The international mobility of portuguese and spanish higher education students the mutual attraction of two neighbouring countries

Abstract

A growing number of Social Sciences researchers have focused their attention on the role of international student mobility between member states of the European Union because improving student mobility is a core goal of the European Higher Education Area and a major policy priority in the EU’s agenda. In the words of the European Council, it is “one of the fundamental ways in which young people can strengthen their future employability, as well as their intercultural awareness, personal development, creativity and active citizenship” (Council Recommendation of 28 June 2011). Keeping in mind these ideas, the aim of this presentation is to analyse a geographical regional context of higher education students’ mobility within Europe, depicted by two neighbouring countries: Portugal and Spain. To reach this goal, the next questions will be addressed: What is the predominant type of mobility and cycle of studies among students in the educational flows between Portugal and Spain? Which flows are numerically more relevant in absolute terms and in relation to the university population of both countries? Which universities are the most attractive for these students? Can this talent mobility be the prelude to labour or professional migrations? Are university students only ‘birds of passage’ given the difficulties of skilled employment in these two countries? The sources to develop this research were compiled through the educational information statistical systems of the respective countries: “Registo de Alunos Inscritos e Diplomados do Ensino Superior”, published by the Portuguese Directorate General for Education and Science Statistics and “Estadísticas e Informes Universitarios del Sistema Integrado de Información Universitaria (SIIU)” published by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. These data allow us to develop a quantitative methodology to unveil the recent trends of the evolving mutual relationships of Portugal and Spain through the mobility of higher education students.