October 2020: Nine new student-led projects ready to start!

9 new projects from 8 different European countries have been successfully selected and will run their activities from October 2020 to April 2021.

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, most of the projects had to readapt their activities to ensure a safe space to the participants and thus reach a bigger impact.

Austria – Interessengemeinschaft der afghanischen Studierenden

Project’s name: Integration through Education

What is the local reality? It is very difficult for the Afghan community to receive help or advice from their family members, as most of them have been living since a short period of time in Austria and the majority of the parents do not have a high education. The project aims at supporting Afghan students to find relevant studies and to navigate in the Austrian education system.

What is the solution proposed? The organisation will set up a mentorship programme where young Afghan students will have a mentor they can contact if they need advice or help with school/university curriculum, and their career planning.

Belgium – H&H Education

Project’s name: MaxiPac. More info.

What is the local reality? Often, students with refugee backgrounds completed their secondary education in their country of origin and have a certain level in some courses (i.e Dutch, mathematics, etc.), which is not always enough with the required and expected level in the desired higher educational programme.

What is the solution proposed? H&H Education will create tutoring videos to be placed on the website epicurius.be. The purpose of these videos is to be a free alternative for students and pupils with refugee background to support them in their preparation for higher education without having to pay exorbitant prices for additional private tutoring sessions.

France – Union of Exiled Students (UEE)

Project’s name: Blabla Camping. More info.

What is the local reality? The UEE noticed that the difficulties are not only the ones related to “access” to higher education but also the isolation most of the students are facing – which often lead them to drop out of University. Many factors explain the isolation: language issues, difficulty to talk to French students, existing stereotypes about exile people, difficulties with the administration, etc…

What are the solution proposed?

  • Workshops for exiled students to learn how to access the French Universities (continuation of the 2019 activities)
  • The BlaBla Camping will be a 5-day long seminar with interactive activities and workshops to strengthen connexions between exiled and French students. The aim will be to discuss the topic of integration, difficulties related to it and to find solutions together while also sharing activities (hiking, movie screening, evening and social activities).
  • Development of the website and other communication materials.

Georgia – Georgian Student Organizations Association

Project’s name: Capacity Building of IDP (refugee) in Georgia

What is the solution proposed? The aim of the project is to help internally displaced people to be easily integrated in society, to discuss their rights and existing opportunities for young people and to encourage them to take an active role in the co-creation of policies related to the educational system. Workshops will be organised in different regions in Georgia using non-formal education technics, to discuss with internally displaced students how they can become active members of the society (in terms of education, international opportunities and how to start their own projects).

Ireland – ReStart and Limerick University

Project’s name: ReStart

ReStart is a University of Limerick student-led social enterprise integrating International Protection Applicants to the local community through a portfolio of initiatives, such as cooking and gardening.

Ireland – Enactus Ireland

Project’s name: Ceangal

Italy – Unione degli Universitari Palermo

Project’s name: Palermo a even more welcoming city

Serbia – Student Conference of Serbian Universities

Project’s Name: Lead the change

The United Kingdom – Student Action for Refugees

Project’s name: Equal Access Activists Group & Conference. More info.

What is the local reality? Due to the pandemic, students with refugee background this year will be more isolated and find it more difficult to access the advice or welfare support they need on campus to get settled and be successful. It is also likely that people, particularly those seeking asylum will face other difficulties e.g. access to IT equipment or broadband for online classes. 

What is the solution proposed? STAR feels it is even more important to find a way to bring refugee scholars together and develop a support network to continue building the Equal Access Activist group so that the experiences and needs of potential refugee students and refugee scholars are represented, heard by universities and relevant institutions and acted on. The project will support the work and meeting of the Equal Access Activist group and their participation to the Refugee Scholars Conference.