What is the 15 by 30 roadmap and what are its goals?

The 15 by 30 roadmap is UNHCR's strategy to increase the enrollment of refugee youth in higher education to 15% by the year 2030. It focuses on improving access through various educational pathways and promoting inclusion.

How does the Duolingo and UNHCR partnership support refugee students?

The partnership supports refugee students through the Access Scholars Program, providing individualized advising for university exploration, application assistance, and guidance on financial aid. It aims to navigate complex admission processes and secure opportunities.

What are some of the key challenges faced by refugee students in accessing higher education?

Key challenges include limited access to technology and computers for online tests like the DET, potential misrepresentation of English proficiency due to typing difficulties, and the complex, often lengthy, processes for obtaining travel documents and study visas.

What is the Peer-to-Peer Solutions Advisor Network?

This network, spearheaded by the Tertiary Refugee Student Network, will train and employ refugee youth as advisors to help their peers navigate the transition to higher education. It leverages firsthand experience to provide guidance and support.

Are there specific recommendations for universities looking to enroll refugee students?

Universities are encouraged to build partnerships with organizations on the ground, develop campus-wide consensus and buy-in, share information and ask questions, and recognize the unique strengths and resilience refugee students bring to a campus community.

What are the outcomes of the first year of the Access Scholars Program?

The program successfully selected 25 scholars, with 18 applying to North American universities and 14 receiving funded admission offers. Three scholars were admitted locally within their host countries.

What are the next steps and future plans for the Access Scholars Program?

The program is continuing and is selecting its second cohort. Efforts are underway to increase public awareness, advocate for universities to enroll refugee students, and share learnings to improve refugee pathways to tertiary education.

Lessons Learned from the DETxUNHCR Pilot Partnership in Refugee University Access - MS2023

MIT OpenCourseWare

Education4 min read58 min video

Apr 17, 2023|158 views|5

migration displacement livelihoods refugees education workforce development MIT ReACT storytelling migration summit

Save to Pod

Key Moments

TL;DR

Duolingo & UNHCR pilot aids refugees in university access via personalized guidance and support.

Key Insights

The Duolingo English Test (DET) pilot program with UNHCR aims to increase university access for refugees.

The program provides individualized guidance on university admissions and financial aid.

UNHCR's '15 by 30' roadmap targets a 15% refugee enrollment in higher education by 2030, indicating a significant gap.

Early decision applications were most successful for scholars, suggesting applicant commitment is valued by universities.

Addressing misconceptions about refugees is crucial; many are well-prepared and possess valuable life skills.

Collaboration and public-private partnerships are vital for expanding refugee access to higher education.

Challenges remain in securing travel documents and visas, highlighting the need for continued support and advocacy.

THE INITIATIVE AND ITS GOALS

The Duolingo English Test (DET) has partnered with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on a pilot program designed to facilitate undergraduate university access for refugees. This first-of-its-kind initiative, launched in 2022, aims to identify high-potential refugee students and offer them tailored support in exploring and applying for university admissions and financial aid opportunities that align with their academic achievements and future aspirations. The program also focuses on building capacity among UNHCR and its implementation partners to scale support for a larger number of students.

THE GLOBAL CONTEXT OF REFUGEE HIGHER EDUCATION

Manal Stogaitis from UNHCR highlighted the critical need for increased refugee access to higher education, noting that only 6% of refugee youth are currently enrolled globally, a stark contrast to the 41% average for non-refugee populations. This gap is a central focus of UNHCR's '15 by 30' roadmap, which seeks to achieve 15% refugee enrollment in higher education by 2030. The agency's role has evolved from providing basic education in temporary situations to ensuring access across the entire education continuum, recognizing that displacement is often long-term and requires integration into development contexts and labor markets.

STRUCTURE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACCESS SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The pilot program, the Access Scholars Program, began in March 2022, with the first cohort of 25 students selected by June. University access advisor Laura Cobb worked individually with students from June to December 2022, guiding them through self-discovery, exploration of interests, and identifying university opportunities, primarily in North America for this initial cohort. Students were selected based on academic merit, English proficiency (assessed partially through a free DET practice test), essays, and recommendations. The program partnered with UNHCR offices in Cameroon, India, Iraq, and South Africa, receiving 115 applications and interviewing 64 finalists before selecting the 25 Scholars.

