Support on Enrollment, Support During Studies

Cataluña/Zaragoza

CAMPUSROM ASSOCIATION, UNIVERSITY ROMA NETWORK

Location/geographical coverage

Cataluña, Spain, Principal Headquarter (C/ Murcia, 2-8, Local 4, 08026, Barcelona)

Zaragoza, Spain, Delegación de Aragón (C/ de Sant Lorenzo, 9, 3º, 50001, Zaragoza)

Background and description

Campus Rom was created with the intention of generating a network of mutual support among Roma students who are trying to access university or a higher education degree, and also among those who have already gained access. This support network aims for Roma students to successfully achieve their dreams, and to become a reference for the whole Roma population and for society.

Access to higher education for Roma students has been limited; between 2011 and 2016, only 8 people gained access through the access test for over-25s. The University Access Group (GAU) of the Integrated Plan for the Roma People of the Generalitat de Catalunya identified the shortcomings in access and thus the need to promote and increase access to higher education for Roma students emerged. The lack of study habits and role models, as well as the educational segregation that the majority of students had suffered, made it difficult for them to succeed in the entrance exam.

In this context, CampusRom was created to offer academic and social support to these people and thus increase their chances of success. In just one year (2016-2017), 7 people passed the entrance exam. And since then, until 2021, 41 people have succeeded, which demonstrates the effectiveness of CampusRom’s support groups. This support has been transferred to other areas of higher education, and CampusRom currently offers support to more than 100 Roma people studying secondary school, technical and professional degrees, university degrees, master’s degrees or doctorates.

The main objectives of Campus Rom include:

  • To support, assist and accompany Roma students over the age of 16 who are in a formative process (or are about to start one), especially in higher education.
  • Encourage the participation and leadership of Roma students who are undergoing (or have completed) a educational process, especially in higher education.
  • To advise public and private organizations and institutions and work together to contribute to the educational success of the whole student body.
  • To contribute to the creation and development of successful intercultural education, especially in higher education.
  • To contribute to the eradication of stereotypes and prejudices that exist about various minority groups, such as the Romany population.
  • To work in coordination with other networks or organizations at national and international level related to the defense of the human rights of disadvantaged groups, especially in the field of education.

Campus Rom develops a wide variety of activities, programmes and projects, some of the most relevant and recent projects are described below:

RomExit (2017 – 2022): Towards academic excellence for Roma.

Seeks to improve the situation of the adult Roma population through support groups, courses and other educational and social support activities for Roma people trying to access postsecondary education.

IT4All (2021 – 2022). Community development project to improve digital skills and fight against social exclusion.

This project aims to improve the digital skills of the most vulnerable groups in order to face social exclusion and improve their personal and social development.

OpreRomaYouth (2019 – 2020). The success of Roma youth through their social and educational participation.

Improving the situation of the adult Roma population through their educational and social participation in different areas, such as specific courses, political and scientific events, and other activities focused on the active participation of the Roma community, such as the GAURomí, the Roma Women’s Group, the working groups of the network and the general assemblies.

Stakeholders and Partners

Generalitat de Catalunya, La Caixa Foundation, Barcelona City Council, University of Barcelona, University of Zaragoza, CampusRom members and volunteers in the actions developed by the entity.

Any Roma person can be a member of CampusRom who is involved in a training process within higher education, or who has actively participated in it before, or who has already passed it.

Methodological Approach

The implementation and proper functioning of CampusRom’s strategic plan is more than just personal and partisan interests. Campus Rom has at all times a philanthropic and activist will, in favour of social transformation and its contribution to the establishment of fairer and more equitable human relations that promote intercultural dialogue, gender equality and the abolition of racism, defending these principles as an inherent and indispensable part of the process of intellectual development of society.

Campus Rom works for the transformation of social actions, seeking justice, cultural freedom, community leadership and equal opportunities, beyond solidarity, paternalism or awareness-raising.

The entity develops regional, national and European projects that contribute to the well-being and improvement of the socio-economic and academic conditions of the Romany population.

As a network initiated by various Roma teachers and students, from its beginnings it has relied on social and community participation. The willingness of members and volunteers has meant that Campus Rom has diverse perspectives and active participation in the development of its activities, programmes and projects.

Gender Perspective

Bearing in mind that Roma women in particular have more difficulties in participating, the CampusRom Women’s Group ensures that the particular conditions, situations and needs of Roma women are adequately addressed during all the actions of the network, and to ensure that the representation of women is effective and real both in the achievement of the objectives and in the participation in the activities or in the implementation of the methodology of the projects.

This point is inspired by the principles established in Law 17/2015, of 21 July, on effective equality of women and men, so that gender mainstreaming is a transversal aspect throughout all the network’s actions. For example, places will be reserved for Roma women in all the activities of the network. In addition, the timetable of activities and the resources and services offered take special account of the needs of these women.

