Refugee students' inclusion in higher education - A multi-dimensional analysis of the German-speaking part of Switzerland

Abstract

With an increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers, the recognition of the importance of inclusion pathways is growing. The role that higher education plays in the resettlement of students with refugee backgrounds is increasingly receiving attention. However, only a small amount of research has been dedicated to the experiences of refugee students in Switzerland. Thus, institutions may be poorly equipped to respond to the distinct needs of refugees. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the experiences and perspectives of refugee students and to explain the interrelation of barriers and facilitators of inclusion in higher education by analyzing the environment through a multi-scalar approach. As such, this thesis investigates to what extent an inclusive environment exists in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

This research draws on a threefold approach to inclusion, offered by Knappert et al. (2019) and Lee (2020), to conceptualize the experiences of refugees as they make their path to and through university and as they move across social space. The purpose is to examine the interrelation between the micro-individual, meso-institutional/-organizational and macro-national/-cantonal level of inclusion. 10 interviews with higher education institutions and integration service employees as well as secondary data have provided a comprehensive contextual embedding of this research and enhanced the understanding of the meso- and macro-level of inclusion. Further, semi-standardized interviews were conducted with 12 refugee students to understand their experiences on their path to and during studies. Findings of this research confirm the complexity of accessing and participating in higher education as a refugee student. It reveals a ‘top-down’ flow of influence, creating intersectional barriers that need to be overcome by the refugee student. This study argues that comprehending the interplay of barriers and facilitators across levels is fundamental to move towards inclusion. Finally, this research provides suggestions to tackle barriers and leverage facilitators of inclusion and reflects on the broader context of higher education as a sustainable inclusion pathway for refugees.