Samenvatting

Vlissingen is turning into an unattractive student city with an increasing student outflow due to several factors like the ‘Wet Internationalisering in Balans’ (a national policy affecting international education), few educational institutions, limited variety of study programs, limited nightlife and facilities, and limited career opportunities.
Data was collected to answer main research question: ‘How can Vlissingen position itself as an attractive student city and reduce student outflow?’
Two methods were used for this: desk research (literature review) and field research (survey (n = 89) and semi-structured interviews). This is why these methods where chosen and how they were analysed:
• Literature review: to gain more knowledge and insights on the bigger scale of the problem and ensure that the field research builds upon already available knowledge.
o Analysis: using SWOT & PESTLE (qualitative), and a competitive analysis (qualitative and quantitative).
• Survey (n=89): to discover how students perceive Vlissingen, why they chose Vlissingen, and economic and social trends.
o Analysis: using descriptive statistics and the Net Promoter Score (quantitative).
• Interviews: by interviewing students, insights were gained on how they experience the attractiveness of Vlissingen and what factors influence their stay and study choice. An understanding of why students don’t see Vlissingen as an option to study in was gained by interviewing students who moved away from the region.
o Analysis: using thematic analysis (qualitative).

The results of this research reveal several areas where Vlissingen can improve. Students describe the city as boring (n=58), dangerous (n=48), and old (n=23). They say it lacks social energy, especially compared to larger cities. Yet, most students feel safe and calm, which shows a gap between perception and actual feelings. Dutch students often choose Vlissingen because it’s close to home and cheaper, but this also limits their engagement in the student community.
62% of Dutch and 94% of international students say they wouldn’t stay in Vlissingen after graduation. International students face extra challenges with local government processes, poor housing, and a lack of integration support.
There’s also a clear lack of clubs, cafés, and bars, with only 33 students regularly going out. International students (n=15) often don’t know about events, pointing to a big communication gap.
Finally, there is a psychological distance between the Kenniswerf and the city center, limiting student engagement.

To conclude, some key opportunities for Vlissingen to improve are:
• Boost social life
• Communicate better
• Support internationals
• Connect Kenniswerf and the city
They can do this with the following recommendations:
• Student Journey Maps (for national & international students): Visual maps showing student experiences, goals, emotions, and pain points across key phases (awareness to graduation). Based on interviews and surveys (n=89).
• Mission Model Canvas: Created during a collaborative session with multiple departments, identifying pain points and opportunities to position Vlissingen as an attractive student city.
• Optimize the Introduction Week with HZ & Scalda: Organize a municipality-led onboarding session for international students (registration, healthcare, etc.), run a safety session (by BOA), and promote Visit Vlissingen (flyers, website, goodie bags, Kickoff Festival presence).
• Student Ambassadors for Visit Vlissingen: Write blogs on practical tips (registration, transport, etc.) and promote blogs via HZ channels during orientation.
• Improve Kenniswerf–City Route: Add distance signs and install pop-up art by students/local artists.