Student Mobility Flows in a Greek Regional University: Spatial Interactions and Social Dynamics as Leaders for the Place of Study Decision Making

Abstract This paper will focus on presenting and analyzing student flows in the direction of a Greek regional university. The major objective is to interpret the place-of-study decision-making process based on students’ spatial, economic, and social perceptions. This is a topic of pivotal importance in social demography as it involves population mobility issues and how students are integrated into the society, the socio-spatial impact this has on them, and the influence they have on local societies. This study used a mixed methods approach based on 1834 first-year students at the University of Thessaly. For the analysis, a range of tools was used, such as flow matrix analyses, thematic cartography, principal component analyses, and hierarchical classification. Key findings illustrated that students make location-based decisions regarding their place of study. Furthermore, to a lesser extent, their perceptions of the economic crisis and attitudes toward student life are involved. This indicates the impact of the economic crisis on household budgets. It was further concluded that not all university cities attract the same profile of students. In specific locations, students lean toward studying at their home university or close to their family residence, meaning student commuting has become a new type of mobility in Greece.