Human capital accumulation and migration in a peripheral EU region : the case of Basilicata

Abstract

The ability of a regional system to generate human capital is crucial, but it is not a sufficient condition leading to economic success. In this work we emphasise the importance of maintaining and attracting highly skilled and educated individuals and the challenges that migration flows pose on policymaking aimed at fostering human capital accumulation in peripheral regions. We employ a unique data set generated through a postal survey designed and conducted by the authors. The focus of our analysis is on the micro-level location decisions of a sample of highly educated and skilled individuals residing in Basilicata, a small Italian Mezzogiorno region, who have benefited from a locally funded human capital investment policy.