3.1.3 The role of university associations in the integration of refugees (Alternative title: Exercise the right to freedom of assembly and association for the sake of refugees)

What could you as a student do to successfully contribute to the integration of refugees into academic society? To answer this question, you should consider the wise saying “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” “To go far” at university, you can enjoy and exercise one of the most basic rights enjoyed by human beings, which is the Freedom of assembly and of association. This right is enshrined, amongst others, in Article 12 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association at all levels.
As the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR highlight, the freedom of assembly and association is closely connected to the building of a culture of open democracy and enables non-violent participation in public affairs. In the university context, a few examples of university communities where students are represented are student groups, societies and associations.
The members of a student society, student association, university society or student organization provide a variety of services to mobilize students and support their academic goals, as well as enhancing their networking and communication skills. They also help to make studying abroad easier by giving information and organizing activities across Europe such as study trips, projects and training courses. Provided these university associations have adequate experience in assisting students, they can use this valuable knowledge to help the integration of refugee students in tertiary education. They can also serve as a bridge between migrants/refugees and local youth. A few examples of well-known organizations are the following: Electrical Engineering Students' European Association, Erasmus Student Network, Eurodoc, European Law Students’ Association, IGLYO, European Students’ Union, Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions, AIESEC. A list of all available associations in the EU is available here.
As long as you become a member of a university association, you should put the refugee issue on the agenda. As mentioned above, many people in HEIs are not well-informed about the topic. The first step in helping refugees is to construct an agenda with your peers which will focus on how to find refugees, how to help them and how to urge your university to help them.
Here is a list of things you could do to help refugees as a member of a University Association:
1. Find out what your university is offering in the way of helping refugees. Each EU Member State is largely responsible for its own education and training systems and the content of its teaching programmes (curricula). In fact, in federal countries like Germany, legal provisions on access to education for newly arrived refugee and migrant children may also greatly vary from one region to another. UNHCR and civil society organizations have identified major gaps in several EU+ countries, especially in terms of access to housing, health care and education for children and youth.
2. Organize a campaign
3. Discuss the needs of refugees with your fellow students.
4. Ask refugees about their needs. Despite the guidelines and the relevant literature, the reality is often different from that on paper. Every country has different guidelines and requirements regarding admission procedures. A good start is the Refugees Welcome Map, where you can get a general idea of what initiatives exist across Europe.
5. Organize information sessions throughout the year with the help of student associations.
6. Networking: make a list of academics and people working in universities that have knowledge of the topic or might be interested in it.
7. Involve experts when necessary: researchers, people working in the field, psychologists, interpreters.