Sinti* and Roma* in the German Higher Education Landscape – A Survey of the Fight Against Antiziganism at Colleges and Universities

Results of a Nationwide Study

Sinti* and Romani* people are also subjected to structural and everyday discrimination in higher education, stemming from historical and intergenerational experiences of exclusion, unequal starting conditions, and a lack of institutional awareness regarding antiziganism. For many first-generation college students from this minority group, access to and integration into higher education are associated with additional barriers; they often avoid disclosing their identity (“outing”). Discrimination manifests itself both in direct interactions with faculty and students and in institutional structures (e.g., BAföG application procedures, uncritical library collections). Anti-discrimination offices exist at many universities, but they are often not very visible, rarely specialize in antiziganism, and are frequently under-resourced.

Radoslav Ganev provides insights into a study funded by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency and conducted in cooperation with the Student Association of Sinti and Roma in Germany (SVSRD), RomAnity e.V., and the University of Vechta (2025), as well as the recommendations for action and research needs described therein.