ROUNDTABLE REPORT ON

CONNECTED HIGHER LEARNING

PROGRAMMES FOR REFUGEES
UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION

UNHCR would like to acknowledge that this is a joint report, published with the inputs and reflections from
all of the participants at the Nairobi roundtable. In particular, UNHCR would like to thank the representatives
from the African Virtual University, Australian Catholic University, The Borderless Higher Education for Refugees
Project, InZone, Jesuit Commons: Higher Education at the Margins, the Harvard Graduate School of Education and
representatives from the UNHCR country operations.
In addition to the thoughtful insights provided from all participating tertiary education providers, UNHCR
would like to extend its deepest gratitude to Suad Sharif Mohamed, a recent graduate of the JC:HEM Liberal
Studies Diploma. Suad participated in the round table and provided a thoughtful analysis of connected learning
programmes from the learners perspective. This first hand testimony was pivotal in helping to identify priorities
and next steps.
UNHCR would also like to thank the report authors: Wangui Kimari, Jacqueline Strecker, Audrey Nirrengarten,
Sophie Dupont, and Dunja Markovic.

ABOUT
THIS REPORT
UNHCRs Education Strategy 2012-2016 emphasizes improving
learning outcomes and making lifelong learning accessible for all,
from early childhood education to secondary, higher and adult education. Access to higher education is one of the priorities, and needs
to be considered within the continuum of the education cycle supported by UNHCR.
Given the large numbers of refugee students seeking tertiary education, their lack of resources, the
insufficient opportunities for tertiary education in-country, the geographic isolation of camp-based refugees and
their sometimes restricted mobility, greater use will be made of distance and virtual learning. While there are a
variety of terms used to describe distance or virtual learning, this report adopts the term connected learning
- to highlight the benefits of educational programmes that connect refugees and margalized populations to
accredited academic institutions and mentors.
One key element of UNHCRs strategy in connected learning is to expand opportunities for refugees by
encouraging access to certified higher education courses through connected learning, facilitated by partnerships
with academic institutions and providers with technical expertise in the sector.
This roundtable, hosted by UNHCR Innovation and Education Unit, provided an opportunity to draw
inspiration and wisdom from the experiences of several different initiatives offering connected tertiary education
programmes that target refugee communities. Typically these programmes involve partnerships between an
NGO in the Education Sector, and one or more universities either in the country of asylum or elsewhere. These
innovative programmes have managed to create powerful dynamics and new synergies in refugee settings and
in some cases within host communities. They have also led to a broader understanding of challenges related to
technology and teaching-learning processes, curricula development, modes of delivery, academic collaboration,
and cross-border certification that can inform future developments.
This event also provided an opportunity to facilitate sharing amongst these stakeholders, and encouraged
further networking. The face-to-face meeting was effective in building on existing bi-lateral and multilateral
cooperation to maximise synergies and opportunities for connected learning expansion.

Roundtable Objectives:
1

Share Knowledge

A Common
Understanding

Identify Common
Challenges

Jointly Identify

Identify Joint

Identify Potential

on the current state of

refugee education

resilience and means for

psychosocial support

of roles and responsibilities to further facilitate

coordination

opportunities for partnerships and advocacy

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

encountered and ways

to overcome them

synergies and areas of

support

2014

Source: 2013 UNHCR

Situating Connected Learning

with UNHCRs Protection Mandate
Within UNHCR, tertiary education is one of the priorities of the
2012-2016 Education strategy. The provision of education is one of
the core components of UNHCRs protection mandate and one of
the key elements supporting durable solutions and development.
Tertiary education enhances protection of youth, gives a sense of
purpose, and facilitates integration by placing refugees at equal
footing with non-refugee youth.
Tertiary education includes all types of post-secondary education;
including degree programmes at colleges and universities, as well
as technical, vocational, professional and para-professional trainings that result in certificates and diplomas.

Continuum of Education

If the ladder of educational opportunities is open, school pupils are

increasingly motivated to complete primary and secondary school.
The possibility of tertiary education encourages young people to
enrol and complete secondary education. Tertiary programmes
have a similar impact on demand for primary education. Tertiary
education thus creates a pull factor which supports continuous
learning.

Role-Model of Students

Tertiary education also plays an important role in demonstrating

the positive and meaningful contributions refugees can bring to
their host society. Tertiary students act as role-models for refugee
youth, encouraging retention at schools, thus preventing early
marriage and enrolment in armed forces. While this has a particularly important impact on encouraging female students, these programmes demonstrate how both females and males can become
actors of change in their community.

Empowering Community

Graduates of tertiary programmes help promote tolerance and

peaceful co-existence, by applying their new skills and critical
thinking within their community; becoming leaders for societal
UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

development both in the host country or their country of origin.

Former graduates teach in schools, become community doctors,
local engineers and also initiate businesses benefiting their communities.

What is Connected Learning?

