Toumanidou, Vasiliki (2020) Student migration from Greece to the UK: a life course perspective. PhD thesis, University of Leeds.
Abstract
This doctoral study examines taught postgraduate students’ migration from Greece to the UK in times of economic recession in Greece and ahead of the UK leaving from the European Union (Brexit). Drawing on secondary data analysis and a series of individual semi-structured interviews with 31 taught postgraduate students from Greece, seven staff members in UK higher education institutions and two education agents, this project traces the patterns and trends of student migration flows over time and investigates various under-evidenced aspects of this phenomenon. Unlike previous studies that have explored educational migration as a ‘one-off’ migration event, often through instrumental approaches, this project has examined it from a life course perspective, offering deep insights into students’ migration and educational aspirations, decision-making, experiences and post-study plans. The evidence raises important questions about the complex nature of student migration and indicates that it cannot be approached disconnected from other forms of migration. Students perceive their educational migration as a key stage in their lives, grounded in life course aspirations. Their migration has been driven by several socio-economic, career-related and socio-cultural motivations, and multiple structural and contextual factors have influenced their migration aspirations, decision-making, experiences and post-study plans. Apart from viewing it as an opportunity for self-discovery, self-growth and a path to independence and autonomy, the students primarily perceive their migration as the first stage in a broad emigration project. Under the current changing political, socio-economic and labour market circumstances, they deploy multiple capital accumulation strategies in an attempt to secure employment and, more broadly, a better future. The study does not only enrich literature on the under-researched area of Greek student migration and, generally, intra-European student migration, but also contributes to growing debates on the relationship between student migration and the increasing Southern to Northern European emigration flows of tertiary-educated young people.
Metadata
Supervisors: | Irwin, Sarah and Elley, Sharon |
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Keywords: | Student migration,taught postgraduate students, Greece, UK, life course, aspirations, decision-making, experiences, post-study plans |
Awarding institution: | University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law (Leeds) > School of Sociology and Social Policy (Leeds) |
Identification Number/EthosID: | uk.bl.ethos.816886 |
Depositing User: | Miss Vasiliki Toumanidou |
Date Deposited: | 03 Nov 2020 10:47 |
Last Modified: | 11 Jan 2022 10:54 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:etheses.whiterose.ac.uk:27839 |
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