Migration intentions of academics in Bejaia (Algeria)

Abstract

Like other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Algeria is experiencing a historic outflow of university graduates. Our aim in this article is to give an account of this structural component, particularly student migration. The issue raised is that of the intentions, factors and determinants of migration by Algerian university students and graduates, particularly from the city of Bejaia. To understand the determinants of intention, we choose the quantitative approach because it allows us to measure the most sensitive factors driving the preparation and decision of students to emigrate as a social group. First, we propose a global analysis using data from a recent survey of the Arab Barometer, which contains a module on the migration intentions of higher-level students in this region. Second, at the meso-sociological level, we focus on the case of Algeria, reminding us that the departure of higher-level skills represents a continuum that varies from context to context. Last, we focus on the micro-sociological level, using data from a questionnaire survey administered to a sample of 474 students at the University of Bejaia. The results reveal a planned and pronounced intention to migrate and a departure with multiple determinants and varying destinations.