ΑΕΙ και περιφερειακή ανάπτυξη: η περίπτωση του ΤΕΙ Δυτικής Μακεδονίας

The Institutions of higher education contribute in social, cultural and economic growth of the regions in which they are located. Local society however in Greece is interested mainly for the existence of a higher education institution in its region as a pole of attraction of students that stimulate the income of various sectors of economic activity. The paper focuses on the examination of the effects of student expenditure on the regional produced product and more specifically the effect of the existence of the TEI of Western Macedonia on the GDP of the Prefectures of the Region of Western Macedonia was examined. It was found that the indirect contribution of TEI in the economy of the region is roughly 30% of the direct contribution, or the total increase of regional GDP from the student expenditure is 30% higher than the direct and observed contribution. The highest total contribution of TEI (direct and indirect) in the GDP, is in the Prefecture of Kozani, amounting to 6,35% of the total produced product and follows the Prefecture of Kastoria with 5,16%, the Prefecture of Florina with 3,42% and finally the Prefecture of Grevena with 1,75%, while the contribution of TEI in the Region as total amounts to 5,21%. The highest effect on the economic activity of the Region of Western Macedonia is on the sector of real estate rentals, while the sectors of hotels and restaurants, foods, drinks and tobacco and transports follow. The sectors that are influenced least by the existence of TEI are mines, forestry, livestock-farming, the sectors of various cultivations and fishery