The University of Groningen will investigate how young adults who leave the region can be enticed to return.
Rural areas are faced with the departure of some of their young adults, for example due to education, work or their partner. They see that some of the leavers would like to return due to tightness on the labor market and an aging population, the researchers say.
Research is being done into how to maintain contact with young adults who have left and how to entice them to return. The characteristics of the target group are also examined, such as education level, moving behavior, age and the phase of life during departure and return. In addition, existing initiatives in the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark are being mapped and further analyzed.
The research will last four years.