A Study on University Students' Willingness for Local Employment and Its Influencing Factors from the Perspective of University-City Integration

Abstract

In the context of the deepening integration of higher education and urban development, university-city integration has emerged as a core pathway for promoting regional talent optimization and innovation enhancement. Based on the perspective of university-city integration, this study systematically analyzes the theoretical foundations, current characteristics, and influencing factors of university students' willingness to pursue local employment, constructing a three-dimensional analytical framework encompassing “university–city–individual.” The findings reveal that university-city integration influences students' employment decisions through dual mechanisms of resource integration and matching, as well as environmental shaping and guidance. Moreover, employment willingness exhibits structural differences and dynamic evolutionary characteristics among students from different types of universities and disciplinary backgrounds. Key variables influencing employment willingness include the alignment between academic programs and industrial demands, urban economic and cultural environments, personal career planning, and family support. This study provides academic support for deepening theoretical development and advancing practical implementation of university-city integration.