At-risk academics and students

At the policy level, EUA advocated for access for at-risk academics and students to existing and new EU grant and fellowship programmes. The Association also supports attention to and more consistent application of the Lisbon Recognition Convention, which states that “ (…)refugees and displaced persons  and persons in a refugee-like situation [who] fulfil the relevant requirements for access to higher education or to employment activities, even in cases in which the qualification (…)cannot be proven through documentary evidence.”

In addition, EUA has contributed to a number of European Union funded projects, exploring the topic of integration into European higher education from many angles, such as:

• Examining the conditions and circumstances for access, retention and completion of higher education for migrants from third countries, including students with a refugee(-like) background;
• Showcasing the commitment of higher education institutions and organisations in supporting refugees through concrete case studies;
• Fostering peer learning collaboration between institutions;
• Mapping the state of play of researchers at risk in European higher education institutions;
• Raising awareness and enhancing institutional commitment among European higher education leadership to support researchers at risk;
• Developing policy recommendations and lobbying for national and European-wide initiatives to support researchers at risk.

Since 2015, EUA has engaged with higher education institutions and support organisations that support populations with a refugee(-like) background. These measures targeted the refugee population in general, including support and integration measures, often in collaboration with other local actors. But it also comprised specific actions to enable access to higher education.  

EUA and its members are also actively involved in raising awareness of the importance of refugee integration into higher education on a national and European level.  For example, the Association organises annual stakeholder roundtables to keep abreast of initiatives aimed at supporting students and researchers with a refugee(-like) or at-risk background across Europe and engages with international initiatives.