Connected learning is the process of transferring knowledge to

learners (students) through the use of information communication
technologies (ICTs), that enable more flexible learning not bound
by the same time or geographical limitations that exist within traditional tertiary programmes. Connected learning often adopt a
methodology of blended learning, whereby students have both
face-to-face and digital interaction with instructors and/or tutors,
as well as course material. Many connected learning programmes
make use of technology components, such as the internet, video,
CDs, DVDs, mobile phone, printed material, to mention a few, to
accomplish learning.
The flexibility enabled through connected learning is particularly relevant for refugee students. These programmes often do
not have age limits for learners; they allow for additional time for
courses; and they allow learners to study from their current location. Overcoming mobility limitations is of particular relevance for
female students and those with specific needs.
UNHCR is committed to develop opportunities to access certified
higher education courses through connected learning. Face-toface academic tutoring and mentoring is essential for the success
of connected learning for refugees. The programmes also need to
be carefully designed and implemented in collaboration with expert partners.
UNHCR continues to advocate with Ministries of Education and
local institutions to reduce barriers for refugees accessing tertiary
education. These barriers include legal documentation, school certificates and admittances under the same conditions as national
students.
2014

How does Connected Learning Fit within the Existing

UNHCR Tertiary Scholarship Programme (DAFI)?
Action 4 of UNHCR Education Strategy (2012-2016) aims at increasing the number of young people following higher education courses.
In 2013, UNHCR supported over 2,200 students to attend university
through the German-funded DAFI scholarship programme.
The DAFI (Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative) programme is a unique programme administered by UNHCR, providing academic scholarships to refugee students. The DAFI scholarships cover tuition fees, books, travel and subsistence allowances. It
also provides support for seminar, workshop, and the validation of
certificates. There are a limited number of students who can benefit
from this type of support. In 2013, over 5,700 students applied for
a DAFI scholarship and only 16% of the applicants were successful.

Connected learning also serves to mitigate some of the obstacles

refugees face when acquiring access to tertiary education. These
obstacles include a lack of resources, lack of opportunities in country of asylum, geographic isolation of camp-based refugees, and
restricted mobility which constraints access for female students,
students with families, or individuals with disabilities.
The roundtable on connected learning provided an opportunity for
UNHCR to connect and learn from actors working in this field. The
following sections highlight some of the key discussions and good
practices that were discussed. This information will serve as a reference for the preparation and guidance of future initiatives.

The high per student costs of traditional scholarship programmes,

like DAFI, limits the scalability of support. While this model of access
to tertiary education is still vital, and will continue to be maintained,
supporting connected learning programmes enables UNHCR to expand access and allow for a larger number of refugee students to
pursue higher education.

Source: 2008 UNHCR

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

2014

ROUND TABLE
FINDINGS
Situating Connected Learning
with UNHCRs Protection Mandate
Shifting perspectives towards inclusion. International movements
and global trends are refocusing on issues of equity and inclusion
educational opportunities need to be inclusive for all populations.
The role of UNHCR and connected learning partners is to ensure
refugee education is situated within the education for all movement, through advocacy and programming.

qualified teachers in refugee contexts, which limits the communitys ability to graduate through the educational continuum.

What are the challenges?

Creating education opportunities that do not exacerbate conflict. The local power dynamics that influence who has priority
over education and who selects the pedagogy can play a key role
in either exasperating or preventing conflict, and thus require
much consideration.

Appearing on the agenda. Despite on-going advocacy efforts,

the POST 2015 Agenda has yet to adequately address the needs
of refugee education.
Mainstreaming education. UNHCR and partners work to integrate
refugees into local education systems to ensure programme sustainability, quality, and to build positive relations with the host
communities. However, this is not always feasible within host
country legal regulations, which can restrict or limit enrolment of
refugees.
Resource Limitations. Even if a country is willing to integrate
refugees, resource limitations can limit the MoEs ability to absorb students into existing systems. There also is a dearth of

Recognition and certification. Often the certificates that are

attained are not recognized or seen as relevant in either the refugees host country or country of origin.

The Way Forward?

Partnerships. More efforts towards ensuring a broad coalition
of partners including UNHCR, Post-Secondary institutions and
NGOs is required to ensure greater access to higher education
for refugees. Initial partnerships have proven successful in fostering a range of higher education opportunities even in remote
refugee camps.

Source: 2013 AUC

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

2014

Connected Learning from a Students Perspective

ety of local and international mentorship models have been developed. These different models have involved peer-networks, local
community members and associations, fellow-incentive teachers,
university professors and even members of diaspora communities.
Each mentorship model has advantages, but programme designers should make considerations for scripting mentoring opportunities into connected learning courses.
Student motivation. Both self-motivation and peer support go a
long way in inspiring the students to follow their dreams. Several
elements influence students motivation, a main consideration
conveyed by students was the possibility to earn transferable credits and a certification. The possibility to interact with other peers
and the opportunity to learn were also identified as motivating
factors. Interaction amongst students has been identified as a key
to provide initial incentive to enrol, but also to keep up with the
rhythm and facilitate regular attendance and attention to assignments. However, it has to be kept in mind that refugees dont want
parallel or specific refugee-tailored programmes, but want to benefit from existing opportunities.
Source: 2014 JC:HEM

Engendering opportunities. The limited tertiary opportunities that

exist for refugees often require students to relocate to university
settings. However, relocation is not feasible for all refugees, especially those with families or responsibilities in the camps. Connected learning therefore enhances inclusion by providing opportunities for those with limited mobility. The presence of connected
learning programmes serves as a motivation for refugee communities, and especially amongst female students.

