Lecture by Rachel Brooks at the Institute for Social and Political Sciences
Date: 16 February 2026, 13:40-15:00
Location: Corvinus University of Budapest, building C, C VIII.
Language of the event: English
Assumptions are often made in both policy and academic debates that what it means to be a higher education (HE) student in Europe today is broadly similar across nation-states. These assumptions are typically linked to increased cross-border educational mobility (notably through the Erasmus programme), the development of a European Higher Education Area, and the widespread expansion and marketisation of higher education. Nevertheless, cross-national empirical evidence in support of such claims is rarely cited. To address this gap, Professor Brooks has conducted research in six European countries —Denmark, England, Germany, Ireland, Poland, and Spain—examining how the contemporary HE student is conceptualised. The study draws on perspectives from policy documents, media discourse, higher education staff, and students themselves.
The talk outlines the key constructions of higher education students that emerged from the project and examines the extent to which these constructions converge across and within nation-states, engaging with debates about the homogenisation of higher education in Europe and the extent to which nation-states can be considered coherent educational entities. It also highlights important axes of difference beyond national boundaries and types of social actors, notably those related to academic discipline, higher education institution, and students’ social backgrounds. Finally, the talk explores why these constructions matter, demonstrating that they are not merely of academic interest but have direct and material consequences.
Rachel Brooks is Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford and served as the President of the British Sociological Association from 2024-25. She is also chair of the executive editors of the British Journal of Sociology of Education, a member of the editorial team of the journal Sociology, and co-editor of the ‘Research into Higher Education’ book series, published by Routledge and the Society for Research into Higher Education. Rachel’s research focuses primarily on the sociology of higher education. Particular areas of expertise include international student mobility (and processes of internationalisation and Europeanisation in higher education more generally); student politics and protest; and ensuring equity in access to and outcomes within higher education.
Further information: https://www.education.ox.ac.uk/person/rachel-brooks/
All interested are warmly welcome to the lecture!