What are the key components of bridging programs like Foundations for All (FFA)?

FFA included five core courses: Maths & Numeracy, Understanding Myself and Others (for psychosocial support), Digital Skills, Study Skills, and English. It also had an extracurricular layer of mentorship and activities, all designed to prepare students holistically for higher education and beyond.

Why did the Foundations for All project shift focus to the Mature Entry Examination?

The program originally aimed for accreditation at the University of Edinburgh. However, due to administrative and structural challenges, the focus pivoted to preparing students for the Mature Entry Examination, which served as a primary avenue for accessing higher education, particularly Makerere University.

What challenges did students face when trying to register for the Mature Entry Examination in Uganda?

Students encountered significant barriers including in-person registration requirements, the need for camp permission, financial and time costs, and potential confusion regarding the need for a Ugandan national ID, which refugees do not possess.

What were the issues with the content of the Mature Entry Examination in Uganda?

The exam's content was found to be prohibitively challenging for those with English as an additional language or different educational backgrounds. Questions often required specific knowledge of Ugandan current events or culture, and some questions in the English exam were poorly phrased with multiple potentially correct answers.

How does the PADALIA program in Lebanon address refugee challenges?

PADALIA (now STEP) addresses challenges like limited access to higher education, complex residency permit renewals, and financial barriers by offering an eight-month university bridge certificate and MOOCs. It emphasizes digital skills, academic support, and psychosocial support.

What is the blended learning approach used in the PADALIA/STEP program?

The program utilizes a blended approach with 75% in-person learning and 25% online learning. It leverages facilitators to support students through MOOCs, which have shown higher completion rates than typical online courses due to contextualization and dedicated support.

Can bridging programs adequately prepare refugees for employment if they don't enter university?

Bridging programs aim to enhance opportunities, but the focus varies. FFA focused on university entry exams. PADALIA/STEP integrates digital skills that have led to informal employment and business startups. The right to work differs significantly between contexts like Lebanon and Uganda, impacting employment outcomes.

Were the digital skills taught in the Foundations for All program accessible to all learners?

The program aimed to provide foundational digital skills, starting with basic computer use, typing, and applications. It was designed methodically, acknowledging that many refugees had little to no prior experience with digital technology, with a plan for more advanced topics in the second semester.

How can bridging programs scale up to help more displaced learners globally?

Scaling up requires adapting programs to local contexts and addressing specific challenges. The discussions highlight the importance of understanding the right to work, tailoring digital skills training, and potentially developing more vocational pathways alongside academic preparation.

What is the significance of the physical 'space' or campus in the PADALIA program?

PADALIA (STEP) uses a 'restorative built environment' including adaptable, locally sourced structures called 'covers'. This approach emphasizes vernacularization and local adoption, creating functional campuses quickly in proximity to refugee communities.

Key Moments

A Bridge to Where? Determining the goals of bridging programmes for displaced learners

MIT OpenCourseWare

Education4 min read88 min video

May 13, 2022|64 views|1

Migration Summit MIT ReACT Higher Education Workforce Development Displacement Refugees

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Bridging programs for displaced learners aim to improve higher education access and success through tailored curricula and support.

Key Insights

Bridging programs are crucial for preparing displaced learners for higher education, offering academic and life skills.

Effective program design requires understanding learner demographics, aspirations, and contextual challenges.

Foundations for All (FFA) and Padelya projects highlight the importance of holistic support, including psychosocial elements.

External barriers, such as administrative hurdles and exam content, significantly impact refugees' access to education.

Advocacy for structural change within educational institutions is as vital as direct learner support.

The adaptability of programs, like FFA's pivot to WhatsApp during lockdowns, is key to overcoming disruptions.

THE ROLE AND DEFINITION OF BRIDGING PROGRAMS

Bridging programs, also known as access or foundation programs, are specifically designed to assist learners in achieving personal, professional, or educational opportunities. Unlike standard degree programs, these initiatives are goal-oriented, aiming to equip individuals with the necessary skills and confidence to succeed. They often supplement existing teaching or provide targeted instruction to help students access higher education or excel within it. These programs address gaps in implicit knowledge that marginalized communities may face, boosting confidence upon entering new academic or professional environments.

DESIGNING EFFECTIVE BRIDGING PROGRAMS

The design of bridging programs hinges on understanding where learners are starting from and where they aim to end up. This involves assessing their demographics, educational histories, and existing opportunities, as well as their aspirations. The program's context, including available resources, institutional capacity, and structural constraints, also plays a critical role. A balance must be struck between learner desires and program designer realism, ensuring that expectations are managed responsibly while still fostering ambition and empowerment among participants.

