Higher education can serve as a means of social inclusion for individuals who have migrated or been forcibly displaced, and it can provide a significant degree of freedom in their cognitive processes. Specifically, "You feel that you are considered a student, which gives you a new identity. You are proud to be a student. You stop seeing yourself as a refugee, you know. And you can participate in society, talk to the world. You find social activities beyond the university, you expand your network... you talk to other people not only to gain knowledge but also for social interaction itself. In a refugee camp, you just talk to people and realize they have the same problems, the same frustrations. So, there is nothing positive." (Y.F.M., testimony of a student in Medeiros's work, 2016)
Nevertheless, access to higher education is not necessarily seen as a right and, as a policy, it is inseparable from the socio-political environment in which it is conducted. National policies towards displaced individuals may be/considered welcoming and inclusive in some countries, while in others they may be rejecting, defensive, and exclusive.
This book analyzes the issues surrounding the formulation and management of educational policies as they arise with the influx of various new populations into different countries. In each context, there are different dilemmas. The chapters of the book present empirical research conducted in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. The critical role of higher education institutions in providing equitable access to education for refugees is analyzed, as well as the specific dynamics and policies that determine the choices and opportunities available to these populations for such access (Arar et al., 2018· Dryden-Peterson & Giles, 2010· Streitwieser et al., 2018· Waite, 2016).
In the majority of countries, leaders in the field of education are capable of making adjustments and modifications within institutions and sometimes, despite national educational policies, can provide equitable access to refugee students. However, the issue of fair and appropriate support for refugees remains unclear and complex, given the lack of inclusive and integrative policies. This book can contribute in this direction with practices and policies that are analyzed, either to avoid or inspiring, regarding the Greek context.
Number of pages
308
Cover
Soft
Year of publication
2024
Publisher
Ekdoseis Papazisi
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