Around 40-percent of Slovak high school graduates who studied abroad between 2012 and 2015 had returned to Slovakia by 2022, according to a new analysis by the Institute for Educational Policy.
The study found that only about a third of the most successful graduates return, with even lower return rates among IT graduates. Those who do come back earn up to 9-percent more than peers who studied domestically.
Experts warn the low return rate impacts Slovakia’s economy. Increasing the return rate to 75-percent for one graduate cohort could bring an estimated 72 million euros over 20 years.
State Secretary Róbert Zsembera (Hlas-SD) highlighted new laws and support programs aimed at making studying in Slovakia more attractive, including scholarships and improved university infrastructure.
Source: TASR
