The higher education system in Europe is going through a phase of profound transformation. While being quite successful regarding internationalisation (i.e. incoming) records with regard to opening up of the university to wider groups of population within a country are rather poor. Students with labour class or migration background are still highly underrepresented.

In Europe, depending on the political, historical and social background state policies with regard to ethnicity and higher education have been different in various countries.

Whereas United Kingdom, Netherlands and France, to name a few, have a higher number of ethnic students due to historical reasons, some Scandinavian countries seem to have progressive policies with regard to gender, ethnicity and higher education.

In Germany, demographic changes and the increasing demand for high-skilled professionals have lead to an opening up of the university to wider groups in society. The need for professionals has also been linked with issues of social justice, i.e. equal access to the labour market for migrants.

Hence, there is greater focus on educational opportunities for women, first generation students and the migrant population. Though 16 million (20 %) of the total population in Germany have a migration background, yet their access to higher education is very low. Women in Western societies perform better in educational attainment than men (OECD), but this is not the case with migrant women. There is a gender gap as well as an ethnic gap. Migrant women suffer from double discrimination as women and as migrants not only in higher education but also in employment opportunities. Empirical studies show that women with migration background, irrespective of their formal education have less access to the labour market than women without migration background and men. Even if they manage to enter the labour market they often have to accept precarious work conditions and bad payment.

The research project is located at the intersection of gender, migration and higher education in a European perspective. It asks: How can we assess the participation of migrant women in higher education in Europe? What happens to graduated migrant women with regard to employability? What are the chances for them to pursue an academic career or to enable them to enter the labour market on equal terms with non-migrant women or men. What is the impact of higher education in terms of empowerment?

The paper

1. problematises the concept of the migrant

2. discusses the participation of migrant women in higher education in Europe

3. highlights the tensions between recognition and stigmatization in higher education as well as labour market.

4. asks for the scope of intercultural learning for the different stake holders

5. and finally offers an analytical framework to conceptualise ethnicity and higher education in a European perspective

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