Is the development of the eastern part of Poland at risk? The role of universities in the absorption of human capital

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The aim of the article was to determine the role of universities in “attracting” human capital to selected geographical areas, as well as to indicate recommendations in the area of university marketing. Assuming that the most important factor in the sustainability of socio-economic development is human capital, it was concluded that the development of Polish regions will depend on the ability of universities to acquire human capital both from within a given voivodeship, and the ability to compete with other academic units for secondary school graduates in the country. The need for competition results directly from demographic changes, which lead to a reduction in the rate of population growth in regions. Spatially, on a theoretical basis, the studied entities will be the capitals of the voivodeships of eastern Poland, i.e. Olsztyn, Białystok, Lublin, Rzeszów. Due to their location, peripherality compared to the EU and Poland, and the level of socio-economic development, they are model examples of areas subject to the loss of human capital. During the work, a review of Polish and foreign-language literature was used to verify the assumption about the essence of higher education among the endogenous factors of regional development. Then, based on statistical studies, including: The Central Statistical Office and the relevant Ministries, the author compared research entities and the local government units in which they are located. Surveys and interviews allowed for the assessment of young people's mobility. It was found that universities play a key role in the absorption of human capital with a relatively high tendency to migrate. Additionally, recommendations were prepared regarding the scope of university promotion to meet the expectations of high school graduates as much as possible.