The use of religious signs in schools, as in other areas of the public sphere, is a current topic, given that legislative changes are constantly taking place. In countries as close as Germany, France, England and Spain, the legislation governing the wearing of the Islamic veil differs considerably due to their different historical, cultural, social, economic and idiosyncratic contexts. Leaving aside the ethnocentric perspective, in this paper a comparative study of the situation was carried out in these four countries. The main results include a negative attitude towards the wearing of the Islamic veil in France as opposed to a more tolerant position in England and Spain. In the case of Germany, there is a greater diversity of positions due to the characteristic autonomy of each federal state. Given the different types of veils, the reasons for wearing them, the traditions of each society and regional idiosyncrasies, it is considered that, a priori, there should not be a fight against its use, although it is recommended to adopt a belligerent stance against its imposition.

In current society, the fight against drug abuse is an important social challenge given its harmful effects on health and quality of life, globally. Numerous studies show that university life fosters drug use among university students. This research explores the perceptions of legal and illegal drug use of undergraduate students at the University of Seville (Spain). The research design is quantitative: a specific questionnaire was administered to a sample of 1478 students. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis using SPSS v.27 software. It is found that the majority of students do not use illegal drugs, although they do use alcohol and tobacco. Students with a failing grade average use more legal and illegal drugs than those who have outstanding grade averages. There are gender differences in drug use, with males using legal and illegal drugs more than females. Nevertheless, women report taking more tranquillizers and sleeping pills. It is necessary for universities to develop policies for the prevention of legal and illegal drug use, as well as the creation of training programs and counselling courses to promote good health.

Background: There is a growing interest in the study of healthy lifestyles due to their innumerable benefits. Several studies have shown that students tend to adopt less healthy lifestyles at the beginning of their university careers. This study explored the perceptions of undergraduate students at the University of Seville, Spain, about their lifestyle habits. Methods: The study design was a descriptive survey, and a specially designed questionnaire was administered to a sample of 1.478 students. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis using SPSS software, version 27. Results: The surveyed students considered that they have healthy lifestyle habits, although with some weaknesses in the development of certain habits, which were exacerbated during exam periods. Men reported better sleep and physical activity habits than women, while women considered their diet to be healthier (P=0.001). It was further found that healthier lifestyle habits depend on the education level of the mother (P=0.001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that it is important to implement educational policies aimed at promoting and advising students on healthy lifestyle habits. Such policies would be especially useful before the start of exam periods when certain habits began to deteriorate.

Aim. This research aims to analyse Moroccan Muslim migrant parents’ perceptions on their involvement with the school. This involvement is examined considering several dimensions: communication, networking, participation, decision-making, cultural and religious recognition and educational support. Furthermore, it focuses on identifying the barriers to this involvement. Methods. The study follows a mixed-method design. In the first stage, a questionnaire was administered to a non-probabilistic sample of 162 Moroccan Muslim migrant parents. During the second phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 12 Moroccan Muslim migrant mothers. A descriptive statistical analysis and a deductive content analysis were carried out for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. Results. There is high communication between Moroccan parents and the schools. However, their involvement in school activities, the Parent’s Association and parent-teacher meetings are hindered by linguistic deficiency, socio-economic barriers and working constraints. They tend to create more networks with other Moroccan parents, since they find local parents to be hard to approach. It is seen that parents are consulted on decision-making processes related to their children academic performance and development. However, their cultural and religious backgrounds are often overlooked, which subtly excludes them. Moreover, they still struggle to be supported with home education, especially helping with homework. Conclusions. Parents show willingness to be involved, but they struggle with several barriers. Specific measures and policies that minimise these obstacles are needed. This would be beneficial for fostering the inclusion of Moroccan Muslim migrant parents a their children, reality that has been little studied thus far.