Beatrice Romana Verga

In this article, we will explore the role of Higher Education (HE) within the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The next article will focus on Vocational Education and Training (VET).

The Pact acknowledges HE and VET as essential pillars of successful refugee integration. These educational pathways not only provide refugees with the skills needed to enter the labor market, but also help them build social connections, promote self-sufficiency, and contribute to the economic and cultural network of their host countries.

How does the Pact on Migration and Asylum address Higher Education?

Higher Education (HE) for Refugees

The Pact on Migration and Asylum highlights the importance of ensuring refugees’ access to HE, which plays a key role in their social and economic integration. Refugees often arrive with varying levels of academic qualifications, but HE can play a crucial role in fostering and ensuring long-term integration and social mobility.

How Higher Education Can Benefit Refugees

1. Promoting Social Mobility

Access to HE enhances refugees’ social mobility by enabling them to earn degrees or certifications that lead to skilled, well-paid employment.

2. Contributing to Host Societies

Refugees engaged in HE contribute to their host communities not only as professionals, but also as researchers, innovators and active citizens. Their diverse perspectives can enrich academic life and strengthen the knowledge economy of the EU.

3. Addressing Barriers to HE Access

Refugees often face significant barriers to HE access, including language challenges, financial constraints and difficulties in credential recognition The Pact aims to address these barriers, making it easier for refugees to enter HE.

Key Measures in the Pact

• Financial Support for HE: Member States are encouraged to offer financial assistance to refugees pursuing HE, including scholarships, grants and low-interest loans to support tuition and living costs.
• Recognition of Qualifications: the Pact underscores the need for recognizing foreign qualifications to facilitate refugee’s access to HE. Many refugees struggle to have their academic credentials acknowledged, hindering their ability to continue their studies in the host country. Therefore, Member States are strongly encouraged to streamline recognition processes and offer alternative pathways to enter HE.
• Partnerships with Universities: the Pact also encourages partnerships between EU universities and institutions in refugees’ countries of origin or transit. These partnerships could provide opportunities for refugees to transfer their credits or pursue remote learning, particularly in high-demand fields in the EU labor market.
• Language Training for Academic Success: to succeed in HE, refugees often require additional language support. Universities are encouraged to provide language courses and preparatory programs to help them meet academic requirements.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): the Pact supports the use of RPL systems, enabling refugees to gain recognition for informal or non-formal learning acquired in their home countries or during migration. This offers an alternative pathway to HE or professional qualifications, preventing them from having to start over.

Towards a More Inclusive Higher Education System

The New Pact on Migration and Asylum lays the groundwork for enhancing refugee’s access to Higher Education, recognizing its role in social mobility, economic contribution and long-term integration. 

While key measures — such as financial aid, qualification recognition and language support — represent important steps forward, barriers remain.

For the Pact’s vision to become a reality, stronger collaboration is needed between EU institutions, universities and civil society.

Ensuring that education policies are inclusive, adaptable and effectively implemented will be crucial in shaping a system that values refugees not just as beneficiaries, but also as contributors to Europe’s future.

What’s next? Our next article will explore the role of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in refugee integration. Keep an eye out for it!