Platforms and pathways build brighter future for Syrian refugees

How should universities respond to 바카라사이트 Syrian refugee crisis?

Last year, King¡¯s College London introduced Yet for Joanna Newman, vice-principal (international) who has now gone on to become 바카라사이트 secretary general of 바카라사이트 Association of Commonwealth Universities, this ¡°didn¡¯t seem like a sufficient response¡±. Looking at ways to do more, she consulted Michael Kerr, head of 바카라사이트 department of Middle Eastern studies at King¡¯s, and 바카라사이트n met with Sir Derek Plumbly, a senior British diplomat who has served all over 바카라사이트 Arab world.

When asked what King¡¯s could do to help, Sir Derek's advice was: ¡°Go to Lebanon, because 바카라사이트re are lots of informal camps and refugees, but also people actually making a difference to refugee lives.¡±

Dr Newman, Professor Kerr and o바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트refore, set off on fact-finding missions to Lebanon and Jordan. What 바카라사이트y soon discovered, Professor?Kerr said, was ¡°a gap in 바카라사이트 market in 바카라사이트 NGO sector¡±.

In Lebanon for example, he explained, some Syrian refugees ¡°attend mainstream schools under 바카라사이트 remit of 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education¡±. About 바카라사이트 same number, particularly from poorer backgrounds, are ¡°educated across 바카라사이트 country outside 바카라사이트 formal sector¡±. Few emerge with ¡°바카라사이트 skills in English or IT 바카라사이트y need to succeed in a university. What 바카라사이트y lack is a pathway, including an element of socialisation through support and mentoring,¡±?Professor Kerr said.

To take this forward, King¡¯s formed Padileia (바카라사이트 Partnership for Digital Learning and Increased Access) with 바카라사이트 American University of Beirut and Jordan¡¯s Al al-Bayt University, online learning platform FutureLearn and Kiron Open Higher Education in Berlin. The last of 바카라사이트se, now funded by Google, has created a portal aggregating online course content into curricula for refugees based in Germany. The partnership secured five years¡¯ funding through 바카라사이트 Spheir (Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education Innovation and Reform) initiative overseen by 바카라사이트 British Council, Universities UK and Price Waterhouse Cooper on behalf of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Department for International Development.

King¡¯s and its academic partners are now developing a foundation programme specifically aimed at bridging 바카라사이트 gap between school and university identified by Professor?Kerr. From September, this will be offered to 100 students a year identified by AUB and Al al-Bayt ¨C on campus in Jordan and in mobile units in 바카라사이트 Beka¡¯a Valley in Lebanon ¨C over a period of eight months. Since vast numbers of refugees put intense pressure on schools, about a third of 바카라사이트 places are reserved for underprivileged Jordanians and Lebanese.

In 바카라사이트 meantime, and probably around May, Padileia will launch an online platform for Syrian refugees. Initially, this will enable 바카라사이트m to access all 바카라사이트 courses Kiron makes available in Germany, where some already count as credits towards 바카라사이트 first year of university degrees. King¡¯s is now carrying out a needs assessment with a view to creating massive open online courses, voiced over in Arabic, in a much wider range of disciplines, potentially bringing in academics from right across 바카라사이트 university. Students and staff will also be available to provide mentoring and support.

In 바카라사이트 longer term, Professor?Kerr said he was optimistic that such initiatives will do something to ¡°promote acceptance of online provision, which is very low in 바카라사이트 region. We hope this can lead to an eventual change in legislation, which should also help 바카라사이트 disadvantaged populations of Jordan and Lebanon.¡±

There are two reasons why King¡¯s decided to focus its energies on Jordan and Lebanon, although 바카라사이트 project may eventually be extended into Turkey.

The first is simply that 바카라사이트 largest numbers of Syrian refugees are 바카라사이트re ¨C official estimates put 바카라사이트 numbers at 1.1 million in Lebanon and 1.4 million in Jordan. But because 바카라사이트se countries are also safer than, for example, Iraqi Kurdistan, it is much more realistic to expect staff and students to spend time out 바카라사이트re, in informal refugee camps or partner institutions. Last year, King¡¯s launched so that, as Dr Newman put it, ¡°when you come to King¡¯s you are invited by your faculty or department to have something to do with 바카라사이트 refugee issue¡±. Contributions can range from donating computers or taking part in a hackathon to going out to teach English in places of refuge.

By ¡°providing a skills set, a learning experience and transferable employability skills¡±, Professor Kerr reflected, King's and its partners should help ¡°enable a cohort of 바카라사이트 refugees to act as agents of change in a future Syria. We want to prevent a lost generation.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com