In this articleJean-Luc Ratel presents some of the findings of his doctoral thesis, which aims to gain a better understanding of Aboriginal students’ university careers and the meaning they attach to them. Between 2010 and 2012, he interviewed 23 First Peoples students and graduates who had attended university in Quebec, as well as 11 professionals working with Aboriginal students.
Among other things, the results reveal that the Indigenous student population :
- The programs of study chosen are mainly in fields rooted in the needs expressed by the communities.
- The majority of students continued their studies outside their home communities.
- Balancing study and family is a major challenge for students, most of whom are parents when they start university.
- Most students seek to combine their individual study projects with a collective project aimed at improving well-being in Indigenous communities.
The author also offers recommendations and courses of action to help Indigenous students achieve their personal and collective goals.
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