Human Capital in the Region

  • Investment in education (human capital) and geographic mobility are both important to match labour market supply and demand and boost labour participation, productivity, innovation and growth in the region. Among many other factors, demographic changes present a constant challenge for employers, schools, local governments and private and public employment services to improve the transition between (vocational) education and the labour market in the region, for instance through intensified cooperation at regional level.

     

    Research topics
    • The relevance of the regional educational infrastructure for the labour market.
    • Policies to combat teacher shortages.
    • Impact of demographic transitions (shrinkage and growth, ageing, migration) on regional labour markets.
    • Regional push and pull factors related to working and living for people in central and peripheral areas.
    • Geographical mobility of workers with different education, gender, experience, age and migration background.
    • Benefits of and barriers to international and cross-border mobility.
    • Employment of vulnerable groups at regional and local level, such as migrants, the low-skilled and the disabled.