Sense of Belonging Among Caribbean Students in Dutch Higher Education

• In Event: Reimagining Education: From Colonial Control to Transnational Mobility

Abstract

This study explores how Caribbean students from the Dutch Caribbean experience a sense of belonging in regional Dutch higher education. Using a participatory mixed-methods design, 130 students shared expectations and reflections over one academic year. Findings reveal low expectations of peer interest, moderate trust in faculty, and a strong desire for culturally responsive teaching. Small gestures and peer support proved vital for inclusion. The study contributes to educational equity by highlighting the structural and cultural challenges faced by Dutch-Caribbean students and offering insights for inclusive institutional practices. It calls on higher education to move beyond symbolic inclusion and respond meaningfully to students' lived realities.

Authors

• Kennedy Aquilino Tielman, Fontys University of Applied Sciences

• Yucata Lienga, Fontys University of Applied Science

• Karin Verouden, Fontys University of Applied Science