A recent study named “Transition to post-compulsory education according to migrant background and gender in Catalonia: Exploring the effect of non-native student concentration”, written by our researcher Marina Elias Andreu, along with Albert Sánchez-Gelabert (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) and Noan Bouvier (École Normale Supérieure de Rennes) based on data from over 82,000 students in their final year of compulsory education in Catalonia analyses how young people make decisions about whether to continue their studies and which educational path to follow. The research focuses on the impact of migrant background and gender, as well as the influence of the social composition of schools.
The findings show that most students choose to stay in education, with academic pathways being more popular than vocational ones. However, significant differences emerge depending on students’ profiles. Non-native students—especially boys—are more likely to choose less prestigious or lower-risk options and are at a higher risk of dropping out. In contrast, girls, particularly those of native origin, are more inclined to pursue academic tracks.
Interestingly, native students, regardless of gender, are more likely to drop out of school. The study also reveals that the concentration of migrant-background students within a school influences these transitions: in schools with a more balanced student composition, disparities based on origin tend to diminish.
This research highlights the need to address school segregation and improve educational guidance with an inclusive and equitable approach, in order to ensure equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their origin or gender.
Discover more about the UB School of Sociology’s research! Explore the full list of our researchers and their latest research here.
