A recent news article focused on the UNU-MERIT Master’s thesis ‘Competition for Talent: Retaining Graduates in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine’ by Julia Reinold.
The article looked at the advantages and disadvantages of living in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR): the tri-national crossroads between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Considering graduate migration and personal experiences, it examined the many efforts made to reduce border barriers by the Foundation Euregio Meuse-Rhine, now in its 40th year of operation, and ITEM, a new institute at Maastricht University.
The thesis and a forthcoming academic article by Julia Reinold and Dr. Melissa Siegel, among others, used survey data from five universities in the Euregio (Maastricht University, Zuyd Hogeschool, University of Hasselt, RWTH Aachen and FH Aachen). According to the survey, graduates decide to migrate based on social, cultural and economic factors, but graduates born in the region are, overall, more likely to stay. However, people who choose their residency based on quality of life are more likely to leave. In turn, this suggests that border barriers have an impact on quality of life in the region.
Although many things have improved since the launch of the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, people still desire and demand more, says Reinold. This justifies projects that aim to improve the quality of life in border regions, including the INTERREG programme. For more details, read the article in the Aachener Zeitung (in German).
MEDIA CREDITS
UNU / H.Pijpers