AZ ISKOLAI VÉGZETTSÉG TÉRBELI DIMENZIÓI A DÉL-DUNÁNTÚLI RÉGIÓBAN

The Southern Transdanubian region of Hungary has been subject to ongoing demographic decline and socio-economic challenges since the political transition, particularly affecting its rural peripheries. Over the past two decades, educational expansion has led to an increase in average years of schooling and improved access to higher education levels. However, many small rural settlements continue to experience significant educational disadvantages. This study examined spatial inequalities in educational attainment using census data from 2001 to 2022. Employing spatial statistical methods, including Differential Local Moran’s I, the analysis identified territorial patterns and structural changes across four educational levels: primary, vocational, secondary (with graduation), and tertiary. The results indicate a pronounced clustering of tertiary education near urban centers, whereas lower attainment levels persist in fragmented rural areas. Some peripheral settlements exhibit localized improvement, underscoring the territorially embedded processes of educational advancement. These findings underscore the spatial embeddedness of social mobility and the necessity for geographically targeted policy interventions.