Factors for Success:

Strengthening all aspects of the education continuum. This entails

recognizing that higher education is one part of a broader education system, which starts with early childhood education and continues to primary, secondary, tertiary and adult education. In order
to ensure successful higher education programmes all parts of the
education continuum should be considered and supported, with
particular regard to quality secondary education.
Academic bridging. Bridging courses that are built into the connected learning programmes have proven to facilitate a smooth
transition for students; assisting with the instruction of courses
such as academic English, research methods, and information
communication technology (ICT) classes. Greater investment and
accessibility for bridging programmes is recommended for all
forms of connected learning.
Building relationships with teachers and students. Emphasis on
interpersonal relationships between educators and students has
helped students overcome cultural barriers within transnational
programmes and has helped to facilitate a more conducive learning environment.
Mentoring success. Mentoring as a complement to a formal programme also helps facilitate cooperative discussions between students and mentors, helping students to explore the local culture of
learning and also serves as a form of inspiration for learners. A vari-

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

Continued community engagement. Community engagement

must start at the earliest stage of development. It is also crucial
to establish appropriate mechanisms for transparency during the
selection of students, particularly regarding gender parity. Community not only builds support for connected learning students,
but also enables the programmes to have extended benefits to the
broader refugee community. Students of past programmes have
developed local communities of practice where they can share
their knowledge and the pedagogical resources they acquired.
This was emphasised in regards to teacher training. The community involvement also helps to ensure local ownership of the programmes, which is essential for promotion, enrolment and retention of students.

On-going Challenges:

Managing expectations. Students enter into connected learning

programmes with high expectations of the qualifications they will
earn. Unfortunately not all the diplomas are recognized nor render
immediate employment in the country of asylum or in their country of origin. Clear communication about course offerings and the
resulting qualifications should be provided prior to students enrolment in the programme in order to prevent them from developing
unrealistic expectations.
Physical proximity of learning centres. Many learning centres
are far from students residences, which can hinder the enrolment or attendance of students; in particular, women and persons with disabilities etc.
Gender disparities in higher education. Socio-cultural barriers
hinder the enrolment and continuation of females in primary and
post-primary education, negatively affecting the number of girls eligible for higher education opportunities be it through traditional
scholarships or connected learning. Barriers include high attrition
rates at primary and secondary level, early marriage, and concerns
related to cultural appropriateness and security raised by families.

2014

Connected Learning from University, NGO,

and UNHCRs Perspective
A consortium of both academic and humanitarian actors are vital
for ensuring effective and sustainable connected learning programmes. Academic institutions (both international and local), non
-governmental organizations and UNHCR each make important
contributions to connected learning. While the roles of each actor
differ from programme to programme, the following statement is
true for the majority of initiatives currently in operation. UNHCR
is responsible for ensuring the programmes are aligned with the
humanitarian protection mandate, while universities situate the
content and pedagogy of virtual learning to align with international academic standards and advocate within the institution for
support for refugee focused programs. NGOs are also pivotal as
they are involved in helping to tailor the programmes for the environment and to adhere to a community-based and sustainable
approach. The following findings represent the experiences and
reflection of current programmes including: JC:HEM, BHER, InZone
and ACUs Refugee Education Programme.

Important Connected Learning Considerations:

Planning for different cultures of learning. Familiarity with the

contextual culture of learning in the specific place will also allow for better knowledge of what pedagogical tools and strategies should be applied in different locations.
Time & Space-bound for learning. Thinking about time constraints
to learning, as well as where people do their learning, can allow for
innovative approaches that can enable students to have increased
flexibility such as studying at schools or from home. While this flexibility is important, good practice also shows the value of having
learning hubs in central spaces that allow for students to come together as a community of learners.

Factors for Success:

Flexibility in approach. Programmes should adopt a range of

approaches that take into consideration contextual limitations
such as technological challenges, cultural considerations as well
as environment caused delays. Road closures due to flooding or
a long period of no internet connectivity are two examples given
of scenarios which required programmes to adopt an alternative
approach for delivery. Plans B, C, and D should be prepared to mitigate against programme interrupts even in the advent of unforeseen obstacles.
Partnering with local institutions. These partnerships facilitate
smoothe, and more culturally relevant strategies that promote
better access and running of connected learning programmes.
Partnerships should also ensure engagement with and investment
by local communities.
Global mandate of universities. As universities recognize the need
to invest in global approaches, and/or practice the social-justice
approaches they teach, these institutions are increasingly more
likely to partner and support connected learning that promotes
access to a public good. Further encouragement and support is
required to advocate for universities to play a more active role in
providing higher education opportunities for persons of concern.
Linking with livelihood opportunities. It is important that programmes do not just produce a certificate/degree for the students,
but also provide skills for job opportunities available in the given
context. One way to assist students in transitioning into the job
market is to incorporate internships, apprenticeships or other
workplace opportunities into the programmes.

