From access to empowerment: participatory action research with refugee women in higher education

Access to higher education is a critical pathway for refugee women’s empowerment, resilience, and long-term integration. Yet, they face intersecting barriers – including legal restrictions, unrecognised qualifications, and gendered cultural expectations – that systematically limit their participation. Traditional educational interventions often overlook these complexities, reinforcing exclusionary practices.This article presents a case study of a longitudinal Participatory Action Research (PAR) intervention conducted in the Netherlands, designed to support refugee women in accessing and navigating higher education. Grounded in intersectionality and Critical Race Feminist, the study highlights how PAR can serve as both a research methodology and a transformative educational practice. By centring refugee women as active participants and co-creators of knowledge, the intervention fostered agency, built trust, and generated institutional insights that contributed to more inclusive educational practices.The outcome of this project shows that PAR fosters educational progress and meaningful social inclusion through participatory, equity-driven approaches. By actively engaging refugee women in the co-design of the intervention’s content and structure, the programme cultivates a sense of belonging, agency, and personal relevance. This study contributes to the field of refugee education by offering a replicable model for institutions aiming to advance gender-responsive inclusion in higher education.