- Link to the scientific article: Ballarino G., Filippin A., Abbiati G., Argentin G., Barone C., Schizzerotto A. The effects of an information beyond university enrolment: A large-scale field experiment on the choices of high school students. Economics of Education Review. 91. 10.1016/j.econedurev.2022.102308. (2022)

Among the richest countries in the world, on average, one in four students enroll in humanities. In Italy, almost one in two. But the job market is the same.

The project «Family background, beliefs about education and participation in Higher Education» funded by the Italian Ministry of University, involved researchers from 4 universities (Trento, Milan, Bologna, and Salerno) during s.y. 2013-14.

The experiment aimed at "manipulating" the beliefs of students about to finish high school, providing them with evidence-based information concerning the costs of higher education, its labor market benefits (compared to those of an upper secondary graduate), and the probability not to drop out once enrolled.

Gabriele Ballarino, professor of Economic and Organizational Sociology at Statale University in Milan, told us what happened.

In 5 minutes, with Giulia Riva and interviews by NaspRead!