Donato Iacobucci, Daniele Bregoli (p)

Marco Ciro Liscio

The EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR) was set-up in 2014 as a policy framework aimed at fostering economic integration and regional cooperation between its member countries. In this context, Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) play a pivotal role in enhancing economic integration and competitiveness thus promoting economic growth. FDIs contribute directly to the strategic goals of the EUSAIR region facilitating among other aspects capital flows, technology and innovation transfer, and job creation. Despite these expected benefits, the dynamics of FDIs across the region remain underexplored, particularly regarding their evolution since the establishment of the EUSAIR. More precisely, it appears overlooked whether the integration mechanisms promoted by EUSAIR have effectively contributed to increasing or stabilizing FDI flows across its member countries. To address this, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of inward and outward FDI positions across 10 EUSAIR countries from 2009 to 2024. The dataset covers a period long enough to capture both pre- and post-EUSAIR trends, with 2014 serving as a key milestone for assessing its potential impact. Our methodology includes tracking shifts in FDI flows to identify patterns of growth or stagnation, and analysing country-specific performance within the regional landscape.
Preliminary results suggest varying degrees of FDI development, with some countries exhibiting substantial growth in both inward and outward investments, while others have lagged, reflecting persistent structural barriers. Cross-country comparisons highlight factors such a country's business environment and how stable or supportive its institutions are. This research underscores the importance of addressing investment disparities within the region to ensure that the benefits of integration are broadly shared. This immediately connects to the need to enhance institutional support, and improving the ease of doing business together with strengthening cooperation mechanisms to create a more balanced and resilient investment panorama. By doing so, EUSAIR can better serve its mission of fostering long-term regional cohesion and prosperity through sustainable economic development and integration.

Martina Giurato, Marco Ciro Liscio (p), Paolo Sospiro, Jenny Pange

Paolo Sospiro

Over the last 20 years, universities have become significant regional actors, taking on an important role in helping to develop the regions in which they are located. The attractiveness of universities to international students extends beyond academic prestige; it represents a catalyst for economic and social growth in host regions. International students bring valuable human capital, enriching cultural diversity and fostering innovation.
Attracting global talents at both national and regional levels has become a vital component in driving innovation and economic growth across the European Union. This highlights the importance of adopting a comprehensive and strategic framework for talent management policies to effectively address these multifaceted challenges. Even if the number of foreign students has increased over the years, there Is a lack of disaggregated data at the university level regarding students from third countries.
Aligned with the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), this research investigates the attractiveness of universities within the UNI ADRION consortium. The study focuses on the number of non-national students, internationalisation strategies, agreements, and challenges faced by universities in the 10 EUSAIR countries. To achieve this, a mixed-methods approach has been adopted. Structured questionnaires have been distributed to all universities in the UNI ADRION consortium to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. We have performed a web scraping of the selected universities' websites, looking for potential correlations between the frequency and usage of specific words or combination of words and the university’s level of attractiveness and internationalization. Finally, the collected data have been subjected to various quantitative analyses to derive meaningful patterns and conclusions. The research results highlight insights into regional differences, best practices, and actionable recommendations for improving the attractiveness of universities in the Adriatic-Ionian Region.

Daniele Bregoli, Marco Ciro Liscio, Paolo Sospiro (p), Giacomo Arena, Ricardo Ferreira

Daniele Bregoli

Interregional trade and economic integration play a crucial role in shaping regional economic development and cross-border cooperation. This study focuses on estimating trade flows between NUTS II regions in Portugal and Spain, contributing to a deeper understanding of regional trade dynamics and the economic impact of the Iberian border. Despite the growing body of literature on gravity models for trade estimation, a significant data gap persists in interregional trade statistics, particularly for the Iberian Peninsula. The primary challenge lies in the absence of a comprehensive dataset covering regional trade flows resulting in an overview of intraregional economic integration, necessitating an estimation approach based on transport data and economic indicators.
This research employs a double-constrained gravity model, following Ferreira (2008), to allocate total regional trade flows based on GDP, distance, and export-import constraints. The methodology integrates transport flow statistics, GDP data, and a hybrid classification system to ensure compatibility between trade and transport sector classifications. Additionally, a bi-proportional adjusting algorithm (RAS methodology) is applied to refine the initial estimates and maintain consistency with historical data. Data sources include national and international transport datasets, official trade statistics, and sectoral classifications from both Portugal and Spain.
Preliminary findings indicate that interregional trade flows are heavily influenced by geographical proximity, economic specialization, and border effects, with distinct sectoral variations. The study identifies potential challenges in integrating transport-based trade proxies with official trade data, particularly due to missing historical records and inconsistencies across classification systems. The results provide insights into the effectiveness of gravity models for regional trade estimation and highlight the necessity for improved data collection practices. Future research will focus on refining the model calibration, addressing methodological uncertainties in the RAS adjustment, and assessing the long-term implications of Iberian economic integration.