University pathways of urban and rural migration in Iceland

• Published in: Journal of Rural Studies
• Main Authors: Bjarnason, Thoroddur, Edvardsson, Ingi Runar
• Other Authors: Félagsvísinda- og lagadeild (HA), Faculty of Social Sciences and Law (UA), Viðskiptafræðideild (HÍ), Faculty of Business Administration (UI), Hug- og félagsvísindasvið (HA), School of Humanities and Social Sciences (UA), Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ), School of Social Sciences (UI), Háskólinn á Akureyri, University of Akureyri, Háskóli Íslands, University of Iceland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier BV 2017
• Subjects: Universities; Distance education; Migration; Mobility; Iceland; Háskólar; Fjarnám; Búferlaflutningar; Akureyri; Reykjavík; University of Akureyri
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/1073; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.07.001

Low levels of education have serious social, economic and cultural ramifications in rural areas. In many countries, regional universities have explicitly been built to educate the local population, create professional jobs and stimulate innovation. More recently, distance education has been developed to provide university education in rural regions and diminish brain drain towards urban centres. In this study, the pathways of Icelandic university graduates are traced from place of origin to residence five years after graduation. An overwhelming majority of local students at the national University of Iceland (UI) remain in the Reykjavík Capital Area after graduation, while others mostly emigrate abroad. Only about one in three UI students from regions beyond commuting distance return after graduation, while about half remain in the capital area and others mostly emigrate. The regional University of Akureyri (UNAK) in Northern Iceland is relatively successful in retaining graduates from North Central region, but on-campus students from regions beyond commuting distance from UNAK are no more likely to return after graduation than their UI counterparts. In sharp contrast, about three in four UNAK distance students remain in their region of origin after graduation. While regional universities may primarily strengthen regional centres, distance education has the potential to enhance educational levels in more distant exurban, micropolitan and rural areas. This work was supported by the Icelandic Rural Research Fund. The contribution of Ingolfur Arnarson, Kolbrun Osk Baldursdottir and Skuli Skulason in the collection of data and formulation of the research project is gratefully acknowledged. Peer Reviewed