Why Immigrant Background Matters for University Participation: A Comparison of Switzerland and Canada

Picot, Garnett; Hou, Feng (2013). Why Immigrant Background Matters for University Participation: A Comparison of Switzerland and Canada. International migration review, 47(3), pp. 612-642. Sage 10.1111/imre.12038

Text imre.12038.pdf - Published Version Restricted to registered users only Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (149kB) | Request a copy

This article extends our understanding of the difference in university participation between students with and without immigrant backgrounds by contrasting outcomes in Switzerland and Canada and by the use of new longitudinal data that are comparable between the countries. The research includes family socio-demographic characteristics, family aspirations regarding university education, and the student's secondary school performance as explanatory variables of university attendance patterns. In Switzerland, compared with students with Swiss-born parents, those with immigrant backgrounds are disadvantaged regarding university participation, primarily due to poor academic performance in secondary school. In comparison, students with immigrant backgrounds in Canada display a significant advantage regarding university attendance, even among some who performed poorly in secondary school. The included explanatory variables can only partly account for this advantage, but family aspirations regarding university attendance play a significant role, while traditional variables such as parental educational attainment are less important. In both countries, source region background is important. Possible reasons for the cross-country differences are discussed.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

1 since deposited on 16 Oct 2019
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item