Migration Intentions of Romanian Engineering Students

Vasile Gherheș, Gabriel-Mugurel Dragomir and Mariana Cernicova-Buca
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Vasile Gherheș: Department of Communication and Foreign Languages, Politehnica University Timișoara, 300006 Timișoara, Romania
Gabriel-Mugurel Dragomir: Department of Teaching Training, Politehnica University Timișoara, 300006 Timișoara, Romania
Mariana Cernicova-Buca: Department of Communication and Foreign Languages, Politehnica University Timișoara, 300006 Timișoara, Romania

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-31

Abstract: This paper aims to diagnose Romanian engineering students in relation to their migration intentions, motivations, and destinations, and to predict the magnitude of migration in the polled population. It presents the results of a quantitative study based on a questionnaire survey consistent in terms of number and structure of variables and responses. The online questionnaire was self-administered by 1782 students from the five major technical Romanian universities, which are the main providers of the highly skilled labor force in the area of engineering. Regression analysis was carried out to correlate the drivers of migration and the potential for real migration. According to the results, Romanian students from technical universities are inclined to migrate in a significant proportion; the economic factor being the main migration driver. The predictive model built on the logistical regression and the collected data accounts only partially for the variations of the variable decision to migrate, so further research is needed. The analysis of the students’ mindset can prove useful to understand the future interactions between the new graduates and the labor market, to develop regional and national policies regarding human capital, and to root development plans towards sustainable economic growth in solid databases concerning the engineering profession.

Keywords: migration; higher education; engineering students; brain drain; destination country (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:12:p:4846-:d:371174

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