Source: 2013 JC:HEM

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

2014

Source: 2014 InZone

On-going Challenges

Language obstacles within academia. Language barriers still pose

a significant challenge despite the steps taken to mitigate these
obstacles. Although bridging courses have been developed to
improve familiarity with academic languages, language development is an incremental process and connected learning tends to
struggle with providing support to students with varying levels of
verbal and written ability. In addition, the production of content at
an academic level also poses significant challenges for some students in the learning process.
Enrolment and retention of female students. Cultural, environmental and systemic factors limit female participation throughout the
education continuum. This impacts their ability to qualify for higher
learning programmes and at times can affect their retention.
Preserving quality while respecting inclusion. A persistent challenge arises in maintaining a delicate balance between providing academic accommodations for marginalized persons, and
ensuring that academic standards remain. Concerns have been
raised that lowering the entry grade required for admission into
connected learning programmes could compromise the academic

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

validity of the programme. In addition, academia still privileges

traditional intellectual work over other talents/content. This can
inevitably exclude important forms of knowledge, and exclude the
contributions of certain students.
Bureaucratic and inflexible funders. The majority of connected
learning funding is provided from northern donors whose standards are based on northern teaching and class policies, at times
creating additional complications for programmes that require
greater structural flexibility.
Internal advocacy for humanitarian approach. Although academic
institutions support a global approach, there is often a failure to
recognize the merits of a humanitarian approach. UNHCR needs to
assist in advocating for universities to invest in connected learning
for refugees.

2014

Programme Design Reflections

Diversity of Connected Learning Models:
Scholarship vs. non-scholarship models: Existing connected learning programmes have adopted different structures: some that support
a scholarship model, where each student enrolled is budgeted for as an individual, with a set number of scholarships provided. In other
scenarios, the scholarship model has proved ineffective for a large student population base, and thus the programme is viewed as a
whole with the costs not being divided per individual but is calculated as for all programme components including facility resources
and implementation support. Each model is dependent on the relationship to academic institutions and on the relationship to faculty
(i.e. are professors volunteering their time during instruction). Each model has its strengths and is designed in relation to the funding
support and contextual environment it works within. More information on the particularities of existing connected learning models in
the Annex.

Considerations for Mentorship Programmes:

Programming must take into account the context and
power relations that can exist between aspects of gender,
ability, sexuality, and within staff/student power dynamics.
There is a range of mentorship approaches that can be
utilized at different stages of the learning process. These diverse approaches can include: group or individual, alumni
or community members, and can also make use of various
technological platforms such as Facebook and SMS.

Mentors have to be as invested in the mentorship process

as the mentees.
Faculty should also be mentored, as this will facilitate a
faster learning curve for those responsible for connected
language instruction.

Considerations for the Use of Tech:

Issues of connectivity: While issues with the internet
cannot always be avoided, preparing back up material on
offline repositories such as books/catalogues, USBs, DVDs,
external hard-drives, or local servers can provide a solution.
These materials can also be a good way of advertising the
program, as well as cost effective ways to distribute material
within the community.

Open Source: Using and creating open source material/

software (where applicable) can assist in making learning
materials accessible to those who are unable to afford them.

Outsourcing: Outsourcing the running of computer labs,

or making use of available ICT centres or cyber cafes can assist with care, maintenance and cost of these centres. The
decision to outsource or not is based on local criteria and
assessment.

Partnership: Collaborations with the private sector can

potentially assist in cost-effective business models for delivery of connected learning. For example, learning centres
that can be used as an internet caf during the evenings
and used as learning centres for the rest of day, etc.

Crowdsourcing: Crowdsourcing for maintenance of sites

or development of materials (including translation) can also
be a cost effective means of developing learning materials
and internet sites, as well as a means to develop innovative
and diverse content.

Recycling: A small way to enhance the eco-system of

connected learning is to provide livelihood trainings on
computer repair, utilizing recycled computers from UNHCR
and partner offices to ensure that individuals using computers are also able to support the care and maintenance of ICT
learning centres.

Multifaceted approaches: Employing a diversity of approaches that utilize both offline and online sources (videos,
catalogues, etc.) are highly advantageous and can provide
a backup plan against internet interruptions, while also be
dynamic and

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

Training: Both staff and students need to receive adequate training on how to use the educational online platforms.

