Research on Spatial Migration Patterns and Influencing Factors of Western Talents: Based on Data from "Double first-class" Universities in China

Abstract

The western region's talent loss issue has received widespread attention. Promoting the construction of human resources in the west has become key to forming an important high-quality development pole in western China. This study analyzes the graduate migration data of first-class universities in western China between 2016 and 2020 and draws the following conclusions: Overall, the retention rate of college graduates in western China across seven provinces is high, with a relatively higher retention rate observed in the place of study in four southwestern provinces. The retention rate of different provinces' place of study showed different trends during the period of 2016-2020, and the retention rate of different provinces also showed different trends during the same period. In 2020, western college graduates continued to show a preference for employment in popular provinces such as Guangdong, Beijing, and Shanghai, while they showed a greater inclination towards choosing employment opportunities in the South and Central regions of China. The results based on the directed migration model show that economic factors and natural and educational resources in a city have a greater impact on employment decisions. Analysis of heterogeneity found that graduates from areas with a high sticking rate are more susceptible to population size, human resources, and economic factors, and that cultural resources and transportation resources also have a significant impact on talent migration. Policy recommendations include western provinces taking higher education as a key factor to utilizing employment retention advantages to attract and retain high-quality talents.