FOUNDATIONS FOR ALL (FFA) PROJECT IN UGANDA

The FFA project, a collaboration involving the University of Edinburgh, American University of Beirut (AUB), and the Refugee Law Project (RLP), aimed to prepare refugee and host community learners for higher education in Uganda. Key program aims included enabling students to access and thrive in higher education, designing best-practice curricula, and providing inclusive, transformative, and effective spaces with extensive psychosocial support. Student aims focused on enhancing self-confidence, transferable skills, subject-specific competencies, and preparing them for scholarships and university admissions, notably targeting the mature entry examination.

THE PADELEYA PROJECT IN LEBANON

The Padelya project, implemented by AUB in partnership with other institutions, addresses the significant barriers faced by Syrian refugees in Lebanon seeking higher education. These barriers include restrictive government policies, institutional rigidities, and financial constraints. Padelya offers an eight-month university bridge certificate and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), emphasizing digital skills, English, and humanities. The program's success is evidenced by high MOOC completion rates, attributed to contextualized content and the crucial role of facilitators, alongside academic and psychosocial support for students.

CHALLENGES AND ADAPTATIONS IN PROGRAM DELIVERY

Both FFA and Padelya encountered numerous challenges, including the need for curriculum adaptation, logistical issues, and external disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. FFA had to pivot to a WhatsApp-based delivery model due to lockdowns, demonstrating significant flexibility. Accreditation challenges for FFA led to a strategic shift towards preparing students for the mature entry examination. Furthermore, the digital skills component of FFA, initially designed for learners with minimal experience, had to be methodically structured, covering basic computer literacy to more advanced digital literacy and online learning plan development.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVOCACY AND HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT

A critical insight from both projects is the necessity of advocacy alongside direct support. For FFA, recognizing prohibitive barriers to the mature entry exam registration and content highlighted the need for institutional change initiatives. Similarly, Padelya’s focus on digital skills aims to improve employability in informal markets within Lebanon’s restrictive work environment. Both projects underscore that bridging programs should not only prepare individuals to fit existing systems but also advocate for systemic changes that recognize the social capital and diversity displaced learners bring, ensuring their integration and empowerment.

LEARNER PERSPECTIVES AND COMMUNITY IMPACT

Student feedback, like that from Pacifique of the FFA program, emphasizes the transformative impact of these initiatives. He highlighted improvements in leadership, self-confidence, understanding mental health, and interpreting skills due to the program. Pacifique's experience inspired him to establish 'Refugee Youth United for Change,' a community-based organization focused on supporting vulnerable individuals through education and vocational training. This demonstrates how bridging programs can empower learners not only for personal advancement but also to contribute significantly to their communities.

PARTNERSHIP AND SCALABILITY OF INITIATIVES

The success of these bridging programs relies heavily on strong partnerships between universities, NGOs, and foundations, as seen in FFA and Padelya. While these projects have shown promising results in specific regions, scaling such initiatives globally presents complex challenges. Factors like varying legal frameworks regarding refugee rights to work, diverse educational landscapes, and the need for context-specific adaptations must be considered. Continued collaboration and sharing of lessons learned are crucial for expanding access to higher education for displaced learners worldwide.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Organizations

●Studies Cited

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Designing Effective Bridging Programs for Displaced Learners

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Explicitly design programs to assist learners in accessing personal, professional, or educational opportunities.

Consider supplementing teaching or providing targeted instruction to help students access higher education.

Focus on equipping students with personal and professional skills to excel within educational programs.

Assess learner demographics, educational histories, and aspirations to tailor the program.

Balance learner desires with realistic and accessible endpoints for program achievement.

Recognize and work within the resources and capacity of the available team.

Consider structural constraints and opportunities at the national and institutional level.

Incorporate extensive psychosocial support as a core component of the curriculum.

Design programs to foster positive interaction between refugees and host communities.

Develop digital skills, including basic computer use, applications, digital security, and literacy.

Offer opportunities for students to experiment with website design and find their voice.

Provide academic support through open lab hours and a welcoming environment.

Offer capacity building workshops on soft skills, CV development, and scholarship applications.

Include peer-to-peer support groups and access to counselors.

Use a consultative process to develop and evolve programs.

Consider the right to work for refugees within the specific context (e.g., Lebanon vs. Uganda).

Integrate digital education to enhance chances of employment, even in the informal market.

Ensure facilitators are present to assess progress, address challenges, and provide academic support.

Tailor MOOCs based on assessments of refugee needs and local contexts.

Avoid This

Avoid programs solely focused on getting students through a degree without attention to post-program outcomes.

Do not assume implicit knowledge about how to succeed in academic spaces is present for marginalized communities.

Do not raise expectations about program achievements beyond what is realistic and achievable.

Avoid relying solely on Global North Open Educational Resources that may not be contextually relevant.

Do not design programs that simply prepare individuals to fit within the existing status quo without challenging institutional perspectives.

Do not overlook the barriers to registering for exams (e.g., in-person requirements, permissions, financial/time costs).

Do not create exams with prohibitively challenging content for those with English as an additional language or lacking local educational context.

