Do diverse degree courses matter for university attractiveness?

Bianca Biagi (), Laura Ciucci, Claudio Detotto and Manuela Pulina

The Annals of Regional Science, 2024, vol. 72, issue 4, No 6, 1189-1229

Abstract: Abstract The present paper focuses on an unexplored line of research in Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) studies: the role of programmatic diversity on university attractiveness. Specifically, it highlights the role of diversification and divergence of the degree courses as a lever to attract more freshers. Diversification measures the range of the offered degree courses, while divergence indicates how the mix differs from the national standard. The work addresses the following three research questions: (1) are diversification and divergence beneficial to universities in attracting more freshers? Do these effects change with (2) the internal characteristics and (3) the external characteristics of universities? To this aim, the paper explores a panel data set of 75 Italian universities between 2012–2019. Overall, the findings indicate that programmatic diversity is beneficial but with specific differences according to size, research quality and the location of the HEIs. Furthermore, the proximity to other competitors plays an important role.

JEL-codes: C23 I21 I23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s00168-023-01240-3

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