More than half of university students in Edinburgh plan to stay in capital after graduating

More than half of university graduates in Edinburgh plan to stay in the capital beyond their studies, giving it the highest retention rate of any UK city outside of London, new research suggests.

Working with Ucas for its 2021 student accommodation survey, commercial property consultancy Knight Frank found that 53 per cent of Edinburgh’s students intend to stay put after graduating.

Working with Ucas for its 2021 student accommodation survey, commercial property consultancy Knight Frank found that 53 per cent of Edinburgh’s students intend to stay put after graduating.

That put the city’s retention rate well ahead of other major UK cities. Only London scored higher, at 67 per cent.

The research ties in with previous findings by Knight Frank. Last year, the firm’s “Active Capital” report highlighted Edinburgh as a global hub for innovation – ahead of other European capitals such as Amsterdam, Oslo, and Brussels – while another of its studies found the city to be among the world’s top 20 for wellbeing.

Simon Capaldi, partner at Knight Frank Edinburgh, said: “There have been a variety of reports released in recent years that have talked about the many qualities that Edinburgh has to offer. It is great to see that followed up in the intentions of university graduates, who can see the city as a great place to launch their careers and realise their ambitions.

“The growing prominence of the tech sector is no doubt a big part of the reason for this trend. These companies are growing and, increasingly, they are working at the cutting edge of research to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges – whether through the development of new health treatments or technology that supports the fight against climate change.

“From Edinburgh, highly skilled people can make a positive impact on the world, which studies suggest is becoming more important to them than ever.”

He added: “Businesses in the city, therefore, need to think about how they can align their offering and offices to what today’s graduates are looking for. In many cases, that will mean an emphasis on flexibility, the sustainability of their operations, and opportunities for development.

“In that respect, their property will have a central role to play as a reflection of that culture and a place for staff to work with and learn from their teams.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription: www.scotsman.com/subscriptions