The UniStaR project outreach conference, Welcome to campus – how Higher Education institutions can create an inclusive environment for refugees and students with a migration background took place online on April 5th and 6th, 2022.
The conference, which counted more than 170 registrations, included a mix of talks and workshops, and saw the contribution of representatives from academia, policy-making bodies and organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and DAAD. The event was opened by UNHCR goodwill ambassador Maya Ghaza’s keynote speech, whose contribution paved the floor to a panel discussion on the barriers faced by refugee students in HE, and on the measures that could be taken to overcome them, ranging from psychological, linguistic to practical support.
The plenary sessions were complemented by dedicated sessions aimed at providing information on the project results and future developments, including four workshops aimed at disseminating the UniStaR course developed during the project. The first two workshops, Becoming a Refugee and Refugees on Campus, explained basic terminology on refugees, asylum and migration and discussed the main challenges that refugees face in Higher Education. The last two workshops, Wellbeing on Campus and Inclusive Teaching and Diversity, discussed mental health, psychological well-being, and inclusive approaches to teaching.