Higher education does not shield against racism – study reveals the everyday reality of immigrants

This is shown in a doctoral study that highlights the experiences of highly educated immigrants regarding integration and wellbeing in Finland.

The study demonstrates that racism is not an isolated or random experience, but a recurring phenomenon that shapes how immigrants are treated and perceived in society.

Many highly educated immigrants feel that their education does not lead to a job in their field or improve their quality of life as expected. Several end up working in low-paid sectors.

Lucia Shote, Master of Education, examines in her doctoral dissertation the experiences of students and highly educated individuals who have migrated from Sub-Saharan Africa to Finland. Shote defended her dissertation at the University of Oulu on 12 June.

Well-being requires fair and just practices from society

Participants in the study describe their everyday lives as a continuous balancing act between opportunities and barriers. While they actively strive to build their lives in Finland, they encounter structural challenges such as racism, bureaucratic restrictions, unequal access to services, limited employment opportunities, difficulties with integration, as well as language-related and stereotypical barriers.

To cope, they draw on resilience, creativity, and the support of their communities.

The study highlights that meaningful relationships, a sense of community, and recognition are key factors in maintaining hope and building a future.

“These can help mitigate the effects of discrimination, but they do not eliminate structural problems,” says Lucia Shote.

The researcher constructs a comprehensive picture of immigrants’ lives in Finland in a way that challenges oversimplified notions of integration. She shows that wellbeing does not arise solely from education or individual effort but also requires more equitable and genuinely inclusive practices at different levels of society.

“Listening to the experiences of immigrants is essential if we want to develop educational and social systems that are fair, inclusive, and supportive of everyone equally.”

Lucia Shote’s doctoral dissertation examines the role of higher education in the integration and wellbeing of students and graduates with an immigrant background in Finland. The study is based on qualitative in-depth interviews and narrative methods.

Lucia Shote’s doctoral dissertation: Wellbeing and integration of Sub-Saharan African migrant students and graduates in Finland.