Scientific Articles
In this section the MOBI-TWIN related Scientific Articles will be presented upon publication
"The Twin Transition and Flexible Work Arrangements: A Systematic Literature Review" by Luca Alfieri, Ilaria Mariotti, Federica Rossi
Abstract: The primary objective of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review on the interaction between new forms of flexible work arrangements and the twin transition (digital and green). The core concept of the twin transition is to achieve more productive and efficient systems through technological advancements while fostering a more sustainable work environment, production, and society. Flexible work arrangements encompass all possible agreements between employers and employees that differ from traditional full-time work at the employer’s premises. The systematic literature review examines the studies downloaded from the Scopus and Science Direct databases, subsequently applying a rigorous multi-step selection process. The results indicate that literature on the relationship between the twin transition and flexible working arrangements is still in its infancy. Most of the papers are related to (i) the impact of flexible work arrangements on energy consumption, (ii) the need for complex and targeted policies to bring a just societal transition as well as a reorganization of the urban areas. A large part of the selected papers is related to the post-pandemic period, thus demonstrating how COVID-19 has been an accelerator of change. Finally, a large interest in the topic is present in Europe compared to the Anglosphere. Keywords: Flexible work arrangements; Twin transition, remote working, teleworking, hybrid working
The publication can be accessed – here!
Panori, Anastasia, Athanasios Kalogeresis, Elli Papastergiou, Thanasis Ziogas, and Dimitris Ballas. 2025. “Unraveling the Nexus: Subjective Well-Being and Left-Behind Places.” Regional Science Policy & Practice 17 (10): 100222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100222.
Abstract: This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the complex phenomenon of being left behind at the regional level, aiming to connect it with the extensive body of literature on subjective well-being and its various facets. We argue that different types of regional left-behindness—economic, demographic, and infrastructural—have varying impacts on subjective well-being, specifically measured through life satisfaction. These impacts are shaped by regional dynamics that significantly influence individuals’ perspectives. To explore this argument, we utilize data collected from 7083 individuals surveyed across 12 European Union member states at the NUTS3 level, supplemented with regional left-behind typologies. By employing a multi-level analysis framework, incorporating individual and regional-level characteristics, we assess the impact of regional left-behindness on individual life satisfaction. Our findings suggest that not all aspects of left-behindness equally affect life satisfaction. Regions characterized by economic decline, deindustrialization, lack of accessibility, and high poverty rates exhibit a statistically significant negative correlation with life satisfaction. Throughout our analysis, we control for individual characteristics such as gender, age, employment and marital status to mitigate confounding effects. The study provides insights that can inform policy to strategically enhance the appeal of regions and improve the overall level of life satisfaction, in order to retain existing residents or attract newcomers.
Keywords: Left behindness; Life satisfaction; Regional development; Deindustrialization; Accessibility
Väisänen, Tuomas, Milad Malekzadeh, Oula Inkeröinen, and Olle Järv. 2025. "Mobility of Erasmus+ Students in Europe: Geolocated Individual and Aggregate Mobility Flows from 2014 to 2022." Scientific Data 12 (1): 456. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-04789-0
Abstract: Student mobility is a distinct form of human movement. It can indicate the characteristics and attractiveness of regions, which is relevant for governance, policy, and planning. In Europe, the Erasmus+ programme has facilitated the mobility of over two million students between 2014 and 2022, and this individual-level mobility data is openly available. However, the lack of spatial information hinders its use in geographical research. In this article, we present enriched student mobility data by adding spatial information at the Local Administrative Unit (LAU) and Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) 3 regional levels. Using the Photon geocoding service, we converted textual origin and destination locations into spatial data, creating a precise annual-level mobility dataset. The geolocated student mobility dataset contains both individual- and aggregate-level mobility flows between LAU and NUTS 3 spatial units across Europe from 2014 to 2022. We validated the geolocated data through random sampling and manual verification, achieving accuracy scores above 96%. Finally, we provide use cases for the data.
The publication can be accessed – here!
Väisänen, Tuomas, Milad Malekzadeh, and Olle Järv. 2026. "Exploring Finland's Erasmus+ Mobility Flow Dynamics: Potential Opportunities for Regions." Urbaria Summaries Series 2026/1. Helsinki Institute of Urban and Regional Studies (Urbaria). https://www.helsinki.fi/assets/drupal/2026-01/Summary%20Väisänen%20et%20al.pdf.
Abstract: This report analyzes Erasmus+ student mobility flows to and from Finland between 2014 and 2023. It examines how major disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit, have reshaped mobility trends and affected the geographical distribution of students. Findings indicate that while incoming mobility to Finland has largely returned to pre-pandemic levels for most origin countries, outgoing mobility from Finnish students remains significantly lower, stalling at 2014-2015 levels. At the regional level, although Helsinki-Uusimaa continues to dominate in absolute numbers, regions like Etelä-Karjala and Lapland (Lappi) are identified as “rising stars” due to their increasing relative mobility shares and growing geographic diversity of origins. The study concludes that student mobility can serve as a vital tool for regional planning, enabling Finnish regions to mitigate brain drain and attract young talent through targeted strategies.
The publication can be accessed – here!
