How Sub-Saharan African Countries Students Choose Where to Study Abroad: The Case of Benin

Gildas Kadoukpè Magbondé

doi:10.17645/si.v9i1.3647

Abstract

This article provides new evidence on how students choose a country of destination to conduct their academic studies. Based on a multinomial logistic model, it examines the contribution of the quality of education, institutions and the host country’s economic factors to the choice of the destination country. The results indicate that quality education and institutions in the host country are the reasons why students show preference for Western countries—North America and the EU. On the other hand, China is chosen as a destination country for its quality of education—compared to Benin—and not because of its institutional infrastructure. Furthermore, the results do not confirm the hypothesis that African student migration is poverty-driven, as economic factors do not affect the choice of any destination country.

Highlights

The last three decades have witnessed a steady growth in international migrant flows
As migration decision is conditional on the destination and the send countries’ characteristics, we model the choice of the destination country as a function of the student’s socioeconomics characteristics (Pi), the discrimination variable (Dd), the cultural proximity between the host country and Benin (Culi), the economic condition in the destination country (Edi), the institution differential (Idi − Ibi) and the gap in education or the differential in education quality between Benin and a given preferred chosen destination (Eddi − Edbi )
This article has contributed to the debate on the factors that affect the choice of the destination country for studies abroad

Summary

Introduction

The last three decades have witnessed a steady growth in international migrant flows. Between 1995 and 2019, they have grown by 56% and recently, they are estimated to be about 3.5% of the world’s population (International Organization for Migration, 2020). Economic factors such as unemployment, poverty (Mayda, 2010; Migali & Scipioni, 2018; Neumann & Hermans, 2017) and noneconomic factors such as political instability and human rights abuses (Hatton, 2016) are identified as the driving forces behind migrants’ movement. Between 1998 and 2017, international student flows increased from 2 million to 5,3 million (OECD, 2019); African students in countries other than theirs are growing in number (Efionayi & Piguet, 2014; Terrier, 2009). China is an attractive destination to international students due to its recent rapid economic transformation (Cui, 2006)

Methods

Results

Conclusion