Thousands of students leave home every year to study outside of their local towns and cities. However, Northern Ireland is an outlier amongst other areas in Great Britain (GB) as it has a troubling combination of high levels of students leaving to study elsewhere and a low number of incoming students. In 2019, there were over 17,000 students from Northern Ireland studying in GB. During the same period, just over 3,000 students from GB were studying in Northern Ireland.
Student movement from Northern Ireland is concentrated in specific areas of GB including the North West and North East of England. The North West of England is an attractive area for students due to relatively low rental costs, cultural and sporting offerings and a vibrant student community. Over 5,000 students from Northern Ireland were studying in the North West in 2018/2019, representing nearly a third of overall NI migrants in GB. Once a student leaves for study outside of Northern Ireland, they are at risk of not returning after graduation.
A new think tank in Northern Ireland wishes to better understand the impact of educational migration or ‘brain drain’. Pivotal is a forward thinking independent think tank that aims to promote discussion and debate about the future in Northern Ireland. The organisation wishes to develop evidence-based policies to influence positive change in Northern Ireland to address ongoing difficulties with low economic activity, innovation and productivity.
Pivotal have launched an online survey for students from Northern Ireland studying in GB to better understand the reasons for the brain drain. Northern Ireland faces a high risk of losing talented professionals to contribute to economic and social change at home. Whilst students leaving to study outside of their hometown is common across GB, Northern Ireland is an outlier amongst the devolved nations as it does not attract large numbers of incoming students to compensate for those who leave. Northern Ireland also suffers from a poor return rate of students following graduation from universities in GB, with up to 64% of students failing to return home for employment 6 months after graduation.
Participation in higher education has significantly increased during the past twenty years and demand for university places in Northern Ireland outstrips supply. Research by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) indicated that for every 100 home applicants to university, there are only 60 available places in Northern Ireland, compared to 120 places in England.
Motivations for leaving Northern Ireland vary greatly but researchers have described two notional categories of educational migrants; determined and reluctant leavers. Determined leavers include young people who wish to leave Northern Ireland for personal or career development. There may be less influence on change for these young people who tend to be attracted to highly selective universities in GB. However, reluctant leavers may feel forced to leave Northern Ireland due to reduced university places and/or some programmes having higher entry-level grades compared to some universities in GB.
Social connections with friends and family may both encourage and prevent educational migration. Young people with strong family connections in Northern Ireland may be reluctant to leave home, particularly those with caring responsibilities. Those who leave Northern Ireland to study elsewhere are twice as likely to have friends who have left Northern Ireland. Areas like the North West of England have developed self-sustaining flows of migrants, leading to a sense of a ‘home away from home’ for migrating students.
Northern Ireland has low levels of economic productivity and innovation which may lead some students to feel that GB offers better career opportunities. Students may be attracted to the diverse range of placement and subsequent graduate opportunities offered outside of Northern Ireland. This may be particularly relevant in areas such as the North West of England which has a relatively high density of graduate employers and post-graduate training opportunities.
A graduate workforce is essential for economic growth, particularly within the context of the pandemic. Despite the evidenced benefits of a graduate workforce and the skills imbalances that exists in Northern Ireland, there is a lack of any policy action from the Northern Ireland Executive to address educational migration.
The conflict in Northern Ireland historically acted as a significant ‘push’ factor for individuals to seek opportunities in GB and further afield. At the peak of the conflict, thousands of people left Northern Ireland, many of which did not return. Those who established new lives outside of Northern Ireland often developed strong communities which helped support the settlement of incoming migrants.
The current cohort of students in 2021 are likely to have been born after ‘The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement’ and during a period of relative peace. Nevertheless, recent violence within Northern Ireland may be a reflection of underlying and unresolved community tensions. Northern Ireland continues to have high levels of segregation based on religious and political beliefs within education, housing and social life. Government shutdowns, political and social instability since the peace process may have led some young people to feel disenfranchised with the possibility of change.
Pivotal wishes to explore five key questions with students from Northern Ireland:
- What motivates students to leave and not return?
- Should higher education policy place a greater emphasis on retaining and regaining talent in Northern Ireland?
- Would a stronger economy and graduate jobs encourage better student retention and/or return rate to Northern Ireland?
- How do regional inequalities in Northern Ireland influence educational migration?
Students from Northern Ireland studying in GB can take part in the 2-3 minute survey by clicking on the link here: https://bit.ly/2PeIoDX
Words: Dr Ben Harper, Pivotal Research Manager
