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

Middle East Scholars

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INSTITUTION RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INITIATIVE

LCC International University

COUNTRY

Lithuania

CITY

Klaipeda

Address

Kretingos g. 36

info@lcc.lt

TYPOLOGY

- Financial support for refugee students
- Health services
- Help desk and supporting services for refugee students
- Housing for refugee students
- Intercultural competences activities for staff
- Language and other introductory courses for refugee students
- Non formal education activities for students
- Recognition of studies and prior learning for refugee students
- Social Events
- Tutoring and peer support for refugee students
- University policies on access to higher education

TARGET GROUPS

- Newly arrived refugees
- Students

DESCRIPTION AND METHODOLOGIES

Our key goal was to provide a pathway to further education to those who no longer had such a chance. The priority is to assist war-affected students from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan by providing them with an opportunity to start or continue their BA or MA education at LCC International University. An intensive English program (if needed) and supplemental support systems are a part of the scholarship package. High-potential students from the Middle East whose opportunity for study has been disrupted by war and violence are identified as LCC works in partnership with NGOs, UN groups and humanitarian organizations in Beirut, Lebanon; Amman, Jordan; Kurdistan, Iraq and Turkey. Students can apply or be referred to the program. Every student will need to take the English Language test organized by LCC staff and undergo a personal interview.

Activities
Because the candidates get to come to our university campus, they become fully fledged members of the university community. Therefore, they get all orientation to the new culture, new setting, new academic world, they receive all academic support as well as social and psychological if needed. We have seen students integrating very well, making new friends, finding jobs in the community, a few Iraqis were able to go on our Work&Travel USA program this past year. From Fall 2014 to Fall 2016 LCC made numerous trips to Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, and Syria to build relationships with NGOs, churches, United Nations agencies in order to ensure that each prospective student would come to us as the result of a referral from a trusted entity. We tested visa pathways, identified students, visited with authorities.

RESULTS AND IMPACT

We brought 4 Syrian students to LCC in Lithuania in Summer 2016, 9 Iraqi students and 1 Syrian student in January 2017, 4 Iraqi and 2 Afghan students in August 2017 and each semester after that. 43 students who are studying with us now from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. A few more have been helped with additional language learning, one has already graduated and got a job in Vilnius, Lithuania. The students are in a safe setting pursuing further education. That is the most concrete result.
The challenge has been in identifying the right students, also choosing only those who already have a certain level
of English. Visa pathways are still very complicated because we could help many more if they were able to access Lithuanian embassies. So some cooperation with other countries on the visa front would make a huge difference.