Geographical analysis of the academic brain drain in Italy

Simona Monteleone, Giorgio Skonieczny and Benedetto Torrisi
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Giorgio Skonieczny: University of Catania, Dipartimento di Imprese, Culture e Società, Postal: Corso Italia 55-95129 Catania-Italy
Benedetto Torrisi: University of Catania, Dipartimento di Imprese, Culture e Società, Postal: Corso Italia 55-95129 Catania-Italy

No 2011/1, DEMQ Working Paper Series from University of Catania, Department of Economics and Quantitative Methods

Abstract: To study the behavior of Italian researchers living in Italy with a view to creating appropriate policies to tackle the brain drain and discourage academics from emigrating, we constructed a survey based on a sample of 4700 Italian researchers (assistant professors) in several universities in Italy. The outlook is far from rosy: Italian researchers are generally dissatisfied with the economic and social situation of the country. Strong family ties represent the element keeping them at home in Italy. In this regard, no particular differences were noted between the North and South of the country. In analyzing the Italian academic system we identified factors that have greater weight in driving Italian intellectual talent to emigrate: the country’s higher education system leaves all dissatisfied. Furthermore, we discovered other factors that, albeit weak, keep Italian researchers in Italy. However, one wonders how much longer family and national ties will be able to keep Italian skilled agents in Italy, and whether such dissatisfaction may jeopardize the country’s future economic development.

Keywords: Skilled migration; pull and push factors; academic system; geographical distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J24 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2011-05-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu and nep-mig
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