Attitudes of students of University of Zagreb towards revitalization potentials of Croatian peripheral karst areas

Abstract

Temeljni predmet istraživanja stavovi su studenata Sveučilišta u Zagrebu o razvojnim potencijalima perifernih krških krajeva Hrvatske. Provedeno je anketno istraživanje na uzorku od 490 studenata, kojim je ispitivana je voljnost studenata za nastavkom života u tim krajevima, kao i veza između iskazane voljnosti i njihove osobne povezanosti s tim krajevima rođenjem ili porijeklom. Također, identificirane su gospodarske djelatnosti i nositelji razvoja koje studenti smatraju ključnima u procesu revitalizacije problemskih krških područja. Naposljetku su analizirana predviđanja studenata vezana uz budući razvoj perifernih krških krajeva. Rezultati ukazuju na nisku razinu voljnosti studenata za nastavkom života u navedenim područjima. Kao gospodarske djelatnosti ključne u pokušaju revitalizacije studenti su izdvojili ruralni turizam i ekološku poljoprivredu, a kao najprihvatljivije nositelje razvoja jedinice regionalne samouprave i središnju državnu vlast. Također, studenti, očekivano, negativno predviđaju budućnost hrvatskih perifernih krških krajeva.This thesis topic and subject of research is to analyse the attitudes of students of the University of Zagreb towards revitalisation potentials of Croatian peripheral karst areas. Questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of 490 students. The following have been examined within the thesis topic: willingness of students to immigrate to peripheral karst areas; and differences in the level of willingness between students who are connected to these areas by place of birth, or origin and those who are not connected to peripheral karst areas. Thereafter, economic activities which are crucial in revitalisation process were determined according to student opinion. Students' predictions for the development of peripheral karst areas in the future were also analysed. Results showed a low level of willingness to immigrate to peripheral karst areas on the part of the students. As most important economic activities in the process of revitalisation, the following were determined: rural tourism and ecological agriculture. Regional self-goverment and central state government were defined by the students as the most important actors in the process of revitalisation. As expected, students' predictions about the future of peripheral karst areas were predominantly negative