Migration intentions of academics in Bejaia (Algeria)

Abstract

The departure of higher education graduates, including university students, is a reality that significantly impacts the socio-economic development
of countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This migration dynamics, driven by the internationalisation of higher education
and the global job market, presents complex challenges for societies in the Global South. Our contribution proposes a dynamic approach of this reality in the MENA region, with a focus on Algeria. It highlights the dynamics of university leavers’ departures by examining several factors, including migration intentions,
constructed representations, determinants of student trajectories and the resources mobilised. The analysis is divided into three parts. First, we examine the concept of migration intention, proposing an overview and observations of this dynamics in the MENA region. Second, we focus on the ‘waves’ of Algerian graduate departures since Independence, while briefly examining the mapping of higher education and the overall situation of these graduates on the job
market. Finally, using data from our survey of a sample of students at the University of Bejaia (2024), we propose an analysis of migration intentions
either during or at the end of their university curricula.