The Together project (2019-1-PT01-KA203-060772) has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

The Together project (2019-1-PT01-KA203-060772) has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Refugees Initiative

Incluusion – study or work for a brighter future

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INTERVIEWS


INSTITUTION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INITIATIVE

Utrecht University

COUNTRY

Netherlands

CITY

Utrecht

Address

Utrecht University
Heidelberglaan 8
3584 CS Utrecht
The Netherlands

WEB SITE OF THE INITIATIVE


TYPOLOGY

- Help desk and supporting services for refugee students
- Language and other introductory courses for refugee students
- Tutoring and peer support for refugee students

TARGET GROUPS

- Newly arrived refugees
- Refugees of second generation
- Students

DESCRIPTION AND METHODOLOGIES

Incluusion was founded in 2016 and has since that time welcomed more than 500 refugee students from over 40 countries.

Incluusion gives refugee students the opportunity to follow bachelor courses at Utrecht University. The programme focuses on both students with and without residence status. Many refugees are on hold for quite some time in an asylum seekers' center. Incluusion offers them the opportunity to keep on developing themselves academically, by joining UU courses and Utrecht Summer School courses. When Incluusion students successfully complete a course, they receive a certificate (but no ECTS).

During a UU course the Incluusion students are linked to 1 or 2 buddies: regular UU students who have volunteered as a buddy to help the Incluusion students on their way. They do this by:
- Providing a social network: most buddies meet with their student once every 2 weeks.
- Helping with practical matters, such as finding the right buildings/rooms, library, use of Blackboard (university system) and Teams.
- Helping with education, for instance how they can best tackle an assignment or how to avoid plagiarism. The buddies don't help with the content itself, but can refer the Incluusion students to the help they need.

Incluusion students are enrolled just like regular students, which means they can make use of the UU facilities during their course. This means they have full access to the library, but also to the UU student support services: the Skills Lab and Career Services. The Skills Lab offers students workshops in academic skills (eg. the writing a thesis week, personal coaching, or a workshop on how to give a presentation). The Career Services can help students with their cv, setting up a linkedin profile and preparing for job interviews.

A recent development in which Incluusion is broadening its scope is a pilot (start March 2020) in which UU offers status holders a work placement position for ~ 6-8 months within the UU. 5 positions have been fulfilled in IT, communication and teaching. The UU will decide before the end of 2021 whether to continue this pilot.

RESULTS AND IMPACT

The project has yielded the following preliminary results:

Over 500 students have followed courses at the Utrecht University.