The Research Challenge
Understanding refugee access to higher education in Geneva is not a straightforward task. It sits at the intersection of immigration law, institutional policy, language dynamics, and socioeconomic barriers — each of which shapes the experience of displaced people trying to continue their education in Switzerland.
The project required a team capable of working across multiple research functions at once: synthesizing existing academic literature, coordinating field data collection, managing qualitative datasets, and producing outputs suitable for both scholarly and policy audiences. That combination of breadth and rigor defined the scope from the start.
Our Research Approach
Helion360 structured the engagement in sequential phases to keep the work grounded and manageable. We began with a deep literature review and secondary data analysis, establishing a clear picture of the current landscape — what existing research said about refugee educational access in Switzerland and across comparable European systems.
Once the analytical foundation was set, we moved into primary data collection. Working alongside field researchers, we supported the design and execution of semi-structured interviews and focus groups involving refugees, higher education administrators, and policy stakeholders based in Geneva. Data was systematically coded and analyzed using a thematic framework built to surface patterns relevant to both barriers and enabling factors.
As findings took shape, we shifted focus to synthesis and documentation — translating raw analysis into structured, readable outputs designed for a range of audiences.
What We Delivered
The final research report provided a comprehensive account of the legal, linguistic, financial, and institutional barriers refugees encounter when attempting to enter Swiss higher education. It also mapped existing support mechanisms and identified critical gaps where policy or institutional action could make a measurable difference.
Alongside the written report, we developed presentation-ready materials for stakeholder briefings and contributed directly to the preparation of grant proposal documentation to support the continuation of the project. Every deliverable was completed on schedule and structured to meet the standards required for formal academic and policy dissemination.
Working With Helion360
If you're managing a research project that spans literature review, qualitative fieldwork, data analysis, and formal reporting, Helion360 brings the structure and depth to see it through. We've handled projects like this before, and we know what it takes to produce research that holds up under scrutiny and actually gets used.