inHERE Project
The inHERE project (Higher Education Supporting Refugees in Europe), which was coordinated by UNIMED (Mediterranean Universities Union), addressed the challenge of facilitating integration and access of refugees in European Universities. It strengthened knowledge sharing, peer-support and academic partnership to facilitate integration and access of refugees in European Higher Education Institutions. Much of the work of the project ended in 2018 but there is some very useful information on the website regarding the integration of refugees in Europe. Collaboration and synergies from ongoing initiatives continue, including a biannual newsletter on the integration of refugees into European higher education. Subscriptions to the mailing are possible via EUA’s (European University Association) main webpage, in the section “Subscribe to our newsletters” at the bottom right corner of the page.
The inHERE Project’s website contains amongst other resources information about the following areas:
- A Good Practice Catalogue in welcoming refugees in higher education, with an in-depth analysis of initiatives of higher education institutions and organisations committed to welcoming refugees that have participated in EUA’s Refugees Welcome Map Campaign.
- A Living Lab. This is a place for staff members from different universities in Europe exchange experiences, design, explore, experience, refine and evaluate new practices and policies in real-life scenarios for evaluating their current or potential action plans to facilitate the integration of refugees in higher education. Based on the Good Practice Catalogue, the living lab was articulated in a series of 6 webinars –broadcasted between October 2017 and June 2018 – that focused on the main issues/topics identified by the Catalogue. These webinars are all available at the above link.
- Guidelines for university staff members to improve or to initiate assistance activities for integrating refugee students within the university, with a self-assessment tool, and a variety of implementable services suitable for any institutions, regardless their level of experience in integrating refugee students.
- Recommendations from the project to enhance the access of refugees to higher education in Europe and their integration, addressing the European Union, EU Member States, and higher education institutions in Europe.
There is also information about:
- Awareness events in Barcelona (University of Barcelona, 7 July 2017), and Rome (Sapienza, 18 October 2017) to sensitise higher education governance concerning the role of universities in the refugee crisis
- Staff training week (Sapienza, 16-20 April 2018), providing a set of instruments to enhance the role of European universities in the integration and support of refugees and testimonials from EU universities on their experiences and practices
- Policy dialogue event (Campus France, 22 May 2018) on how national and European policies can support refugee students and researchers in European Higher Education
- Synergy workshop for projects supporting refugees in Europe (EUA, 19 September 2018), that offered a platform for exchange with other EU co-funded projects on the situation of refugees in higher education and research, as well as with international organisations and different DGs of the European Commission
However, the project concludes that strategic approaches, leadership attention and support are still not common. An international platform for exchange and collaboration would facilitate this effort and foster long-term synergies.
SIRIUS Project
Another project worth visiting is SIRIUS Project, which has the European Commission (EC) as one of its partners. This is a membership-based organisation that promotes the social inclusion of children and young people with migrant background by fostering their effective access to the universal right to education. SIRIUS encourages inclusive policymaking so that governments, authorities, schools and communities take action to promote and implement policies and measures aimed at reinforcing equity and social justice in education, improving educational opportunities, promoting social inclusion and fighting against discrimination.
The EC co-funds SIRIUS’ core main activities in the period 2017-2021. The 4-year co-fund supports SIRIUS in implementing a coherent set of activities, including National Round Tables, Peer Learning, Research and Annual conferences.
Refugee children in education in Europe. How to prevent a lost generation?
SIRIUS has three objectives:
- To provide systematic evidence on post-2014 migrants, refugees and asylum applicants especially women and young people and their potential for labour market employment and, more broadly, social integration.
- To advance knowledge on the complexity of labour market integration for post-2014 migrants, refugees and asylum applicants, and to explore their integration potential by looking into their spatial distribution (in relation to the distribution of labour demand across the labour market), while taking into account labour market characteristics and needs in different country and socio-economic contexts.
- To advance a theoretical framework for an inclusive integration agenda, outlining an optimal mix of policy pathways for labour market integration including concrete steps that Member States and other European countries along with the EU can take to ensure that migrant-integration policies and the broader system of workforce-development, training, and employment programmes support new arrivals’ access to decent work opportunities and working conditions.
SIRIUS has a mixed methods approach and innovative dissemination plan involving online priority action networks, film essays, festival, job fair and an applied game along with scientific and policy dialogue workshops and conferences.
TandEM Project
Over the last decade, Southern Europe has become the entry point for large numbers of refugees and migrants who are seeking a better life in Europe. While to some, Southern European countries may just be a leg in the journey, others are settling and building their lives here. Multiculturalism and diversity have shaped the face of Southern European countries for centuries. However, misconceptions and negative attitudes towards migration and diversity, based on fears and misinformation, are becoming the norm. Subsequently, it is essential to debunk false representations, share the positive contribution of diversity to every society and promote understanding among the different communities living in this part of the Mediterranean.
In this spirit, the project TandEM – Towards Empowered Migrant Youth in Southern Europe aims to build a bridge between migrant and local youth to promote dialogue, mutual understanding and cohesion in Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece, Croatia and Cyprus.
The project is grounded in a network of universities, as the places of socialization and first integration for an increasing number of foreign students in Southern Europe, and the ideal places to design a youth-led response to discriminatory and toxic narratives on migration.
The project aims to encourage young Southern Europeans’ active participation in the integration of young migrants in their countries, while allowing young people to speak up and define their own identities.
Enhancing education, promoting understanding, encouraging communication and supporting integration.
Each of these goals will be promoted through specific regional and national activities, which will be implemented from January 2018 to December 2020.
Enhancing Education: a regional study will explore foreign students needs and barriers to access to higher education, mapping challenges to integration in Southern European universities and developing recommendations for national Governments, Universities, international organizations and students themselves.
