Fachkräftebindung an die Region Schmalkalden-Meiningen: Gründe von internationalen und deutschen Masterstudierenden, in der Region zu bleiben

Abstract

Achieving a high student retention is an important component for a successful policy in higher education and goes hand in hand with the efforts to counteract the migration of graduates to foreign countries or distant regions. The aim of this master thesis is to explore the reasons and intentions of master students at Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences for moving away or staying after graduation. To this end, the following research question is posed: What could motivate students of the Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences who are not from the region to stay or what speaks against staying in the region from their point of view? Grounded theory serves as a methodological basis to explore the phenomenon 'factors for staying' and to propose appropriate and effective measures to the low student retention rate registered at Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences. The ethnographic study conducted in February 2022 with two German and two international master students at Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences constitutes the basis for this study. The results of the transcriptions have detected that an increased (intercultural) openness of the local population and a favourable regional job market would significantly increase the student retention rate in South Thuringia.