Source: 2013 AUC

Towards a Nexus of Connected

Learning Actors:
One of the main outcomes of the roundtable is recognition that
the provision of higher education to refugees requires active collaboration between different connected learning actors e.g
foundations, organisations, institutions, businesses, NGOs and individuals -each of which bring key expertise and resources to any
potential solution. In order to facilitate collaboration, round table
participates identified that it is necessary to provide both a framework to enable potential actors to identify their role and how they
might work effectively with others, and a network to facilitate the
formation of coherent teams of actors to work towards the provision of higher education in any given circumstance.
To aid in the formation of this network and the development of a
framework/guidance for connected learning programmes, the following roles and support requirements were identified by round
table participants.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

UNHCR will work with partners to develop a framework, or guidance for connected learning programmes. They will also assist
with the coordination of partners to facilitate information and best
practice sharing; as well as provide a platform to facilitate a dialogue between education expertise and protection angles. UNHCR
will also advocate with universities and other post-secondary institutions to support and establish connected learning programmes.

Jesuit Commons Higher Education at the Margins (JC:HEM)

JC:HEM will work with UNHCR to facilitate the co-development of

adequate frameworks (partnerships and educational) for the delivery of higher education for refugees.

The Borderless Higher Education for Refugee Project (BHER)

BHER will work with partners to engender development and sustainability of connected learning. In addition they identify that
there are some short term gaps that UNHCR can address such as
food and female sanitary wear. They also would hope that in the
long term UNHCR would consider BHER as an extension of their
secondary school programme.

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

Australian Catholic University (ACU)

ACU welcomes the opportunity to engage with and share our decade of experience with other participants in the field of delivering tertiary education to refugees and internally displaced populations. There is a need for research to identify and better serve
community needs through collaborative partnerships and a range
of approaches, including technology, to deliver culturally appropriate pedagogy. ACU is eager to participate in a network to explore
these issues.

InZone

InZone agrees to contribute its techno-pedagogical know-how

and field experience to the development of virtual learning and
virtual learning environments in the field. By carefully documenting the implementation of virtual learning in the field they are
working towards best practice guidelines for developing different
distance learning and open courseware options that allow refugee
learners to reach their higher education objectives.

African Virtual Univeristy (AVU)

AVU will bring the experience of setting up online institutions in

the deep field, as well as developing open source courses to the
Nexus. AVU has already developed open educational resources
that are available and can be used.

Swiss Humanitarian Organization (SIHO)

SIHO identifies that they are new to this field and need to partner
with organizations with previous experience and knowledge. They
will contribute partnerships with universities, and propose to pilot the design and construction of a new learning space adapted
to connected learning needs in camps. At the same time they will
work to identify partners in Africa and in the Middle East, and to
advocate for the Sorbonne to sponsor students from camps.

ANNEX:

PROGRAMME BRIEFS

The African Virtual University (AVU)

The African Virtual University (AVU) is a Pan African Intergovernmental Organization established by charter with the mandate of
significantly increasing access to quality higher education and
training through the innovative use of information communication
technologies. A Charter, establishing the AVU as an Intergovernmental Organization, has been signed so far by eighteen (18) African Governments - Kenya, Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Cote dIvoire,
Tanzania, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin,
Ghana, Republic of Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, South Sudan, Sudan, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria. The AVU has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and a Regional office in Dakar Senegal
with Host-Country Agreements and Diplomatic Status with the
two governments.
The AVU Business Plan 2009-2014 has two main thrusts: (a) educational and support services; and (b) development services. The
educational and support services include AVU diploma and certificate programs and courses, 3rd party programs and courses,
eConferences and virtual meetings, webinars, and custom content
development. The development services aims at building the capacity of AVU Partner Institutions (PIs) with an objective of increasing access to quality education through the following activities:
updating and developing content; Open Educational Resources
(OER) Development; AVU Capacity Enhancement Program (ACEP);
set up/upgrade ODeL centers; developing professional networks
through Communities of Practices; Research and Development;
and Quality Evaluation and Benchmarking.

The AVU is implementing a Multinational Project, Phase II (20122016) , funded by the African Development Bank. The project
builds on the successfull implementation of the first phase ( 20052011). The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of the AVU and a network of 27 Universities drawn from 21
countries, to deliver and manage quality.
ICT integrated education and training opportunities. The project
will have the following activities: (1) Establishment of new Open
Distance and eLearning (ODeL) Centres and/or upgrading of exiting AVU Learning Centres as well as Internet connectivity provision
at AVU Partner Institutions; (2) Development and/or improvement,
and delivery of four ICT integrated Programs: AVU Capacity Enhancement Program (ACEP); Teacher Education (TE), Computer
Science (CS), and Peace and Conflict Resolution; (3) Gender Mainstreaming (4) Research and Development; (5) Promotion and development of Open Education Resources (OERs); and (6) Enhancement of AVU Capacity.
The 21 countries benefiting from the AVU Multinational Project
Phase II include: nine (9) Francophone African Countries: Benin,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal; three (3) Lusophone African Countries: Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Mozambique; and eight (9)
Anglophone African Countries: Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia ,
Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Tanzania.
See www.avu.org

The AVU has contributed to training more than 43,000 students

since its inception in 1997. The greatest asset of the AVU is its ability to work across borders and language barriers in Anglophone,
Francophone and Lusophone Africa. As the leading Pan African
eLearning Network, the AVU has acquired the largest eLearning
network in Anglophone, Francophone and Lusophone Africa with
more than 53 Partner Institutions in 27 countries.

