Refugees and displaced persons face countless adversities in their search for safety and a durable solution. One significant and potentially indelible consequence of human displacement is the loss of educational opportunities. And while there are different pathways towards durable solutions (long-term safety and the full realization of human rights), only a small percentage will ever be resettled. In response to these related challenges, UNHCR has worked with academic institutions and NGOs to develop complementary pathways towards securing education and stability for young refugees (educational pathways). While it is certainly true that being a refugee is more of a political problem than a geographic one, today’s panelists have developed effective programs to address the problems of accessing education, obtaining legal status, and relocating to places where addressing these needs is possible. This panel will discuss the need for and value of complementary pathways in helping refugees achieve educational success and long-term security. The discussion will begin with a representative from UNHCR here to explain the idea behind complementary pathways and how the agency is promoting the public-private partnerships that make these endeavors possible. Then, the executive director of the Japan ICU Foundation will discuss their experiences of operating an initiative for Syrian refugees to attend International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo. Offering a second example, the director of Indonesia’s Roshan Learning Center will explain their program of helping refugees obtain their GED diploma and enroll in university. He will share their current efforts to help a small cohort of Afghan refugee students resettle to Europe through education. Finally, the panelists will highlight the most important factors in providing such programs, as well as insights into how others can either support existing efforts or explore creating new possibilities at their own institutions.
