Panel discussion: How to make UNIC cities more attractive for graduated students and prevent brain drain phenomena

Join on 23rd of March, 15:00-16:30 CET an engaging panel discussion organized by UNIC Oulu in collaboration with UNIC RUB. The aim of this event is to address the topic of attractiveness of post-industrial cities and discuss strategies for preventing the brain drain phenomena. This event offers the opportunity to learn best practices from each other.

Many territories in Europe are experiencing population decline. One of the main reasons for this decline is young and highly-educated people moving to places that offer better work opportunities or a better quality of life. According to the European Commission, the share of EU citizens of working age living in another Member State increased from 2.9% in 2011 to 4.0% in 2020. For those regions, depopulation leads to more rapid aging, in particular rural areas, but not only. Small and middle-sized urban areas and entire countries can be depopulating too. This is also the case in Oulu where according to the City of Oulu, there is a migration loss in a particularly significant, 25–39-year-olds, age group.

High emigration levels of highly skilled workers lead to a brain drain phenomenon. This phenomenon can have detrimental effects on a society's welfare and health systems, and prospects of development. Revitalizing depopulating territories to break the cycle of rapid aging is high on the agenda of many local and national authorities.

UNIC Oulu in collaboration with UNIC RUB is organizing a panel discussion on 23rd of March, 15:00-16:30 CET, to address this challenge. The panel discussion aims to address the topic of attractiveness of post-industrial cities and discuss strategies for preventing the brain drain phenomena. This event offers the opportunity to learn best practices from each other.

This event will bring a diverse panel of experts from Bochum and Oulu, including:

Lisa Methling, consultant for Political Networking and International Affairs - City of Bochum, will share about the “Bochum Strategy” as a concept of preventing the brain drain phenomena, with a focus on knowledge-based company recruitment.
Fabian Hoff, Supporting Start-ups at Bochum Economic Development, will share about the “Bochum Strategy” as a concept of preventing the brain drain phenomena, with a focus on the start-up scene
Helena Louhela, PhD and a post-doctoral researcher at the Gender Studies, University of Oulu, will share about Factors that can further and prevent the brain drain from the perspective of Academic Mobility.
Mari Rautiainen, Head of Talent team in BusinessOulu, will share about the city of Oulu's strategy in preventing the brain drain phenomena and making the city more attractive to graduated students.