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

ACU Refugee Program on the

Thai-Burma Border
The situation of refugees, forced migrants and internally displaced
people is one of the greatest humanitarian challenges facing humankind. This is especially true of what the UN High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR) calls protracted refugee situations where
the refugees have lived for many years in a state of limbo with no
resolution to their problem in sight. This is the case with the nine
Burmese camps along the Thai-Burmese border the consequence
of brutal repression of ethnic minorities by the junta in Burma. The
changing political landscape in Myanmar has not so far improved
the situation of ethnic minorities.
In the camps, primary and secondary education are all provided by
UNHCR and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) but there is
no opportunity for young, bright refugees to have access to recognized qualifications in higher education.
ACU has been offering tertiary education since 2004 to refugee
students from Burma living in the camps. While the majority are
from the Karen ethnic group, reflecting their majority presence on
the Thai-Burma border, we have deliberately sought out students
from other ethnic groups such as Kachin, Mon and Shan as well as
ensuring a good gender balance. ACU offers a Diploma in Liberal
Studies of eight broad liberal arts subjects such as English Communication Skills, Introduction to Development, and Fundamentals
of Business Management. The Diploma is currently being taught
to forty nine students through a mix of online tutoring, use of distance learning materials and face-to-face teaching. In the past, the
Diploma was delivered through a consortium of ACU and three US
based Jesuit Universities who each contributed a small amount of
money as well as offering one subject each using on-line learning.
However, the US Universities have withdrawn from ACUs program
and are now participating in a similar tertiary program modelled
on the ACU program through JCHEM: Jesuit Higher Education at
the Margins. Our current partners are York University in Toronto,
Canada, the Marist Mission Ranong, ( MMR) Thailand , the Order of
St Augustine ( OSA) and the Catholic Office for Emergency Relief
and Refugees, (COERR) Thailand .
The current Diploma program includes eight subjects, seven of
which are taught by ACU staff and one by a York University. . It is
being delivered in Mae Sot in central Thailand where ACU has established a study centre which also provides accommodation for
thirty students from refugee camps along the Thai/ Burma border
and study facilities for the ten additional students who all work in
CBOs or NGOs. There are also nine Diploma students in Ranong
in the South with a tutor and study centre supported by the MMR
These students are all migrant workers from Burma who have had
no previous opportunities for tertiary or vocational education A
further group of five students from Pakistan, Syria and the Demo-

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

cratic Republic of Congo are urban refugees in Bangkok and will

complete a Certificate version of the course, studying only four of
the eight Diploma subjects. The reasons for this relate to the more
complex circumstances of this group as well as limitations in local
resources.
Students are selected via an English test, both spoken and written
as well as an extensive interview. In 2013, over two hundred and
sixty students applied for the fifty four places in the 2014 course.
The native English speaking tutors at each site who hold regular
classes support students, providing much needed mediation of
on-line course material as well as contact with lecturers.
Former graduates of the ACU course have gained employment
in NGOs or CBOs serving the refugee communities, teaching (the
camps have lost 50% of their teachers over the past few years) and
community leadership. For those who have chosen resettlement,
a number have gained scholarships from foundations such as the
Erasmus Mundi Foundation or Childs Dream and entry into universities in Thailand or overseas.
The program was awarded Best Collaborative International Project
at the prestigious Australian Business Higher Education Round Table Awards (B-HERT) in 2008 and won the ACU Vice-Chancellors
Award for Outstanding Community Engagement in 2010.
Research has shown the studies of past graduates have benefited
the refugee community (if they have stayed in the camps or in the
border area) or the community in diaspora (if they have been resettled to a third country). Students who previously supported the
armed struggle against the Burmese military reported that, owing
to their studies, they now believed in peaceful negotiation to end
what is the worlds longest-running civil war.
This program is a direct embodiment of ACUs mission with its fundamental concern for justice and the dignity of all human beings.
The on-going challenge is to raise the funds to make the program
sustainable.
For further information, contact Maya Cranitch on 02 9739 2010 or
email: maya.cranitch@acu.edu.au. More information can be found
on the Faculty of Education and website under Community Engagement Activities.
See www.acu.edu.au.

