This paper investigates the relationship between graduates, higher education institutions (HEIs), and policymakers, examining their objectives and impact on HEIs’ attractiveness and graduate retention. A theoretical framework is introduced, with a similarity index to gauge alignment between educational offerings and the local economy. Findings show that HEIs in disadvantaged regions often provide educational portfolios that are not optimally aligned with the local context. Analysing 75 Italian universities, empirical evidence confirms that similarity between educational offerings and the local job market influences university attractiveness, student quality and graduate retention. The research underscores the misalignment between HEIs and policymakers’ objectives.