Breaking Integration Barriers in Higher Education: A Case Study and Policy Model Proposals

Abstract

Abstract: This study analyzes the invisible barriers affecting students’ integration, thereby offering policy recommendations for inclusive education models successfully implemented by universities worldwide. Using quantitative survey data (N = 435) collected as a case study at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), the article examines four micro-level barriers under the lens of sociological theories: socioeconomic conditions, regional background, past experiences of trauma and appearance-based bias. The empirical results reveal that beneath the surface of positive integration, marginalized student groups still experience underlying disruptions in social interactions. Consequently, the study proposes the implementation of structural intervention models – such as peer support networks, data-driven management, anti-prejudice education, and pedagogical philosophy transformation – to construct an equitable and inclusive educational ecosystem, ensuring that no individual is left behind. Keywords: Integration in higher education, Vulnerable students, Inclusive educational models.