Panori, Anastasia, Christina Kakderi, Nicos Komninos, Ilaria Mariotti, Federica Maria Rossi, and Luca Alfieri. "A Framework for Analysing Spatial Mobility in the Green and Digital Transition: The MOBI-TWIN Approach." MOBI-TWIN Project Deliverables, 2023. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697726000160?via%3Dihub
Abstract: Regional inequalities in Europe are closely linked to spatial mobility patterns that concentrate human capital and opportunities in metropolitan regions while accelerating decline elsewhere. The ongoing green and digital transitions introduce new drivers of regional attractiveness that may either reinforce or rebalance these patterns. This paper presents the MOBI-TWIN project, which reconceptualises mobility as a societal outcome of changing regional attractiveness under twin transition conditions. MOBI-TWIN introduces a new framework combining individual-level evidence on mobility intentions, values, and digital practices with regional-level indicators capturing economic structures, digital readiness, and environmental conditions across EU regions. Methodologically, the project adopts a multi-layer framework. At the individual level, it analyses how environmental values, and openness to digital work reshape mobility decisions beyond traditional socio-economic determinants. At the regional level, it develops a multidimensional Regional Attractiveness Index integrating traditional, digital, and green dimensions to capture regions’ adaptive capacity and exposure to transition risks. These components are embedded in a harmonised, multi-source dataset that supports comparative analysis and policy-relevant modelling. The results show mobility outcomes depend on regional adaptation, and MOBI-TWIN informs place-based policies for cohesion and socially just green and digital transitions across Europe today. Highlighting that mobility outcomes depend on regional adaptation to the green and digital transitions, MOBI-TWIN aims to inform place-based policies for cohesion and socially just twin transition across Europe.
The publication can be accessed – here!
Royuela, Vicente, Anastasia Panori, and Jordi López-Tamayo. 2026. "The Role of Regional Readiness for Green and Digital Transitions in Shaping Attractiveness: A Composite Index Approach." The Annals of Regional Science 75 (2): 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00168-026-01493-8.
Abstract: This paper investigates how regional attractiveness in the European Union is being reshaped by the ongoing digital and green transitions, framing the analysis within the context of regional readiness. We develop a comprehensive regional attractiveness index that integrates traditional socioeconomic indicators with metrics reflecting the regional availability of digital and green assets. Using data for NUTS2 European regions from 2010 to 2022, we assess the evolving influence of these factors. The results show that while regional attractiveness has generally improved, significant disparities persist between urban and rural areas and among different parts of Europe. Robustness checks using principal component analysis and sensitivity analyses highlight how different weightings of the index dimensions influence regional rankings and spatial inequalities. We also examine how different attractiveness pillars correlate to interregional mobility, revealing that while traditional factors maintain a stronger association with work-related mobility, digital assets act as critical emerging drivers for student flows, while green factors show lower levels of correlation. Our findings underline the importance of a balanced policy approach that supports both digital advancement and green development to strengthen territorial capital and ensure equitable regional growth across Europe.
Keywords: Regional attractiveness; Digital transition; Green transition; Composite index; NUTS2 regions; Territorial inequalities
The publication can be accessed – here!
Panori, Anastasia, Elli Papastergiou, Tuomas Väisänen, Milad Malekzadeh, and Olle Järv. 2026. "Twin Transition Attitudes and Regional Left-Behindness: Unpacking the Drivers of Interregional Migration Intentions." Social Inclusion 14. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.11543.
Abstract: This article investigates how individual attitudes toward the green and digital transitions, collectively referred to as the twin transition, and expressions of regional left-behindness shape EU interregional migration intentions across different life domains. The study disaggregates migration intentions by motive — work, education, quality of life, and retirement — to better understand the interplay between personal values and regional structural conditions. The findings reveal that while traditional socio-demographic characteristics remain strong predictors of work-related migration intentions, green and digital attitudes significantly influence relocation intentions for education and quality-of-life reasons. Notably, individuals with strong green values are more likely to express intentions to move for quality-of-life reasons. Rural areas are aligned with ecological lifestyles, whereas digital attitudes correlate with urban settlement preferences and, for retirees, confidence in relocating to digitally connected rural regions. Expressions of regional left-behindness, such as economic decline, demographic ageing, and weak connectivity, act as structural push factors that differentially affect migration intentions. The analysis suggests that twin transition values function as behavioural primers which, combined with structural push or pull factors, guide individual intentions and reveal how unequal capacities to adapt to digital and green transitions shape migration intentions.
Keywords: Twin transition; Green attitudes; Digital attitudes; Left-behindness; Interregional migration; Migration intentions; EU regions
The publication can be accessed – here!
Panori, Anastasia, and Christina D. Mikropoulou. 2025. "Green Attitudes and Interregional Migration Intentions: Evidence from the EU." Papers in Regional Science.
Abstract: This paper investigates how pro-environmental preferences interact with structural regional conditions in shaping interregional migration intentions across EU regions. Survey-based individual data are combined with regional indicators in multinomial logit models of short- and long-term migration intentions. Results indicate that pro-environmental preferences are positively and consistently associated with migration intentions, with the strongest effects observed in the highest category across both intention horizons. Regional conditions, measured through the Regional Green Transition Vulnerability (RGTV) index and the Regional Attractiveness Index (tr-RAI), also exert significant influence. Interaction effects suggest that environmentally conscious individuals are more responsive to transition vulnerabilities when forming migration intentions, although these effects differ between short- and long-term horizons. By jointly incorporating attitudinal and structural dimensions, the analysis contributes to understanding how environmental values and regional green transition readiness jointly shape spatial mobility decisions within the EU.
Keywords: Green attitudes; Pro-environmental preferences; Interregional migration; Green transition vulnerability; Regional attractiveness; EU regions
The publication can be accessed – here!
Malekzadeh, Milad, et al. "How Regional Characteristics Drive Various Human Mobility Types across Europe." Nature Communications (Forthcoming).
The publication is currently under review and will be made available upon publication.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement no. 101094402
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