University of Twente Student Theses
Twente offers Great Opportunities : Factors Influencing the Migration Intention after Graduation.
Oldemaat, C.A.M. (2017) Twente offers Great Opportunities : Factors Influencing the Migration Intention after Graduation.
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| Abstract: | This study focusses on students’ intention to migrate after graduating at the University of Twente. The municipality of Enschede has great interest in knowing which factors do influence the intention to migrate, stay in or leave Twente of students studying at the University of Twente (UT). Higher educated people are the most mobile group of people (Faggian et al., 2008; Haapanen and Tervo, 2012), and therefore more likely to consider not only the region in which they completed their study as a region to find a job, but also other regions or even countries. Furthermore, Enschede has a strong outflow of students directly in the first year after graduation (Venhorst et al., 2013). Earlier studies on Twente explain different factors to play a role in the students’ intention, as such the region on its own, the facilities offered, the work prospect (Sprakel, 2008; Timmer, 2008) these factors are also considered as important in other studies on migration intention (Bjerke and Mellander, 2016; Fiore et al., 2015; Hansen et al., 2003). The study by Timmer (2008) on Twente also explained that the social network of a person can be considered as an influential factor, however different aspects of the social network were not treated, which will be done in this research. Based on more recent studies (Kaplan, 2016; Rainer and Siedler, 2009) it can be stated that the social network of a person, but also the network on social networking sites (SNS) are of importance in the migration intention. Therefore, this study will focus on residential area factors and employment prospects and will integrate factors in which the social network is treated. Namely, the number of peers in the region and online on SNS, the job information provision of the social network via SNS, and lastly social influence, the way in which the social network’s opinion can influence the migration intention of students. While analysing the constructs of the variables for further analysis in this research, it became clear that another factor on the social network can be added, namely the proximity to the network. A qualitative research study was held among UT students (N=387), diversity in the field of study they are enrolled in was preferred. The qualitative study examined the influence of 16 factors on the intention to migrate. Also distinctions in field of study, place of origin, and nationality are made in the analysis. In analysing the influence of the factors on the intention to migrate in the hierarchical regression analysis, the factors (from now on called predictors) found to be significant were related to the social network, namely Social Influence and Number of Peers in the region and online on SNS. The opinion of the network matters most in the intention to stay in the region, because the network of the students do think Twente is a good residence option. However, the lack of number of peers in Twente makes that the students will leave the region. An interesting finding is that the employment prospect is not a significant predictor, neither positively towards Twente, nor negatively towards Twente. Which means that even though expected the Randstad does not seem to be significantly more attractive in job opportunities. Moreover, when the social network is not taken into consideration the students do think positively about the employment prospect in Twente and results to be a significant predictor towards staying in Twente. In conclusion, the outcome differs from earlier research on Twente, the factors on the social network are more important than residential, and work and locational factors. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 05 communication studies |
| Programme: | Communication Studies MSc (60713) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72446 |
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