Uyghur students in higher education in the USA: trauma and adaptation challenges

Abstract

ABSTRACT As the U.S. higher education student population continues to change and grow, universities need to be prepared to provide adequate support for their unique needs. Yet research has not kept pace with the growth, or the variety of international student experiences. Additionally, research on at-risk migrant and refugee students in higher education institutes (HEIs) has focused primarily on their access and barriers to it, and not on their experience after they enroll. Understanding these challenges is imperative for personnel working in American HEIs in order to provide a high-quality student experience and retain their international student population. This paper addresses these gaps by exploring the unique challenges of one specific refugee and asylum-seeking community in higher education in the United States, Uyghur university students from mainland China. The challenges these students face are identified through a qualitative study including Uyghur students in HEIs based throughout the United States. The paper shows that this student population faces some unique challenges impacting their university experience, and that higher education personnel tend to have a limited understanding of their needs, making it difficult to serve them adequately.