Innovative European Learning Path to Facilitate the Access of Refugees to HE

CONTEXT Since the starting of the so called “refugees’ crisis” in Europe in 2015, many actions have been undertaken both at European and national level with the specific aim of fostering refugees integration in Higher Education.Institutions at EU level and networks and associations of universities have studied the main questions related to the possibility of building more inclusive HE institutions by favouring the enrolment of refugees and migrants with international protection status. Such enrolment is a very ambitious goal considering that, according to several analyse, people with a refugee background are five times more likely not to be enrolled in education than their non-refugee peers (UNESCO, 2016) and only 1% of youth with refugee background access tertiary education, compared to an access level of 34% globally among the youth (UNHCR, 2016). Among the factors precluding such access certainly the lack of qualifications recognition and tuition fees play an important role (Refugees Welcome, European Students’ Union, 2017). At the same time, it is evident that questions related to building more inclusive HE systems cannot rely purely on a regulatory level and that efforts need to concentrate on developing awareness and competences at academic level (students, staff, administration) to make sure that refuges and migrants not only “get in touch” with academic life, but receive a true welcome thereTARGET GROUPS and NEEDS Within the above described context Higher education institutions are still perceived as “ivory towers” which are not open to diversity and to which disadvantaged groups have not real access opportunities. At the same time, students are seldom involved in activities aimed at directly put them in touch with other stakeholders to foster their global citizenship competences.University staff and even more students need to have an open-minded approach to the presence of “different” students. In other words, they need to have developed sound intercultural and civic competences.OBJECTIVESThe project identifies two main specific objectives:- Developing social responsibility of Higher Education students providing them with intercultural and civic competences as well as raising their awareness on integration of refugees issues and having them working together with refugees and stakeholders of the third sector (NGOs) in order to play their potential key role in making University more inclusive and in the longer term contribute to the integration of refugees in their local communities- Rise awareness of Higher Education staff at all level (academic and administrative), providing specific instruments, knowledge and skills in order to make them effective protagonists of improved conditions for a more inclusive Higher education environmentRESULTS and IMPACTThe project will produce the following main outputs and related results:A new “Refugee Welcome Map” focusing on the 3 partners’ countries represented within the partnership (Italy, Portugal and Greece) identifying the integration activities carried out investigating not only regulatory measures undertaken directly by universities. The Map will have a direct impact on the project main target groups through the achievement of the following expected results: - Higher University Students acquiring a more aware perception of the importance of a cross sectoral approach to inclusion of refugees/migrants and of their potential role in the integration process through exemplary best practices and direct examples according to a peer to peer approach- Academic Staff acquiring useful and practical reference information to be used to plan and implement integration and inclusive activities addressing refugees and migrants going further with reference to a merely regulatory intervention- Refugees/migrants accessing to information about the support measures available at university level and to exemplary behaviours that their colleagues adopted to favour successful integrationA complete E-learning package providing University students with the skills to develop their awareness related to their potential civic role in promoting integration of refugees both in the Higher education environment and in society at large through a comprehensive understanding of all the multilevel and multidimensional aspects of the inclusion processes.A set of Guidelines addressed to Higher education staff resulting in the improvement of their capacity of planning and implementing strategies and operative measures to:-Make Universities more inclusive and accessible towards refugees and migrants with special status-Prepare students for being future active and aware protagonist of interventions for supporting, tutoring and mentoring the inclusion of refugees in the university social communities-Strengthen the cooperation and the creation of networks between academic organizations and the third sector and public administrations dealing with refugees integration