University Education and Residential Trends in Iceland

Abstract

This study focuses on the effect of university education on developments relating to people's choice of residence in Iceland. In order to gain answers to the research questions, secondary data were obtained from official sources, trade unions, the data bank of the Social Science Institute, University of Iceland, and by interviewing 20 nursing and business administration graduates in Akureyri and Reykjavík. The conclusions indicate that a university education strongly affects various aspects of regional development. Graduates from the University of Iceland are a great deal likelier to settle in the area of the capital than graduates from the University of Akureyri, and vice versa . University education also has a notable influence on earnings, depending on the constituency in question, and a survey demonstrated that the origin of the persons interviewed and the residence of their parents were highly significant factors concerning the university they selected for study and their choice of residence after graduation. Furthermore, project work undertaken by the interviewees and their professional training during their course of study also had a considerable influence on their choice of employment after they had completed their studies. This is explorative research based on a restricted sample. The project provides important information, but the reader is warned against excessive generalisation based on the conclusions.