Research details
Refugees: home students with international needs
Date 2010
Summary
Aims
This book chapter outlines the barriers refugees have faced in attempting to integrate into a United Kingdom university and suggests practical approaches that should be adopted to meet their needs.
Methodology
Details the experiences of 6 refugees all currently or recently studying in a UK university.
Key issues
Refugees are underrepresented in Higher Education [HE] and there is little pastoral support for them once they are in HE. They may also find it harder to develop peer support and friendship networks. Academic practice in the UK is unfamiliar and confusing for refugees and they may be unable to take up work-based placements, especially if it involves travelling abroad. They may be unaware of, or unwilling to take up, the range of support that is offered by universities.
Recommendations
- Raising awareness of refugee issues through community events and, for example in the UK, participation in Refugee Week.
- Offering staff development courses and workshops on working with refugees and asylum seekers, focusing on their rights, entitlements and support needs.
- Ensuring there are several staff with expert knowledge of complex refugee and asylum issues to whom other staff can refer for advice and support.
- Automatically making those additional support measures for international students available for refugees.
- Using information systems to identify refugees who have not self-declared.
- Embedding these commitments through incorporation of refugees and asylum seekers as groups with specific needs in relevant policies.
Further details
Resource type
book section
Book Internationalisation and the Student Voice
Published by
Routledge, LondonHow to get a copy of the research
Chapter only available through purchase of the full book.
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