Structural Factors Associated with Higher Education Access for First-Generation Refugees in Canada: An Agenda for Research

Abstract

Refugees are the least educated migrants upon arrival to Canada. Yet, they invest in Canadian higher education at lower rates than other newcomers. Why might this be? This paper enters this emergent conversation through a review of the Canadian-based empirical literature on the structural factors associated with refugees’ tertiary education access. Research indicates that as part of the low-income population, refugees are likely to misperceive the cost and benefits of higher education and be deterred by high tuition costs. Academic preparedness and tracking in high schools also pose additional constraints. The gap in the literature exposes a need for inquiry into the ways in which pre-arrival experiences influence refugees’ participation in Canada’s post-secondary institutions. The paper concludes by underscoring the need for qualitative research that discerns the lived experiences of refugees outside of the aggregate immigrant grouping typical in education research.

The Influence of Refugee Students’ Personal Characteristics on Study Success in Online Education

“…Refugees are high-risk students and have a high risk of premature dropout (Ferede 2012;Hos 2016). Only a small proportion of regular students are refugee students.…”

“…Risk factors for refugees such as an interrupted educational history, a culturally different education system, and low competence in the language of the host country are not only obstacles for a possible entry into higher education (HE) but also for a future high-quality employment and successful integration in the labor market (Campion 2018;Hirano 2014;Platzer 2018). Many studies examine the risk factors for refugee students in the HE system or qualitatively describe the outcomes of support measures for successful integration (Baker et al 2018a;Ferede 2012;Harris et al 2015;Hirano 2014;Platzer 2018).…”

Access and Aspirations: Syrian Refugees’ Experiences of Entering Higher Education in Germany

“…Based on the general indication that although high numbers of Syrian refugees in Germany wish to pursue HE, numbers of enrolment amongst this group appear to have so far remained notably low (Vogel and Schwikal, 2015), the present study sets out to explore more closely the factors that affect ASRs’ access to HEIs. Although there is an empirically grounded assumption that ASR applicants and students face a number of barriers and difficulties in accessing universities (Crea and McFarland, 2015; Elwyn et al, 2011; Ferede, 2010; Kanno and Varghese, 2010; Morrice, 2009; Zeus, 2011), empirical research lags behind current developments (Shakya et al, 2010): most of the “barriers” that were identified in public and policy discourses in Germany are based on anecdotal evidence offered by university staff members and politicians. Insight into the realities of access to HE for ASRs requires that these barriers are evaluated carefully and explored empirically.…”

“…In fact, researchers have long emphasised that access to HE in post-migration contexts of ASRs demands more scholarly attention: Ferede points out that insights into educational experiences of refugees are often “lost within the folds of aggregated educational research” and argues that because refugees’ experiences typically differ in important ways from those of voluntary immigrants, “educational research on refugees as an exclusive group is absolutely imperative” (Ferede, 2010: 2). Similarly, Shakya et al describe empirical insights into the relationship between forced migration and educational experiences of refugees as “thin, particularly in the context of resettlement nations in the Global North” and outlines a “pressing research and policy need […] to better understand and overcome post-migration educational gaps and challenges that refugees face” (Shakya et al, 2010: 68).…”

Access for Refugees Into Higher Education: A Review of Interventions in North America and Europe

“…Among this small group, researchers have identified unique educational challenges refugees face. These include (a) acquiring general proficiency in the local language and an academic vocabulary (Felix, 2016; Shakya et al, 2010); (b) gaining understanding of the host country’s higher education system (Ferede, 2010; Shankar et al, 2016; Loo, 2017); (c) financing their education (Giles, 2018; Loo, 2017; Shakya et al, 2010), especially in tuition-driven, high-cost systems like the United States and in some European countries; (d) having qualifications recognized for students who fled without paperwork (Felix, 2016; Loo, 2016; Tobenkin, 2006); and (e) obtaining academic, logistical, and other support that is critical for successful integration into higher education.…”