This article examines the migration flows of university-qualified labour (UQL) between cities and hinterland regions in the sparsely populated north of both Australia and Sweden. These peripheries have become increasingly urbanised in recent decades and have received substantial investment in urban higher education hubs that are expected to generate skills for their regions. Whether these skills remain within the few urban centres or are redistributed internally to benefit rural and remote locations is not known. The article identifies the extent to which there have been urban–rural ‘spillover’ or ‘sponge’ effects in UQL migration flows within the north and establishes whether there has been a ‘disconnect’ in the regional exchange of UQL. Drawing on recent Australian census and Swedish register data, the results suggest that ‘spillover’ and ‘sponging’ of UQL have been limited, particularly in Northern Australia where cities appeared quite disconnected from their hinterlands. Spillover was more common in Northern Sweden, but cities with universities targeting regional skill needs did not necessarily generate more net-migration gains for their hinterland. The discussion illustrates why urban–rural human capital relationships in northern peripheries may be more diverse and complex than assumed and flags what policy lessons can be drawn from comparing different northern peripheries.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚和瑞典的北方城市和具有大学资格的劳动力的城乡迁移：溢出效应、海绵效应，还是城市与腹地的地理脱节？

本文考察了澳大利亚和瑞典北部人口稀少的城市和腹地地区之间的大学合格劳动力 (UQL) 的迁移流动。近几十年来，这些周边地区的城市化程度越来越高，并在城市高等教育中心获得了大量投资，这些中心有望为其所在地区培养技能。这些技能是留在少数城市中心还是在内部重新分配以造福农村和偏远地区尚不清楚。这篇文章确定了北部 UQL 迁移流中城乡“溢出”或“海绵”效应的程度，并确定了 UQL 区域交换中是否存在“脱节”。借鉴最近的澳大利亚人口普查和瑞典登记数据，结果表明，UQL 的“溢出”和“海绵化”是有限的，尤其是在澳大利亚北部，那里的城市似乎与其腹地非常脱节。溢出效应在瑞典北部更为常见，但拥有针对区域技能需求的大学的城市并不一定会为其腹地带来更多的净移民收益。讨论说明了为什么北部周边地区的城乡人力资本关系可能比假设的更加多样化和复杂，并指出可以从比较不同的北部周边地区中汲取哪些政策教训。但是，拥有针对区域技能需求的大学的城市并不一定会为其腹地带来更多的净移民收益。讨论说明了为什么北部周边地区的城乡人力资本关系可能比假设的更加多样化和复杂，并指出可以从比较不同的北部周边地区中汲取哪些政策教训。但是，拥有针对区域技能需求的大学的城市并不一定会为其腹地带来更多的净移民收益。讨论说明了为什么北部周边地区的城乡人力资本关系可能比假设的更加多样化和复杂，并指出可以从比较不同的北部周边地区中汲取哪些政策教训。