KEY LEARNINGS AND STRATEGIC ADVICE

A significant learning from the pilot is the success of 'early decision' applications in the US, where a student's commitment to attend if admitted and funded provides universities with greater certainty for financial aid and yield planning. Presenters emphasized that universities should not underestimate refugee students' capabilities, as many are well-educated, resilient, and possess valuable life skills beyond academic readiness. The Duolingo English Test, while accessible and affordable, presents challenges related to internet and computer access, as well as typing skills, which can sometimes misrepresent a student's true English proficiency.

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES AND FOSTERING COLLABORATION

Despite positive admissions results for many scholars, securing travel documents and study visas remains a major hurdle. The program underscores the importance of robust collaboration between UNHCR, local governments, universities, and NGOs. Duolingo is committed to expanding its free DET access program and encouraging other private sector entities to remove paywalls and offer more philanthropic support, such as testing vouchers, to reduce financial barriers for low-income and refugee students. The success of this pilot fuels plans for a second cohort and broader engagement.

SCALING IMPACT AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Looking ahead, UNHCR is developing a 'peer-to-peer Solutions Advisor Network' to scale existing support structures, empowering refugee youth to assist their peers in navigating higher education pathways. This initiative will be implemented by the Tertiary Refugee Student Network (TRSN), a refugee-led organization. Duolingo and UNHCR are also actively engaged in advocacy and thought leadership, sharing lessons learned to encourage more universities to enroll refugee students and to influence policy. Publicizing success stories is seen as crucial for advocacy and for highlighting the need for streamlined processes for travel documents and visas.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESOURCES FOR STAKEHOLDERS

The presentation offered specific recommendations for universities interested in supporting refugee students, emphasizing the need to build campus-wide consensus and partnerships with on-the-ground organizations. Sharing knowledge and asking questions within professional networks is encouraged, as many universities are exploring similar initiatives. Key initiatives and organizations like the President's Alliance, Welcome Corps, the 15 by 30 Campaign, and Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR) were highlighted as valuable resources. UNHCR also shared information on global coordination groups like the Global Refugee Tertiary Education Task Team and the Global Refugee Forum for those seeking to engage further.

PILOT PROGRAM OUTCOMES AND ONGOING SUPPORT EFFORTS

The pilot successfully identified 25 Scholars, with three admitted locally and 14 of 18 North American applicants receiving funded admissions offers so far. While awaiting further scholarship results, the program is actively supporting students in obtaining necessary travel documents and visas, a process the UNHCR country offices are heavily involved in facilitating. The program's success in securing admissions and funding is a testament to the scholars' potential and the effectiveness of targeted support, paving the way for the recruitment of a second cohort and continued efforts to broaden access.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Common Questions

The Duolingo English Test (DET) is an affordable and convenient English proficiency test. Duolingo's Access Program makes the DET free for students supported by partner organizations, helping them meet university admission requirements.

Topics

Complementary Pathways Study Visas Travel Documents University Admissions International Education 15 By 30 Roadmap

Mentioned in this video

companyUniversity of Puget Sound

Emma McLeavy Weeder's previous employer where she worked in recruitment.

concept15 by 30

A target strategy by UNHCR to achieve 15% enrollment of refugee youth in higher education by the year 2030, focusing on various educational pathways and inclusion.

companyUniversity of York

A Canadian university from which scholarship results are still pending for the Access Scholars.

organizationConnected Learning in Crisis Consortium

A global coordinating body for partners working in online or digital education for higher education, particularly in crisis contexts.

personEmma McLeavy Weeder

Head of the Access Program at Duolingo English Test and Strategic Engagement Manager. Previously worked in university admissions for a decade.

personManal Stogaitis

Education Officer at UNHCR Headquarters, overseeing higher education initiatives and supporting refugees' transition from secondary to tertiary education.

conceptEvery Campus a Refuge

An initiative or movement encouraging universities to become places of refuge and support for displaced individuals.

companyBarnard College

Laura Cobb's previous employer where she worked in admissions.

organizationDartmouth College

supplementTOEFL

organizationQueen's University

toolIELTS