ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Educ.
Sec. Higher Education
Volume 10 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1587611
Choosing a Major in the Age of Digital Influence: A Comparative Study of Generation Z in Kazakhstan and Italy
Provisionally accepted
- 1University of Insubria - DiDEC, Como, Italy
- 2Kenzhegali Sagadiyev University of International Business, Almaty, Kazakhstan
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The choice of a university major significantly impacts students' professional trajectories. Despite its importance, limited research compares the factors influencing major choice among students in different cultural contexts, such as Italy and Kazakhstan. This study explores the primary motivations influencing Generation Z students' selection of academic majors in these countries. Utilizing a survey administered to approximately 800 respondents in Italy and Kazakhstan, the research examines factors including perceived academic experience value, financial incentives, social proof and influence networks, intellectual motivations, the perceived impact of digital marketing tools, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings provide insights into the similarities and differences in decision-making processes among students in these countries, contributing to a deeper understanding of how cultural, economic, and marketing factors shape educational choices.
Keywords: cultural influence, educational decision-making, Generation Z motivations, Italy, Kazakhstan, Cross country study
Received: 04 Mar 2025; Accepted: 06 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Grechi, Mardenova and Yessimzhanova. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Daniele Grechi, University of Insubria - DiDEC, Como, Italy
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