Lisbon, the Portuguese Erasmus city? Mis-match between representation in urban policies and international student experiences

Abstract

This article looks at the mis-match between official discursive representations aimed at promoting Lisbon, the Portuguese capital city, as an international student hub and international students' experiences. At a theoretical level, our work builds on the idea that re-branding a city's image in terms of creativity, innovation and new technologies with a view to attract international students can foster less positive urban changes linked to gentrification, pushing overseas students away rather than attracting greater numbers. Discussion includes consideration of the success of policies at municipal level that have aimed to use international students as a means to re-brand the city as a centre for creativity and innovation; part of the wider strategy of putting Lisbon on the map as a global learning destination. Analysis includes assessment of publicity materials advertising the city's appeal to international students, juxtaposed with findings from interviews conducted with incoming students at the city's universities during 2020. This material illustrates some of the most prominent contradictions, and arguably, a number of shortcomings, in the city's imagological strategy, particularly in regard to concerns with Lisbon's housing market.

Is the ‘student city’ lost? The rhythms of Lodz as a consumption‐oriented student city through the COVID‐19 pandemic lens

“…First, a ‘student city’ can be viewed as a formula of urban growth grounded in the assumption that a city can attract and host mobile populations of student consumers and capitalise on their local expenditures (França et al, 2021 ). However, the pandemic has already reminded us of an inherent but somewhat forgotten feature of students as an urban population: their transience.…”

“…Simultaneously, cities transformed into nodes of consumption (Jayne, 2006 ; Miles, 2012 ), and some specialised in meeting students' consumer needs and whims. Indeed, students became consumer bases for a wide range of businesses operating in cities, and attracting and hosting students thus became a ‘booster’ of neoliberal urban restructuring (França et al, 2021 ). The significant role that student consumption played in urban growth was expressed by Chatterton ( 2010 ), who coined the term ‘consumption‐oriented student city’.…”

“Looking for a Better Future”: Examining African Portuguese-Speaking Students’ Motivation to Study in Portuguese Higher Education

“…These factors pertain to the appealing aspects of the destination country (Maringe & Carter, 2007). The characteristics of universities, such as their reputation and quality, infrastructure, educational programs, and the market value of their degrees, have been identified as pull factors by various authors (e.g., França et al, 2023;Shkoler & Rabenu, 2023). In choosing a university abroad, its location and proximity to the student's home country are also considered significant factors (Lam et al, 2011).…”

The Platformization of Student Housing and the Rise of Mid‐Term Rentals. The Case of Uniplaces in Lisbon

“…In the marketing of Lisbon, the E&ID has linked higher education facilities with leisure and nightlife and, in this way, to target international students they have made efforts that are indistinguishable from marketing campaigns used to attract young tourists or digital nomads (França et al . 2021). In fact, and as it has been noted in other places (Nakazawa 2017; Kinton et al .…”

“…The 'Lisbon Erasmus City' project further aimed at attracting and retaining international students and researchers, helping them to integrate into the knowledge and entrepreneur urban ecosystem. In the marketing of Lisbon, the E&ID has linked higher education facilities with leisure and nightlife and, in this way, to target international students they have made efforts that are indistinguishable from marketing campaigns used to attract young tourists or digital nomads (França et al 2021). In fact, and as it has been noted in other places (Nakazawa 2017; Kinton et al 2018;Moos et al 2019;Zasina et al 2023), students in Lisbon display consumption patterns that coexist with tourist spaces: central zones, areas close to transportation and leisure clusters (Malet Calvo 2018).…”