ERIC Number: EJ1061553
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1839-7387
EISSN: N/A
The Attractiveness of Regional Towns: Inferring Quality of Life from Higher Education Facilities
Drummond, Aaron; Palmer, Matthew A.; Halsey, R. John
Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, v23 n2 p21-30 2013
We examined whether the presence of higher education facilities made regional towns more attractive as potential residences. Metropolitan undergraduate students reported that they were more willing to live in a regional town with (vs. without) a university. Importantly, this applied regardless of whether they intended to work or study at the university. Perceived quality of life--defined as a combination of resident sociability and happiness, and the estimated amount of activities within the town--mediated the effect of university presence on residency likelihood ratings, suggesting that the presence of a university prompted participants to infer a higher quality of life for town residents. These results have implications for policy to counteract out-migration from regional areas, which threatens food security.
Descriptors: Higher Education, Educational Facilities, Quality of Life, Regional Characteristics, Place of Residence, Undergraduate Students, Preferences, Rural Urban Differences, Campuses, Online Surveys, Student Attitudes, Measures (Individuals), Student Surveys, Geographic Location, Foreign Countries, Behavioral Science Research
Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia. P.O. Box 659, Wembly, Western Australia 6913. Tel: +08-9285-0626; e-mail: admin@spera.asn.au; Web site: http://www.spera.asn.au/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A