Abstract

In recent years, the exodus of qualified young people from southern Italy has dramatically accelerated. This phenomenon cannot be underestimated and requires constant monitoring by scholars and policymakers to prevent the impoverishment of human resources in the most affected territories. Previous studies have shown that economic factors, such as greater per capita income and job opportunities in other places compared to the territory of origin, positively influence the mobility of skilled workers. Other research has highlighted that a better standard of living and more efficient public services in other places, compared to the territory of origin, encourage this phenomenon. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the role played by economic and qualitative variables in the mobility of university students in Italy, with particular attention to the southern provinces. The results obtained demonstrate that economic factors, such as youth employment rate, should be taken into consideration to explain the exodus of human capital from the provinces of origin. However, qualitative factors, such as the quality of universities, quality of life and institutions play a key role in encouraging this phenomenon. This leads to important policy implications for stemming the impoverishment of human and social capital from the Italian provinces of origin and addressing the current gap between the North and South of Italy