Access to and success in higher education
Equal opportunities for refugees in Germany
Many refugees in Germany dream of continuing or starting their higher education. Barriers such as language skills, missing documents or financial hurdles prevent them from reaching their full potential and immediately starting their studies. Victor is aware of this problem and has been searching for educational programmes to participate in for a long time. During his research, he became aware of the platform Kiron. Here he can attend online courses, get to know students in a global community and is also supported during this online study programme.
Necessity
Access to higher education for refugees in Germany.
Activity
Provision of online courses and counselling to refugees by the Kiron support platform.
Countable effort
Number of students that study and take courses as part of the Kiron platform and exchange views in the community.
Result
The students gain language and professional skills and thereby create a foundation for attending a university.
Systemic effect
Improved employment and education opportunities for refugees in Germany.
Background
People forced to flee and migrate worldwide face extraordinary obstacles when it comes to accessing higher education in their host or home countries. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sees higher education as fundamental to a self-determined life. Nevertheless, according to current statistics, less than 1% of refugees worldwide have access to higher education (UNHCR, 2018). In this context, Kiron Open Higher Education was founded in 2015 in order to give as many refugees as possible a chance for higher education through unbureaucratic digital solutions. Nationality, gender and residence status are irrelevant. This enables refugees to use and develop their potential and skills during and after the asylum process.
The good deed
The good deed allows a refugee to spend a day studying on the online platform. The students complete online courses, so-called MOOCs (massive open online courses), which are provided by various partners. A total of around 3000 refugees are already studying on the platform in courses such as computer science, economics, social work, political science or engineering. In addition, students also have the opportunity to exchange ideas in a community and improve their language skills. They also receive tutoring, have access to psychological counselling and are supported in their application to a university. Through the courses, students gain relevant knowledge in their field of study and learn the language at the same time. The good deed paves the way for the refugees to eventually study at a proper university.
AboutGermany
Berlin
82 521 653
46.136
5
According to the UNHCR, Germany is ranked eighth when it comes to taking in the most refugees. In 2017 and during the course of 2018, the majority of people who applied for asylum have been of university age.
About the organization and further information
Kiron Open Higher Education
