Factors of integration of refugee and involuntary immigrants into higher education

Authors

  • Alisson Vinicius Silva Ferreira Universidade Federal da Integração Latino Americana (UNILA) e Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0634-6072
    • Lucienne Martins Borges Professor of the Postgraduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and Full Professor at the School of Social Work and Criminology at Université Laval (Québec, Canada) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4323-116X

      DOI:

      https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-57652025v30id290901

      Keywords:

      higher education, refuge, solidarity internationalization

      Abstract

      Access to higher education has become an important means of humanitarian reparation and local integration for people in refugee status. However, with the change in culture, they are faced with new education systems, a new language of learning that are mixed with the mourning of the ruptures forced by involuntary immigration and an educational context that is not always prepared for the development of an intercultural education. In this sense, the present study aimed to investigate the factors of educational integration involving university students in refugee status. To this end, an integrative literature review was carried out with national and international studies in 16 countries and from 5 continents. The results indicated a diversity of individual, social, institutional, cultural and political factors that negatively impact educational integration. However, a set of factors that enhance integration was also identified together with good practices that make it possible to mitigate limiting factors. Finally, the research points to the urgent need to develop actions and programs for institutional monitoring after admission, as well as gaps in specific studies on dropout and training involving areas of knowledge and courses.

      Author Biographies

      • Alisson Vinicius Silva Ferreira, Universidade Federal da Integração Latino Americana (UNILA) e Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)

        Clinical and educational psychologist. Graduated in psychology from Guairacá College, with a specialization in mental health from Campo Real College, master in psychology from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), PhD in psychology from UFSC. Works as a psychologist at the Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA), where he is a member of the Sérgio Vieira de Melo Chair -CSVM- UNILA. He is a researcher at the Center for Studies on Psychology, Migrations and Cultures (NEMPsiC/UFSC). His main areas of interest are educational psychology in higher education, internationalization and affirmative action in universities, migration-refuge and mental health, intercultural psychology, psychoanalysis and ethnopsychoanalysis.

      • Lucienne Martins Borges, Professor of the Postgraduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and Full Professor at the School of Social Work and Criminology at Université Laval (Québec, Canada)

        Professor of the Postgraduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) and Full Professor at the School of Social Work and Criminology at Université Laval (Quebec, Canada). Member of the research team ÉDIQ - Research Team in Partnership on Cultural Diversity and Immigration in the Quebec Region (Canada) and collaborator of the Center for Studies on Psychology, Migration and Cultures (NEMPsiC/UFSC). PhD in Psychology (Ph.D., Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières - Canada), she has a degree in Psychology from the Catholic University of Goiás (1991), a master's degree in Literary Studies - Université du Quebec, Canada (1996) and a master's degree in Psychology - Université Laval, Canada (2000). Co-founder of the Specialized Psychological Assistance Service for Immigrants and Refugees (Université Laval/CIUSSS-CN, Québec, Canada). Leader of the Research Group "Psychology, Culture and Mental Health" and member of the GT "Psychoanalysis and Extended Clinic" of ANPEPP. Her main interests are: Intercultural clinical psychology, Ethnopsychiatry, migration, refuge and mental health.

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      Published

      2025-12-10

      Issue

      Vol. 30 (2025)

      Section

      Artigo

      License

      Copyright (c) 2025 Alisson Vinicius Silva Ferreira, Lucienne Martins Borges

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      How to Cite

      Factors of integration of refugee and involuntary immigrants into higher education. Avaliação: Revista da Avaliação da Educação Superior, Campinas; Sorocaba, SP, v. 30, p. e025035, 2025. DOI: 10.1590/1982-57652025v30id290901. Disponível em: https://submission.scielo.br/index.php/aval/article/view/290901. Acesso em: 18 dec. 2025.