Glasgow ranked first in Scotland for students staying in cities after graduation

More Glasgow students stay on in the city after graduation compared to any other in Scotland.

And Glasgow ranks fifth overall in the UK when it comes to those in higher education sticking around in an area when they've completed their course.

New analysis by the Centre for Cities, a London-based think-tank, found 46 per cent of students in Glasgow choose to remain here after graduation.

Only London, Manchester, Birmingham and Belfast have higher retention rates, reports The Scotsman.

According to the data, about a third of Glasgow graduates already lived in the city when they first started university.

But the number of non-local graduates working here is higher than the amount who have since left to pursue a career elsewhere.

Graduates in the creative arts, computer science and law have been found to be the most likely to stay in the city, with Glasgow School of Art coming out top when it comes to retaining alumni.

The research revealed that just over half of graduates from the art school stayed on, with 65 per cent of those being not originally from Glasgow.

And the proportion of retained graduates from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland who are not from Glasgow was even higher at 71 per cent.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “The findings of this report are pleasing and show Glasgow’s success in retaining our graduates and developing a highly skilled workforce that attracts global companies to locate in the city.

“However, to attract and retain both graduates and major employers, a city needs more than just world-class universities and workforces. It must also have assets such as an attractive lifestyle, competitive living and business costs, and a strong business support network – and this is where Glasgow comes into its own.”

Edinburgh’s retention rate came in at 42 per cent, Aberdeen was slightly higher at 43 per cent and Dundee ranked at just 26 per cent.

The figures were compiled as part of HESA’s latest Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey.

Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said its analysis suggested Glasgow now needed to do more to attract graduates from other parts of the country.

He added: “Glasgow has one of the highest student retention rates in the UK, with almost half of people who study in the city staying for work after graduation."

“While this demonstrates the strength of the city’s economy, more can be done to also attract recent graduates from elsewhere. To do this, the policy makers in Glasgow should prioritise the further expansion of high-skilled job opportunities in the city.”

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