Bringing university students to rural areas is effective. However, getting them to decide to stay is significantly more challenging. This is one of the main conclusions drawn from a study conducted by the DPZ Chair on Depopulation and Creativity at the University of Zaragoza, which analyzed various university internship programs developed in small municipalities and the perceptions these experiences leave among both the students and the host entities.
The results show a very high valuation of the experience. University students rate it an average of 8.98 out of 10, while the participating entities raise the score to 9.30. Among the aspects most positively regarded by students are the welcome they received, rated at 9.12, and the personal and professional ties created during their stay, rated at 8.95. The rural municipalities themselves also achieve a score of 8.02 as attractive places to live.
However, a positive experience does not guarantee a sense of belonging. The report identifies a considerable gap between the positive perception young people have of the territory and the conditions they find for subsequently developing their professional and personal projects there. Job opportunities receive a score of 6.74, and the main deficiencies emerge in areas such as internet access, services, housing, shops, infrastructure, and the ability to connect with people of similar ages.
The study is based on 700 responses from students and 540 from participating entities in various programs, including Desafío, Arraigo, Campus Rural, UCLM Rural, Odisseu, Raíces/Sustraiak, Talent Rural, and Impuls Rural. While it pays special attention to experiences developed at the University of Zaragoza, the analysis reveals a phenomenon that recurs in different territories: internships break down prejudices about life in villages and uncover unknown opportunities, but they have a limited capacity to transform that initial contact into permanent residency.
The gap between wanting to stay and being able to hire
One of the most significant data points arises when comparing the expectations of university students to the possibilities of the organizations that host them. The interest of students in continuing to work at the entity where they completed their internship reaches a score of 7.20 out of 10. The willingness of those same entities to subsequently offer a temporary contract drops to 6.02 and falls to 5.11 when asked about a permanent position.
This difference does not necessarily stem from a lack of interest in retaining young talent. A significant portion of the internships takes place in municipalities, LEADER groups, health centers, and other public organizations or those linked to the territory, which face administrative or budgetary constraints in hiring new employees. Additionally, many businesses in these municipalities are smaller and lack the financial capacity to create stable, qualified positions.
This issue is particularly relevant because it affects two needs that should ostensibly complement each other. Many rural areas struggle to find specific professional profiles, while numerous university students are unaware of the job opportunities available outside urban centers. Internship programs can connect both parties, but that encounter only leads to a sense of belonging when a sufficiently attractive professional opportunity exists afterward.
The report also identifies a difference in perception between those already living in the villages and newcomers. Local entities rate aspects such as connectivity, housing, services, and infrastructure more favorably than students do. This gap suggests that those settled in the territory may not perceive some of the barriers that a newcomer contemplating relocation might face with the same intensity.
A model born in Zaragoza and extended to other regions
The programs known as rural Erasmus began to develop in Zaragoza in 2018 and later expanded to Huesca and Teruel, replicating in areas such as Castellón, Alicante, and Navarra. This model also served as a reference for the launch of the Campus Rural program by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
In the case of initiatives funded by the Zaragoza Provincial Council, about 10% of participants have found employment in a municipality within the province after completing their internships, although there is insufficient information to determine how many continue to reside in those locations today.
This figure allows for an assessment of the program without attributing to it a capacity it does not possess. Rural Erasmus can facilitate the initial contact between qualified young people and municipalities that need population and talent, improve the image of rural areas, and generate personal and professional relationships that would unlikely arise otherwise. However, the decision to stay depends on factors that go far beyond a positive experience over a few months.
The study itself notes this as one of its main conclusions. If the goal is to turn initial attraction into a sense of belonging, university internships need to be part of a broader strategy that addresses employment, housing, connectivity, and services. The challenge of depopulation is not only about getting young people to become acquainted with rural areas but also about creating conditions so that those who discover they might like to live there find sufficient professional and personal reasons to do so.