Avoid poorly phrased or confusing exam questions.

Do not underestimate the need for methodical, step-by-step instruction in digital skills, especially starting from zero experience.

Do not assume all students will have prior experience with digital or mobile technology.

Do not ignore interruptions or disruptions (lockdowns, elections) that can force program flexibility.

Common Questions

Bridging programs are designed to assist displaced learners in accessing specific personal, professional, or educational opportunities. They aim to supplement teaching, provide targeted instruction for higher education access, and equip students with the confidence and skills to succeed in new academic and professional environments.

Topics

Human Performance Society & Philosophy Refugee Education Higher Education Access Digital Literacy Vocational Training Bridging Programs Educational Pathways Socioeconomic Barriers Curriculum Design

Mentioned in this video

personDimitri Fidel

Strategic advisor to Karam Foundation and works at MIT, introducing the migration summit.

organizationMIT

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which hosted the migration summit.

organizationKaram Foundation

An organization involved in organizing the migration summit, co-founded by Dimitri Fidel.

organizationMIT Refugee Action Hub

An organization involved in organizing the Migration Summit.

organizationPaper Airplanes

An organization involved in organizing the Migration Summit.

personSharon Bolton

Program Manager for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program at the University of Edinburgh, moderating the panel.

organizationUniversity of Edinburgh

An institution partnering with Mastercard Foundation and Macquarie University on research and scholarship programs for displaced learners.

studyFoundations for All

A research project funded by Mastercard Foundation and conducted by the University of Edinburgh to identify barriers refugee learners face in accessing higher education in Uganda.

locationUganda

The country where the Foundations for All project is focused on identifying barriers for refugee learners accessing higher education.

personRabia Chevrollet

Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service at the American University of Beirut, PI of the PADALIA project.

studyPADALIA Program

A pathway program for displaced learners, running in Lebanon, contributing to the discussion on bridging programs.

personGeorgia Cole

Chances Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, involved in designing curriculum dimensions and advocacy for the Foundations for All project.

personMichael Gallagher

Lecturer in Digital Education at the University of Edinburgh and program director for the MSc in Digital Education, working on the Foundations for All project.

organizationAmerican University of Beirut

Institution involved in the PADALIA and Foundations for All projects, contributing expertise in working with refugees and digital education.

organizationKing's College London

Institution collaborating with the American University of Beirut on the PADALIA project, contributing to MOOC development.

conceptSyrian Crisis

The crisis which led to displacement of refugees, forming the background for the PADALIA project's aim to increase higher education access.

locationLebanon

The country where the PADALIA project was implemented, facing challenges with refugee education access.

organizationMacquarie University

Institution partnered with University of Edinburgh on a program for refugees in Uganda, contributing to the Foundations for All project.

conceptDigital Education

An area of expertise from the University of Edinburgh, combined with AUB's experience with refugees, for blended learning programs.

organizationRefugee Law Project

An organization in Uganda that teaches courses for the Foundations for All program and provides psychosocial support.

organizationUganda Ministry of Education

The ministry responsible for education policies, with a partial inclusion strategy for refugees attending public schools.

organizationUNHCR

The UN agency responsible for refugee registration, which was ordered to stop registering newcomers in Lebanon.

organizationHopes Lebanon

An organization that provided an additional grant to extend the PADALIA program delivery.

softwareCalibri

A learning management system chosen for the Foundations for All project, found to be adept for areas with poor connectivity.

studyMSc in Digital Education

A program at the University of Edinburgh where Michael Gallagher is a program director, and which informed some aspects of the digital skills curriculum for the Foundations for All project.

legislationMature Entry Examination

A university exam for non-traditional students (over 25 or lacking credentials) to gain access to higher education, a key focus for the Foundations for All program.

conceptOpen Educational Resources

Materials initially considered for the Foundations for All project, but found to be largely from the Global North and problematic in terms of reinforcing particular views of education.

softwareOER Africa

A repository of Open Educational Resources specifically for Africa, used in the Foundations for All project's digital learning plans.

mediaUganda Motor Rally Championship

An example of a specific knowledge question from the Uganda Mature Entry Examination, highlighting the contextual relevance issue.

organizationUganda Investment Authority

An entity whose executive director was asked in a Mature Entry Examination question, illustrating the specialized knowledge required.

mediaMiss Uganda

An example of a specific knowledge question from the Uganda Mature Entry Examination, highlighting the contextual relevance issue.

organizationRefugee Youth United for Change

An organization founded by Pacifique and other refugees in Uganda to support disadvantaged individuals and communities.

softwarePython

A programming language mentioned in the context of digital skills training that can lead to employment opportunities.

softwareExcel

A software application mentioned in the context of digital skills that helped a refugee women gain a management position.

conceptUkrainian Crisis

A recent event mentioned to illustrate how the profile of refugees can differ and necessitate adjustments in program design.

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