Validation

In order to monitor and evaluate the activities, quantitative and qualitative data are analysed. In relation to quantitative information, the number of reinforcement groups a person receives, the result obtained in the test, exam or work, where he/she has had the support of the network, as well as the total number of credits finally passed in a course, among other data, are controlled. As for qualitative data, at the end of the academic year, interviews and discussion groups are held with the people in the network who have received help and with those who have offered it, so that the experiences of the people involved are collected and analysed.

The information collected provides details and results of the positive impact on Roma students. Campus Rom has had positive results in the insertion of the Roma population in higher education, as well as an increasing number of people enrolled in tutoring groups and other activities.

Innovation potential

CampusRom is an innovative practice as it is a network made up of Roma people, so it has role models, activities, projects and programmes that have proved to be effective in the inclusion of the Roma population in Higher Education. Some characteristics of its innovative potential include:

  • Post-compulsory university approach
  • Implementation of Successful Educational Actions (AEE)
  • Roma role models
  • High expectations
  • Impact on other fundamental areas such as employment or health

Success Factors

  • So far, at least 98 Roma people have been assisted in the network.
  • The network has had an increase in both contracted members and volunteers, with a total of 67 members.
  • The delegation of Aragon has been created and working groups have been started for the future creation of the delegations of the Valencian Community and Andalusia.
  • 41 Roma people have gained access to university since 2017 through the entrance exam for people over 25.
  • More than 120 people are currently studying higher education, mainly university degrees or training cycles.
  • In 2020, 10 Roma people obtained the school-leaving certificate for over-18s, 5 of whom were Roma women.
  • Through the IT4All project, CampusRom has enabled a group of 16 Roma and immigrants to receive training in digital skills.

Through the OpreRomaYouth project, it has been possible for:

  • 12 Roma people successfully completed their university studies, and 5 completed their vocational training.
  • 5 Roma women obtained a school degree for people over 18 years of age through GAURomí.
  • 4 Roma participated in scientific congresses, and 23 in political activities.
  • 3 Roma people have participated in scientific production.

The data for 2021 reveal that in Post-compulsory studies:

  • 75% of the Roma students attended, pass the academic year with more than 80% of credits passed.
  • 67% of the participating Roma students passed an entrance exam to post-compulsory studies or to obtain a non-university degree.
  • 83% of the Roma students assisted, pass the work, exam or similar activity they prepare with the network.

The data of 2021 of Compulsory Studies shows that:

  • 100% of Roma students have passed the subjects where they have had preparation by the network.
  • 70% of Roma students have passed the subjects prepared by the network with a good grade.

Constrains

  • High number of Roma men and women who had not completed basic education. In response to this, courses were provided to help them obtain a school-leaving certificate or university entrance exams.
  • Lack of Roma men and women studying or with higher education. In response to this, role models were made visible in children, young people and adults.
  • Lack of educational support for Roma men and women in education. For this reason, the offer of educational support groups was created

Lessons learned

Roma men and women want to be educated and increase their presence in the educational context, the conflict lies in an exclusionary educational system that makes it impossible for minority groups to access education. CampusRom aims to develop a compensatory function so that every day more and more Roma people have the opportunity to acquire post-compulsory higher education studies that makes it possible to improve their situation of invisibility and socio-economic precariousness.

Sustainability

To make a public and political commitment to the project at national level to facilitate its growth in the most sustainable way in all areas, given that CampusRom is sustainable in its essence, in that all the actions it develops have an impact on the lives of the people it accompanies, as well as on society. CampusRom is sustainable because it is a network made up of a large group of members and volunteers. As a non-profit organisation, the essence of its sustainability is social activism, in which different social actors, universities, public entities that finance CampusRom’s projects and activities participate.

Replicability and/or up-scaling potential

The replicability of CampusRom is already a fact, this initiative that arises in Catalonia is being actively applied in other autonomous communities, as is the case of Aragon, in addition, academic support groups with volunteer staff have been replicated at the University of Zaragoza.

The CampusRom model is transferable to contexts of vulnerability based on the willingness of people in the same territory to develop it and the institutional support that provides economic, logistical and resource coverage for the proposal. CampusRom is a network open to receive and provide support to other universities or cities that seek to strengthen the inclusion of Roma students in post-compulsory education.

Conclusion

Campus Rom is a successful initiative that, in its short time of creation, has achieved positive results in the inclusion of Roma students, who are a minority and excluded from the higher education system in Spain. School reinforcement, accompaniment, tutoring and the provision of role models have made it easier for more young people to successfully complete compulsory education and to have the support and the necessary tools and skills to access and successfully complete higher education. At the same time, CampusRom raises society’s awareness of the difficulties Roma face in accessing education, while breaking down stigmas and stereotypes.

“The university is also Roma”

Contact details

Adress: C/ Murcia, 2-8, Local 4, 08026 Barcelona, Cataluña Spain.

E-mail: info@campusrom.org

Telephone: (+34) 679965708

URL of the practice Reference document

https://www.campusrom.org/

Related Web site(s)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campusrom/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/campusrom/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CampusRom

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMIk89v3tkfPatmwmCWp6vw

Related resources that have been developed

Papers and Research Documents:

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