, and Work, Internal Migration and Urbanization, Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Population Policies

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