YOUTH, MIGRATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

The basic demographic characteristics of one society are tightly related to the youth’s potential as the core for any future social development. The prospects in Balkan countries are jeopardized by low fertility and continued migration which intensified in the last decades. Migration in the past was generated by wars, political instability, and a lack of economic prospects. Today, a vast part of the region is integrated into the EU, and the rest is with clear aspirations to integrate in the near future. However, some open questions as dysfunctional political systems, corruption, not having a rule of law, and economic instability are some of the main reasons for future migration. A significant factor of migration is related to the possibility of continuation of education from high school to university level.

This article is focused on the general motivation for migration in the Balkan countries, with a focus on Macedonian society. Two surveys are presented as an empirical basis for further analyses. The results reflect the general situation in the eastern and central regions of the Republic of N. Macedonia. Longitudinal aspects are included, comparing the data generated in 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2023. Additionally, the official statistics confirm the thesis and create a broader picture of the correlative relations between educational motivation and migration trends.