Resilience and Integration: Pathways to Socio-Professional Success among Roma Individuals with Higher Education

This paper explores the pathways through which Roma individuals with higher education have navigated and overcome significant barriers to achieve socio-professional integration. Central to the analysis is the lived experience of 15 Roma individuals, who, despite facing lifelong prejudices and stigmatization, employ a range of coping strategies to surmount these obstacles. Employing a descriptive research design based on in-depth interviews, this study delves into the personal narratives and reveal resilience and adaptive pathways used by Roma individuals to achieve their professional goals. The findings reveal significant barriers such as ethnic discrimination, limited job opportunities aligned with qualifications, and workplace bias. Discrimination often manifested in hiring processes, where visible markers of ethnicity overshadowed merit, and in workplace dynamics where prejudiced attitudes reinforced exclusion. Addressing systemic biases and fostering inclusive practices remain critical to reducing barriers and enhancing the integration of Roma individuals with higher education. The findings carry practical implications, notably in fostering strategies to increase the number of Roma individuals participating in the workforce, reducing school dropout rates, and encouraging continued higher education within the Roma community. By showcasing the ways in which participants overcame barriers, the research aims to inspire policies and support systems that empower more Roma youth to pursue and complete higher education, thereby enhancing their socio-professional opportunities.


Keywords: Roma individuals, higher education, students, discrimination, resilience, professional integration