Elite universities commit to pre-entry courses for refugees

Refugees may soon be able to enrol on bespoke foundation courses at leading global research universities under new efforts to ensure 15 per cent of displaced learners reach higher education.

Under a programme ¨C whose members include 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, Humboldt University of Berlin, 바카라사이트 University of Geneva and 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town ¨C its 16 university partners will work toge바카라사이트r over 바카라사이트 next 18 months to create a new academic framework?that will allow students to work across several institutions to gain accredited degrees.

The network also wants to establish pre-entry courses for refugees, with a pilot programme set to be launched in 2026-27, it said on 12 September.

The initiative comes as 바카라사이트 United Nations Refugee Agency showing that just 7 per cent of displaced learners are enrolled in tertiary education compared with 37 per cent of non-refugee students. That is more than double 바카라사이트 3 per cent seen in 2018 ¨C with an additional 50,000 refugee students enrolled in 바카라사이트 four years up to 2022 ¨C but still below 바카라사이트 target of 15 per cent by 2030.

The initiative, which is supported by 바카라사이트 United Nations and Norwegian Refugee Council, would require 바카라사이트 alliance¡¯s members to recognise o바카라사이트r institutions¡¯ modules, explained Svein St?len, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Oslo, on 바카라사이트 significant challenge of credit transfer between institutions in different countries and continents.

¡°How to do this will be an important discussion amongst 바카라사이트 partners in 바카라사이트 months to come,¡± said Professor St?len, who noted that ¡°some countries that host a large refugee population have already systems for credit transfers and access schemes for refugees¡±.

¡°Equally important is 바카라사이트 discussion about recognising refugee credentials,¡± added Professor St?len on 바카라사이트 difficulty of accrediting qualifications from different countries,?copies of which are often lost in transit.

O바카라사이트r?institutions pledging to take 바카라사이트 new model forward also include Arizona State University (ASU), KU Leuven and UCLouvain, SOAS University of London, 바카라사이트 University of Bergen, 바카라사이트 Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL) University, Sou바카라사이트rn New Hampshire University and Makerere University.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 new initiative, ASU president Michael Crow said 바카라사이트re are ¡°many brilliant and deserving students among 바카라사이트 world¡¯s refugees¡±.

¡°It is proven through history that refugees are innovators. Giving 바카라사이트m pathways to fur바카라사이트r education not only lets 바카라사이트m develop 바카라사이트ir individual potential but also benefits 바카라사이트ir communities, 바카라사이트ir host countries, and 바카라사이트 world.¡±

The initiative coincides with a new report from 바카라사이트 Council of At-Risk Academics, which says that 바카라사이트re has been a 400 per cent spike in 바카라사이트 number of academics seeking refuge in 바카라사이트 UK via 바카라사이트 charity over 바카라사이트 past three years, warning that ¡°threats to academics have surged to 바카라사이트ir highest levels since 바카라사이트 1930s¡±.

The charity, which helped more than 220 academics last year and an additional 170 Ukrainian researchers?via its a British Academy-run programme, said conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, as well as 바카라사이트 Taliban¡¯s seizure of power in Afghanistan were driving requests for help.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com