Attraction poles in the University of Bologna: a social network analysis

Abstract

The movements of students between the faculties of the University of Bologna represent a complex evolving network. By mapping the electronic database containing all relevant data about the students, named “datawarehouse”, for three academic years (2004-2007), we aim to infer on the dynamics and the structural mechanisms that lead the evolution and topology of this complex system. Empirical measurements allow us to discover the topological characteristics of the network at a given moment, as well as their evolution in time. The results highlight stable ‘attraction’ and ‘escape’ nodes within the University network, and provide a simple description of the student movements and preferences.