International student mobility to The Netherlands & Utrecht: A study on the formation of motives and expectations of academic mobility to The Netherlands and the attractiveness of the city of Utrecht among international students

Abstract

This bachelor thesis provides insights into academic student mobility to the Netherlands and the city of Utrecht. It analyses the way motives and expectations of academic mobility to the Netherlands are formed among international students and the reasons behind the choice of these students to study in the city of Utrecht. By combining concepts often used in the literature on international student mobility, like push and pull factors, with concepts that are new to the subject of international student mobility, namely city marketing, this study offers a new approach how to study international academic mobility. Therefore, the aim of this bachelor thesis has therefore not only been to gain more understanding in the situation of international students that come to the Netherlands and the city of Utrecht, but also to extent the literature on international student mobility in general and to the Netherlands in specific. By conducting a qualitative face-to-face questionnaire and an in-depth interview, this study has provide the literature on international academic mobility with new results that provide better insights into the situation of international students. Not only is the overall level of knowledge and awareness students have on the Netherlands important on their motives to undertake academic mobility to the Netherlands, the attractiveness of the Dutch education also plays an important role. These and other findings are essential for the Netherlands and its institutions of higher education (the institutions in the city of Utrecht in particular) to keep attracting international students.