Supporting Refugee Students’ Higher Ed Potential

This is an Op-Ed in Inside Higher Education by Presidents Michael Crow, Arizona State University, a Steering Committee Chair for The Presidents’ Alliance, and Leon Botstein, Bard College, a Presidents’ Alliance Member

As we continue to respond to urgent needs of Afghan evacuees, and as we watch the unfolding situation in Ukraine, we must recognize that the challenge is far greater than just one country’s displaced population. Across the globe, forced displacement has approximately doubled in the past decade, increasing the number of university-aged youth who are passionate about continuing their education but lack the opportunity. Fewer than 1 percent of refugees worldwide are resettled each year, and only 5 percent gain access to higher education.

Thankfully, in the past year we have seen important momentum behind the concept of a new college and university sponsorship pathway. The recently launched RESPONSE Campaign: College and University Sponsorship of Refugee Students is a new campaign supporting expanded pathways for refugee students. And an accompanying report, prepared by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration and partners, including both of our institutions, contains recommendations for how the U.S. can develop, implement and sustain such a program.

To read the full article from Inside Higher Ed click here