Borderless Higher Education

For Refugees (BHER)
The Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) project is a
development initiative that delivers higher education to refugees
in the Dadaab refugee camps and Kenyan nationals from local host
communities.
BHER is a multi-institutional collaboration within the seven-member BHER Consortium bridging Kenya and Canada. In Kenya, these
consortium partners are African Virtual University (AVU), Kenyatta
University (KU), Moi University (MU) and Windle Trust Kenya (WTK).
The Canadian consortium members are York University (YU), University of British Columbia (UBC), and World University Service of
Canada (WUSC). The BHER project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through the
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD)
through a grant for the period of 2013 2018, administered
through York University in Canada.
The project draws on Canadian, Kenyan and international expertise to develop and enhance professional capacities in situ. Specifically, the project focuses on (1) enhancing the teaching workforce in the Dadaab camps and local surrounding communities
in Kenya through internationally-recognized university courses
and program offerings at the level of certificate, diplomas and degrees; and (2) increasing the effectiveness of Canadian and Kenyan
universities to deliver quality inter-cultural and gender-sensitive
university programs for marginalized groups and communities
through partnership activities and joint courses/programs
Project Goal: The ultimate goal of BHER is to afford refugee youth a
greater likelihood of successful and productive repatriation to their
home country when possible, and a rise in the quality of education
in host/home countries concerned with building peaceful, equitable and socially inclusive societies.

What does BHER do?

Offers gender balanced and internationally recognized university

programs at the level of certificates, diplomas and degrees in education, social sciences and natural sciences to refugee and local
populations;
Supports Canadian and Kenyan universities to develop and deliver individual or joint onsite and online programs through the
BHER Learning Centre.

How does BHER work?

Students eligible to apply to any of the BHER programs will follow

admission policies and procedures of the institution that administers any given academic program;
UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

All students initially attend a year of preparatory work to become

university ready;
After the preparatory stage, students enroll in Certificate and Diploma programs to train as teachers either in primary or secondary
education;
Upon completion of either the Certificate or Diploma Programs,
students may apply to a degree program in a range of disciplines.
These are still under development, but may include such disciplines as Community Health, Community Development and Extension and Business.
All offerings are stackable, allowing students to earn a certificates or diplomas at each level of study, incrementally building towards earning a degree;
Costs for education are absorbed by donors and participating
universities.

BHER Model

Students in the BHER program are organized in to cohorts, each

of which accommodates up to 200 students and lasts 4-5 years.
Current funding covers 2 cohorts; one to begin in 2013 and one
in 2014. Each cohort will initially enroll in a university preparation program called the Increased access and Skills for Tertiary
Education Program (InSTEP). Its purpose is to prepare prospective
students for university education through courses in English Language for Academic Purposes, Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) and Research Skills. Successful students will receive a non-credit Certificate.
Students who elect to proceed with their studies after completing InSTEP will be eligible apply to a BHER Certificate or Diploma
in Education, pursuing either a primary or secondary education
stream. Graduates from these Certificate and Diploma programs
may then apply to a BHER Bachelor degree program offered by one
or more of the BHER consortium universities, with their Education
credits counted towards the requirements of the degree. InSTEP
and all Certificate, Diploma and Degree programs are designed to
be completed by students who remain resident in Dadaab during
their studies, with courses offered both on-site and online.
See http://crs.yorku.ca/bher

JC:HEM
Its About Partnerships

JC:HEM brings together a large group of individuals, organisations,

institutions and foundations, individually and collectively invested
to bring higher education to those at the margins. This includes
the Jesuit Refugee Service, UNHCR, Regis University as the awarding institution, as well as the other 27 universities in the US and an
increasing number of organisations and institutions. Each brings
their own networks and partners.
Not least, JC:HEM harnesses the willingness of individuals, particularly faculty, to make their personal time available to teach those
at the margins.
Increasingly, the challenge for JC:HEM is not finding additional
partners, but ensuring the appropriate management and targeting
of their contributions.

Centralise Some Things, Decentralise Others

(but keep them both small)

JC:HEM has a small central team responsible for its academic activities - course content management and delivery, faculty recruitment
and orientation for example. This central academic management
can support many site with JRS and potentially other partners.
The scope and respective responsibilities of these key partners has
become increasingly clear during the course of the pilot and will be
formalised when JC:HEM moves into Phase II though Memoranda
of Understanding.

The Technology & Networks To Do This Are Available

At the outset it was thought that the principal challenges likely

to be faced would be technological how to get reliable power
and internet access to refugee communities; the maintenances of
computers, systems access, bandwidth etc. While these challenges
have not been insignificant, they have, for the most part proved to
be manageable.
Moreover, the technology used has rarely been cutting edge: solar-power cells, batteries, generators etc, while the internet has
usually been provided by commercial providers through existing
networks. Buildings have been constructed using local labour and
materials. Any visitor to the learning laboratories at Kakuma and
Dzaleka for example, would instantly recognise the legacy of learning laboratories a formula which has been in use since at least
the 1980s.

The Principal Challenges are Academic

The majority of Diploma courses offered by JC:HEM have been existing courses donated by partner institutions. In many cases it has
been necessary to adapt them for cultural context and sensitivity
- often substantially. This process will culminate in Phase II when
JC:HEM will develop an entirely new curriculum for the margins.

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

This development represents a significant investment. Once complete however, it will be an equally significant asset capable of deployment wherever the need arises.

