TRANSITION AND ADAPTATION TO HIGHER EDUCATION: SYRIAN IMMIGRANT STUDENTS IN TURKEY WITHIN CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND LINGUISTIC CONTEXT

Abstract

The turmoil that started for democracy and reform in Syria in 2011 and the civil war following it caused a great immigration movement. Syrian refugees not only immigrated to and changed the face of the neighboring countries but also caused a moral panic in Europe. As most of the immigrants were in the school-ages, one of the areas that were affected negatively and caused difficulties in the host countries has been education. Schools, teachers, classmates, administrations, and governments face various kinds and levels of problems. In higher education where the transition is already challenging, immigrant students need to cope with not only academic challenges but also cultural, social, and linguistic ones. This study aims to identify these challenges from the perspective of Syrian immigrant students residing in Turkey and attending higher education institutions and to provide insights for the design of future higher education policies. In accordance with the aim of the study, a mixed method approach was adopted that uses both quantitative and qualitative data collection means. While findings revealed that the participants had no problems in terms of socio-cultural adaptation, they experienced struggles in their academic performance because of the language of instruction.