Abstract:

Internationalization is currently an essential element of higher education. In the coming years, higher education institutions are expected to globalize and, therefore, internationalization as a trend is expected to maintain accelerated growth. One of the most important indicators of internationalization in higher education is student mobility, centered on students going to study outside their country of origin.

In this regard, the case study that characterizes the good practices of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB) focuses on the attraction and retention of foreign students and their respective influence in the region.

The region where the IPB carries out its activity, Bragança and Mirandela, is one of the most depopulated and economically depressed in the country. With the internationalization of the IPB, the institution has become a regional pillar in fighting the consequences of population decline. This strategy aims to temporarily attract students who contribute to the economic maintenance of the region, and also the subsequent retention of qualified labor that is rarely found in the region, contributing to its sustainable development.

Currently, the IPB reached 36% of foreign students, from 65 different nationalities, accounting for 2,926 foreign students, of which 2,320 were enrolled in the IPB and 606 were received in mobility at the institution.

The existence of such a large number of students directly implies an increase in the consumption of essential goods and services, namely accommodation and food, with a relevant impact. In fact, in 2017 it was estimated that the 1,449 foreign students who attended the IPB would spend 12.3 million euros annually. On the other hand, their presence implies a greater need for accommodation and, through agreements with the Municipality of Bragança, student residences for foreigners were created, with a view to revitalizing abandoned areas of the historic center, in an initiative that amounted to 1.5 million euros.

The existence of foreign students also guarantees a cultural plurality, where the different regional actors not only share knowledge, culture and traditions, but also benefit from the adaptation of commerce to the “new demand” with the consequent increase in the availability of goods and services different from the usual ones.

This case is not only presented as a real example of the potential reversal of the consequences of the depopulation of a disadvantaged region, stimulating the existing regional economy and allowing the creation of new businesses, it is also a case of success in the integration of students of various nationalities who share their culture, create networks of knowledge and friendships, which subsequently have a positive effect on political, social, cultural and commercial relations between countries. So that this example can be replicated, it is necessary to verify the interconnection between the students, the educational institution and the community and its leaders, formal and informal. It is vital that everyone recognize the importance of the presence of these students for the region and that they work together to offer the necessary conditions, whether for attraction during the teaching period or for retaining qualified labor after graduation.

Keywords:

Foreign students, regional impact, student integration, cultural plurality, knowledge networks.