Second-Generation Immigrants’ Entry to Higher Education: Students’ Enrollment Choices at Different Types of Universities

We examine the relationship between immigrant status and institutional choice in

the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The EHEA addresses employability

of graduates as a key area for action. In practice, universities vary in the degree

to which they embed employability into their curricula. Using these differences as

a basis for university-type classification, we examine whether institutional choices

differ between native and second-generation immigrant students. The results of a

survey of first-semester students reveal that more than half of the institutions with a

strong professional profile are challenged by heterogeneous entry cohorts. One quarter

of students enroll at these universities.

Higher Education System Reform