On-Site Support is Critical

During the initial assessment process, JC:HEM encountered several

previous attempts at distance learning amongst refugees. These
had used a variety of media, paper-based postal systems, flash
drives, video technology etc. The usual mechanism was to offer
scholarships to individuals that covered the costs of fees and personal learning materials. For the most part, they had been unsuccessful.
Upon examination, the assessment team concluded that it was not
the intrinsic quality of these courses which was at fault, but the lack
of local support. Students were often expected to study in isolation
without the support of either the awarding institution or the sponsoring agency. While there were several celebrated success stories,
the drop-out rates made such initiatives unsustainable.
In response, JC:HEM has actively sought to develop learning centres which physically bring students together and encourages
them to support each other amongst a community of learners.
Moreover, JRS has employed dedicated staff to support students,
resolve technical queries, monitor student progress and to identify
and address both individual and collective student issues. This support has been critical.

Sustainability Requires A Business Plan

JC:HEM has been an extremely effective mechanism for harnessing

the voluntary contributions of people and institutions. However, to
address issues of sustainability and to reassure existing and future
partners, it has been necessary to develop a business model which
quantifies and allocates the costs of the project amongst its various
contributors.
Not only has this model enabled partners to manage their on-going contributions, but also to evaluate the value of the programme
to them. This takes a variety of forms: universities for example not
only participate in an activity which helps them to deliver the more
altruistic elements of their institutional their mission, but which
also contributes to the professional and academic development
of their faculty. The JRS and UNHCR, our on-site partners are not
only able to provide educational opportunities for the group for
which they are advocates but similarly benefit from the training
and development of their staff. In addition, though engagement
with JC:HEM International Faculty, they enhance other educational
activities.
See http://www.jc-hem.org/

InZone: Centre for Interpreting

in Conflict Zones
Humanitarian Communition: Challenges

Conflict and natural disasters know no linguistic boundaries. Organisations working in the field are often ill equipped to deliver
emergency and humanitarian aid across language barriers.
InZone is committed to improving communication in conflict and
post-conflict zones by delivering virtual and on-site training to humanitarian field interpreters.

Lack of translation and interpreting services is a vital missing link

in our ability to coordinate humanitarian aid effectively. Head of
OCHA, Hati (2010)

Interpreter Training

InZone delivers tailor-made courses that blend on-site and online

training. Course materials are always organization- and context-specific. The InZone Basic Course for Humanitarian Field Interpreters includes two key components:

Basic consecutive and note-taking skills

Ethics in the communication process

JC:HEM InZones online training is delivered through InZones

learning environment, optimized for a variety of devices and
screen sizes.

InZones Mission & Activities

InZones mission is three-fold:

1. Documentation and research

Publication database
Documentary evidence
Research on ethics & humanitarian interpreting

2. Training

2009-2010

ICRC I - online pilot course for ICRC
2011

ICRC II

UNHCR I - first course for UNHCR, Nairobi
2012-2013

UNHCR EDUCATION UNIT & INNOVATION | ROUNDTABLE, NAIROBI KENYA

UNHCR II - UNHCR, Nairobi

UNHCR III, Kakuma Refugee Camp
UNHCR IV, Khartoum & East Sudan
UNAMA I, Kabul
UNHCR V - UNHCR, Nairobi
ICRC III & IV
UNHCR VI, Dadaab Refugee Camp
3. Community-building

Providing a virtual meeting point for humanitarian field

interpreters from different areas and humanitarian
organisation

Recent Accomplishments

Over 150 interpreters trained for ICRC, UNHCR, IOM and ILO, covering up to 25 languages
On-site courses in Kenya, Sudan, Afghanistan and Switzerland
Opening of an office at UNON in Nairobi
Launch of a Continuing Education Certificate in Humanitarian Interpreting (CAS)
MOOC on communication in humanitarian settings in collaboration with CERAH
Higher education in fragile contexts
For more information contact:
Prof. Barbara Moser-Mercer: Barbara.Moser@unige.ch
Carmen.Delgado@unige.ch - Leila.Kherbiche@unige.ch Arturo.Rago@unige.ch
inzone@unige.ch
Or see http://inzone.fti.unige.ch

A special thank you to all roundtable participants:

Agnes Namunyak K. Mutele, Audrey Nirrengarten, Barbara Moser-Mercer, Beryl Pilkington, Don Dippo, Dunja Markovic, George
Kihara, Ita Sheehy, Jacqueline Strecker, James Karanja, Jean Bosco, Joanina Karugaba, Johannes Tarvainen, Josephine Gitome,
Maguelone Arsac, Marangu Njogu, Marilena Cabral, Mary R. McFarland, Maureen Kopiyo, Maya Cranitch, Neil Sparnon, Richard Tsalwa, Sarah Dryden-Peterson, Sophie Dupont, Suad Sharif Mohamed, Troy Etulain, Wangui Kimari, and Yveline Wood.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Rue de Montbrillant 94
CH-1201 Genve
Switzerland
www.unhcrinnovation.org
www.unhcr.org